By Brendan Carroll

A new student sports centre for Atlantic Technical University (ATU) Galway has been granted planning permission by Galway City Council.

College authorities have undertaken to construct the facility “in the coming years” – it was first given the green light by planners eleven years ago but was never built.

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

The 2,800-plus square metre building will 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 facility was objected to by two residents on Ballyloughane Road, who feared that it would overshadow their homes and reduce their value, and expressed concerns about noise impacts, among other issues. One complained that no contact had been made with him, as the occupant of one of three houses which would be in the shadow of the proposed development.

A report by city planners accepted that shadow studies showed a degree of overshadowing would occur in early morning during summer and winter months of dwellings located to the west, but added that no overshadowing would occur from late morning onwards

The report also noted that no windows openings were proposed along the west facing elevation, ensuring no overlooking of adjoining dwellings.

Galway City Council first gave the green light to the college, then GMIT, for the new sports centre in 2013, a decision affirmed by An Bord Pleanála following an appeal by neighbouring residents. A five-year extension of time to build it ran out on the permission last year.

Planning consultants MKO, acting on behalf of ATU, blamed this on disruption caused by the advent of Covid-19.

“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 currently lacked high-quality sports and recreational facilities for use by the student population – and stressed that such facilities were often a key factor for students in choosing a third level institution.

“Therefore, the proposed development is considered an important element for the development and continued growth of ATU”, offering an enhanced recreational space that would help in attracting and retaining students, the submission claimed.

Galway City Council has decided to grant planning permission for the new sports building, subject to conditions including raising the level of a proposed new footpath along the northern boundary of the sports building and making a contribution of €143,300 to the council towards the provision of public services facilitating the proposed development.

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