LGFA Centre of Excellence at Galway Airport off the table
A NEW Galway LGFA Centre of Excellence mooted for part of the former Galway Airport has been taken off the table, as council officials are focusing on the applications they have already received for the site.
The 118 acres have been in the joint ownership of Galway City and County Council since November 2013, two years after commercial operations at the airport ceased.
Councillors in Tuam had proposed that 25 acres be allocated to Galway LGFA, who they believe are in urgent need of land to build a Centre of Excellence for the promotion of Ladies Football across the county.
The council has received six expressions of interest regarding the site, none of which came from Galway LGFA and no new applications will be accepted, a meeting of Galway County Council heard on Monday.
However, Liam Hanrahan, the Director of Services for Planning and Economic Development, was hopeful some of the airport could still act as a community space where pitches and others local amenities could be facilitated.
Report on six bidders due
“The area around the airport is seen as one which has huge economic growth and employment opportunities, and it plays a part in the National Planning Framework and our County Development Plan,” said Mr Hanrahan at the meeting.
“The expression of interest process was looking at groups seeking to develop the land for economic purposes. But given it is a 114-acre site, we would still expect some sort of green space that could be used by the community to be part of any plans.”
A team made up of staff from both the county and city councils has been conducting interviews with the six applicants over the past few weeks.
They are currently going through all the documents applicants submitted with their bids and a report of their findings is expected to be completed before the end of the summer.
It will then be circulated to councillors in both the city and county, who will have the final say on whether to sell, lease or retain the site.
“This is a rare occasion where we have publicly owned land, we need to make sure there is a community dividend to any sale,” warned Tuam MD Councillor Shaun Cunniffe.
“We have been told that the primary usage has to be industrial, but we need to make sure some of it is used for sport and recreation, as it will help so many peoples’ mental and physical health.
“So many sporting groups can’t afford to buy land, a lot of it can’t be used as it is zoned for housing. Groups like Galway LGFA are in desperate need of land like this. I know a report on the bidders is still to be completed and I look forward to viewing it once it is finished.”