Planning and environmental watchdog An Taisce has claimed there has been a deterioration in the character and quality of shopfronts in Eyre Square in recent years.

The group has called on the City Council to clamp down on the “creeping plasticisation” of shop signage in the area.

The Planning Committee of An Taisce in Galway made the comments in a submission on a planning application seeking to retain three unauthorised signs on the front of the Card Factory shop (pictured) at 37 Eyre Square, which was turned down last week.

The group noted that the premises is located within the Eyre Square Architectural Conservation Area in the City Development Plan, where the area is described as “a significant historic civic space within the city”.

The submission said the heritage group would be concerned if the unauthorised plastic signage was to be left in place and described it as “clearly excessive in size” and added that signage is not permitted on upper floors anyway.

“Generally, Eyre Square has in recent years seen a deterioration in the character and quality of its numerous shopfronts with a creeping plasticisation of shopfront signage.

“It is essential that new staff in the [City Council] planning section would clamp down on such slippage,” the submission reads.

The group suggested that a public campaign with “generous circulation” of the Council’s guidelines on shopfronts was “perhaps overdue”.
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the February 16 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.