The 27th of February 2009 sees the start of the review and preparation process by Galway City Council of the 2011–2017 Galway City Development Plan. The preparation of the new City Development Plan will take approximately two years and has to be adopted by January 2011.
The Development Plan is a blue print for the planning and development of the Galway City for the next six years. For example, it sets out where roads, water supplies, sewage are to be provided and it zones land for a particular purpose (housing, shopping, schools, industry, commercial etc.) This will affect what type of buildings can be constructed and the use to which land can be put. It affects many facets of daily economic and social life - where you can live, what services are available and where developments with job opportunities are to be sited.
The Development Plan includes objectives for:
The City Development Plan also includes development objectives relating to the control of use of buildings, reservation of lands, location and pattern of development etc.
The planning authority will carry out a Strategic Environmental Assessment [SEA] as part of the review process and for this purpose, the planning authority will also prepare an environmental report on the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the new plan, and the provisions of Articles 13C to 13J of the 2004 SEA Regulations shall apply. An Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Directive shall also be undertaken.
The adoption of the final Development Plan is a function of the elected representatives of Galway City Council.
Extensive public consultation will form part of the plan preparation process. It is important that everybody is involved in the Development Plan Process and everybody is entitled to give an opinion on any aspect of the Development Plan. The Planning Authority has to summarise the issues raised in the submissions and prepare a report, which will be considered by the Council Members. The first period for submissions/observations starts on the 27/2/09 and ends on 29/4/09 (16.00 hours).
A drop-in clinic will be held in the Planning Department every Monday afternoon throughout the months of March and April from 2.30 to 4 p.m until the 29th April. Public Information sessions regarding the review of the Development Plan and the making of submissions/observations will be held in a number of locations throughout the City in March 2009. Further public notices will be published in local newspapers and on the Councils website indicating the dates, times and venues of these sessionss.
To assist this process an Issues Papers, which identifies the kind of planning issues that the next City Development Plan could address, has been prepared. A copy of this can be downloaded from the Council’s website
Hard copies of the issues papers are also available at the Planning Department, City Hall, College Road, Galway (9.00am - 4.00pm).
This document may also be inspected at Galway City and Westside Libraries.
Closing Date for Submission/Observations:
The closing date for receipt of submission/observations for the consultation period on the Draft City Development Plan is 29 April 2009, 4.00 p.m.
Contact Details:
Observations/Submissions should be marked Development Plan Review and sent to the following address, before the 29th April 2009:
Senior Planner
Planning Department
Galway City Council
City Hall
College Road
Galway.
Or emailed to the following address, devplan@galwaycity.ie
Please note: Only written submissions and observations received by 4.00p.m. (16:00hrs). on 29 April 2009 and addressed as set out above will be considered before the making of the Plan. Submissions cannot be accepted in any other format or to any other postal address or e-mail address other than as set out above.
Any telephone inquiries regarding the preparation of the City Plan can be made to Planning Section, Galway City Council at (091) 536599.
More information on the Development Plan review process can be found in two City Council Information Leaflets: “Development Review and Preparation of New Development Plan Information Leaflet” & “A Guide to making a Submission/Observation on the new Galway City Development Plan”
Download Review of City Development Plan Information Leaflet
Download Guide to making a submission
The following Documents are also available: