Plans have been submitted to convert vacant commercial units in Tuam into 17 apartments.
JFC Manufacturing Company have submitted a planning application to convert the first floor of Lár na Cathrach at Abbey Trinity Tuam into apartments.
That floor of the building currently consists of vacant retail units and an empty coffee shop.
It’s intended that they be replaced with 12 one-bed, and 5 two-bed apartments.
The emphasis on one-bed units is to complement the existing residential development in the building, which is almost entirely two-bed units, according to the planning documents.
According to the developer the entire floor has been lying vacant for almost all of the 15 years since the building was constructed.
The planning documents go on to say that while there is no immediate demand for first floor retail space, “There is a significant shortage of housing, nationally, and in Tuam”.
Local planning policy also encourages converting unused space in town centres to residential use, both to address out housing crisis and to help with urban regeneration, according to the developer.
It’s estimated that if planning permission is granted the conversion could be completed within 32 weeks.
Submissions about this project can be made to the county council up to April 1, and a decision is due on the planning application by April 22.
