An Bord Pleanála has ordered that the Galway City Ring Road proposal must go out for public submissions once again.

This opens up the potential for a new oral hearing into the estimated €1 billion road project which could add to the length of time it will take the planning board to decide on its fate.

The renewed submissions window comes after Galway County Council, as the lead authority on the ring road, responded to a further information request from An Bord Pleanála on April 14 last.

As part of the further information request, updated environmental, geological and bat surveys were all submitted — as well as explanations by the local authority as to how the ring road would, in their view, comply with climate action legislation.

An Bord Pleanála previously granted planning permission for the 18km ring road route from Coolough, on the east side of the city, to west of Barna Village, on November 8, 2021.

This decision was overturned by the High Court when it was discovered that Board had ‘not been aware’ that four days before granting permission, the Government had enacted a new Climate Plan.

This led to the remitting of the planning proposal and the request for further information.

In a letter issued by An Bord Pleanála this week, it was stated that the additional information supplied by the County Council “contains significant additional data in relation to the likely effects on the environment of the proposed road development”.

As a result, it has been ordered that submissions be invited on the project and that files relating to the ring road be made available for public viewing.

Galway County Council had previously stated that such a move was expected, with Director of Servies Uinsinn Finn outlining to councillors at the April plenary meeting that they were prepared for another public consultation on the project.

“We would fully expect to put it for public consultation because the information is significant. Submissions will be made and it will be up to the Board if they feel there is a need for an oral hearing,” said Mr Finn at the time.

Pictured: An impression of the proposed Galway City Ring Road which Board Pleanála granted planning permission for in November 2021. That decision was overturned by the High Court.