By Brendan Carroll

A student sports centre planned for ATU Galway is being resurrected – more than a decade after it was first given planning permission.

A new planning application has been lodged by college authorities, seeking permission for the building off the Dublin Road. The project was given the go-ahead by city planners more than 11 years ago, but never built.

The two-storey multi-functional sports building is planned for the ATU Galway lands at Murrough, on the opposite side of the Dublin Road from the main college campus.

The 2,800-plus square metre building would include a multi-purpose sports hall, a gym, multi-purpose room, meeting room, seating area and coffee dock – it will be accessed from Ballyloughane Road, with a new ‘temporary pedestrian crossing’ on the Dublin Road.

The college, then GMIT, was given the green light for the development by Galway City Council in 2013 and this was upheld by An Bord Pleanála following an appeal by neighbouring residents.

A five-year extension of time granted in 2018 ran out on the permission last year – with planning consultants MKO blaming this on disruption caused by the advent of Covid-19, in their submission to planners on the latest application.

“Accordingly, ATU are now submitting a new planning application for the same development with the intention of implementing the permission and constructing the proposed development in the coming years,” they said.

Their submission went on to point out that ATU (Atlantic Technical University) currently lacks high-quality sports and recreational facilities for use by the student population – and stressed the importance of filling that gap.

“The availability of sports and recreational facilities is often a key factor for students in choosing a third level institution and therefore, the proposed development is considered an important element for the development and continued growth of ATU. “

It added that the site adjoined existing playing pitches and changing rooms and therefore, would appropriately complement and consolidate the existing recreational facilities on ATU’s Galway campus.

“In this manner, the proposed development would offer an enhanced recreational space that will help in attracting and retaining students,” the submission claimed.

Pictured: The proposed new ATU Galway sports centre, viewed from the N6 Dublin Road looking west.