2260734
for the construction of a Discount Foodstore Supermarket with ancillary off-licence sales. The proposed development comprises: 1) The construction of a single storey (with mezzanine plant deck) mono-pitch Discount Foodstore (with ancillary off-licence use) measuring 2,275 sqm gross floor space with a net retail sales area of 1,409 sqm; 2) Construction of a vehicular and pedestrian access points to both Clonfert Avenue and Dominic Street and associated works; and, 3) Provision of associated car parking, free standing and building mounted signage, trolley bay cover / enclosure, refrigeration and air conditioning plant and equipment, roof mounted solar panels, hard and soft landscaping, cycle parking, boundary treatments, modification of existing footpaths, drainage infrastructure and connections to services / utilities, electricity sub-station and all other associated and ancillary development and works above and below ground level.
Core Refusal Reason
The development materially contravenes the 'Open Space, Recreation and Amenity' zoning objective by locating car parking and roads on protected lands, and fails to provide adequate pedestrian/cycle permeability or passive surveillance in its design.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The provision of car parking and internal roads on lands zoned for 'Open Space, Recreation and Amenity' is a material contravention of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028.
- The layout fails to provide a dedicated, safe, and direct route for pedestrians and cyclists crossing between Clonfert Avenue and Dominic Street, creating an unattractive environment and potential for vehicular conflict.
- The design lacks sufficient passive surveillance of the car park and pedestrian routes, particularly from the expansive but inactive northern elevation, representing a poor architectural response to a designated 'Opportunity Site'.