Plans have been submitted to the county council for a new housing development in Athenry.
Approval is being sought for a housing development at Raheen, Athenry consisting of 17 two-storey houses.
The plans call for the construction of one detached house with three bedrooms; 6 semi-detached, three-bedroom homes, 6 three-bedroom terraced homes; and four two-bedroom, semi-detached houses.
Two of the three-bedroom semi-detached houses would be set aside for affordable or social housing as required under Part V planning obligations.
Irish Water said that a connection to the public network can be facilitated, but that this is subject to upgrades to the Athenry wastewater network which are currently at the detailed design stage.
The site of the housing development is currently a grass field near the Raheen Woods Hotel, with offices belonging to the OPW to the rear of the site.
The landscape design for the estate says that area fronting on the road will have a boundary wall of Irish limestone with a screening of trees to limit the visual impact.
An Appropriate Assessment Screening Report and Road Safety Audit were both carried out for this project and submitted with the planning application.
Two submissions have been made to the county council concerning this project.
The Ballygarraun Residents Association said that it was overall in support of the project, but has number of concerns.
They said that planning permission should be conditional on the upgrade to the local wastewater network being complete before construction begins.
It was also said that the housing density in the design is too high, and notes the Road Safety Audit’s point that there is no dedicated crossing point to the footpath opposite the estate.
A second submission was made by locals supporting the points raised by the Residents Association.
A decision on this planning application is due from Galway County Council by September 9.
