Green light for Galway housing development after seven-year planning battle

A long-running bid to build a housing development in Briarhill has finally been approved, ending a planning process that began in 2019 and involved three refusals. Developer Martin Coyne has secured permission from An Coimisiún Pleanála for a 56-home development on a 2.26-hectare site beside Briarhill National School off Monivea Road, R339. The development will comprise 20 three- and four-bedroom homes, along with eight terraced homes containing two- and four-bedroom units. It will also include apartments and duplexes across three blocks, providing a mix of one- and two-bedroom units. The application was submitted to Galway County Council planning offices in May 2025 and it follows two application refusals in 2019 and 2020. A third, revised proposal for 58 homes was also refused by Galway County Council in March 2026. This was subsequently appealed by Mr Coyne to An Coimisiún Pleanála in April. Read more Large Galway housing development refused for third time Galway County Council's March refusal centred on proposed alterations to the R339 Monivea Road. Planners found the scheme was not aligned with sustainable transport and movement objectives for Galway. The council also concluded that the proposal failed to comply with the Galway County Development Plan. However, An Coimisiún Pleanála ultimately concluded that the development should proceed subject to 21 conditions. In its decision, the planning body criticised the grounds on which the local authority refused the application. 1 / 2 Apartments rendering at the Briarhill Development 2 / 2 56 homes have been approved 'I note the Planning Authority in their initial assessment did not raise issue with the design, scale or car-dominated layout of the proposal, or with the quality of public realm, public and private open space, or residential amenities,' the An Coimisiún Pleanála inspector's report stated. 'In my opinion the Planning Authority reasons for refusal are not based on any assessment of the relevant standards and provide no specific reference to particular parts or elements of the development which they consider to be deficient in terms of layout design or quality.' Among the conditions are a reduction in car parking spaces near Block B of the apartments and the submission of detailed designs for all road extensions and upgrades, including a Road Safety Audit. Site location in Briarhill The conditions also require provision for future access to adjoining lands as part of planned improvements to the R339. In addition, 20pc of the development's parking spaces must be capable of accommodating future electric vehicle charging points, while all houses must be equipped with external connections to facilitate EV charging. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme.