New Tuam planning controversy over zoning

By TONY GALVIN THE NRA can't dictate to the people of Tuam what they should do with their own development plan. This was the message from one member of Galway Co Council when the National Roads Authority (NRA) objected to a site owned by a local business adjacent to the Tuam by-pass route being zoned commercial in the Town Plan. However, a senior Co Council official warned that there would be serious opposition to any zoning that could put Tuam's long-awaited by-pass in jeopardy. A member of the council went as far as to ask if the Tuam councillors who supported the zoning were 'giving two fingers to the Department of the Environment' on this matter. The controversy arose at a meeting in County Hall on Monday when submissions to the Tuam Draft Plan 2011-17 were outlined by Director of Services for Planning, Kevin Kelly. He argued that it was agreed policy to concentrate commercial development in the centre of Tuam. He pointed out that the business in question was proposing to locate outside the planned town by-pass and felt this flew in the face of proper planning. He proposed that the commercial classification of the site be reverted to agriculture. However, Cllr Michael Connolly objected strongly.  He said they had just been listening to a presentation from the IDA and Enterprise Ireland who came into the council chamber to speak on the need to promote jobs and investment and then they were being asked to put an obstacle in the way of a long-established Tuam business expanding. 'This is flying in the face of what they were talking about. If we go along with the proposal we'll be talking out of both sides of our mouths,' he said. He went on to say that it was costing Stapleton's dearly to have to operate out of two separate locations in the centre of Tuam as this made it difficult for storage and deliveries. He saw nothing wrong with the company establishing a base outside the by-pass. But Mayor Jimmy McClearn pointed out that Cllr Connolly's arguments were all based on commercial considerations and he had not uttered one word on the issue of proper planning and development. Cllr Tom McHugh then rowed in in support of the Stapleton plan. 'The NRA can't get everything they want,' he said, 'we have to consider what people in Tuam want as well.' Director of Services Kevin Kelly pointed out that the site in question was isolated and it did not appear to be logical to extend the town outside the 50kph speed limit. He argued that there was a need to protect a strong national investment in the by-pass and warned that the NRA would appeal any decision to have a site zoned commercial in this location. Cllr Connolly insisted on the commercial zoning and was seconded by Cllr Sean Canney with support from Cllr Tom McHugh. Cllr Mogie Maher asked if the Tuam councillors were giving two fingers to the Department of the Environment on this issue. Kevin Kelly warned that given the difficulties with the site the odds were stacked against planning permission being granted on it and this could involve the company in question wasting money in making an application. The matter was put to a vote. Out of 30 members of Galway Co Council entitled to vote there were 13 in the chamber. Eight voted in favour while five abstained.