GrantedCommercialDecided 1 August 2025

Earl’s Island, University Road (R863), University of Galway Co. Galway

Construction of a new Performance Place building at the University of Galway.

2560108 · Galway City Council · Lodged 11 April 2025

Reference: 2560108
Authority: Galway City Council
Register status: Decided
Type: PERMISSION
Received: 11 April 2025

Summary

AI-generated

The University of Galway is applying for a 10-year permission to construct a new 2-storey Performance Place building. The project involves demolishing 5 existing warehouses and building a dual-use academic and creative arts space featuring a 420-seat theatre, atrium, and café near three protected structures.

Commercialuniversitytheatredemolitionprotected structure

Storeys: 2
Floor area: 2,567 m²

Generated from the description above by an AI model and may contain mistakes. The council’s description is the authoritative record.

Official record

Development description

The university of galway are applying for a 10-year planning permission to galway city council to facilitate the development of a new performance place building on a site located at earl’s island, university road (r863), university of galway, co. Galway. There are 3 no. Protected structures located in the vicinity of the site including rps no. 3609 (a lime kiln), rps no. 8501 (rivers & waterways, including embankments and walling) and rps no. 3608 (known as weir lodge). The proposed site extends to 0.3 hectares. The development will consist of the following
Demolish 5 no. Existing warehouse buildings located on site
The construction of a 2-storey building to accommodate a dual use academic teaching space and a creative arts and performance space. The proposed building extends to 2,567sqm, has an overall maximum height of 12.25m and features climbing plants on the western elevation
The proposed performance place features a 420 no. Seat theatre extending to 396.3sqm with tiered seating and an associated back of house space measuring 39.5sqm and a green room area measuring 39.3sqm
The ground floor incorporates a central atrium space, a café and multi-purpose space. The building also includes a sustainable transport hub with secure bicycle storage, showers and changing facilities
The first floor includes 5 no. Offices, 6 no. Practice rooms, a 35 no. Desk classroom, a multipurpose room, store rooms and associated ancillary spaces
The provision of an accessible set-down area in the southeastern portion of the site
Provision of hard and soft landscaping, external bicycle parking (including accessible parking) and public lighting
Provision of plant and photovoltaic panels at roof level of the proposed building
An esb substation and associated switch room is located in the southwestern portion of the proposed building
Removal of the columns currently supporting the existing warehouse building to be demolished, which is partially located in the distillery river, to the immediate west of the application site
Provision of a temporary site compound area to the east of the proposed performance place building to facilitate construction
Provision of all associated surface water, watermain and foul water drainage services and connections (including nature-based drainage solutions) and all associated site works and ancillary services necessary to facilitate the proposed development. This application is suppo

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Community Culture and InstitutionalCI

“To provide for institutional and community facility use”

National zoning type: Community facilities

Objective set by the Galway City Development Plan 2023 - 2029 (2023–2029). The planning authority decides each application on its own merits — this is the zoning context, not a compliance assessment.

Read the zoning objectives in the development plan

Built & sold

What happened next

Beyond the decision: whether this development was built, and what property here has sold for.

Recent sales nearby

within 500 m

Residential Property Price Register sales within 500 metres of this site
Address	Date	Price	Distance
1 Earls Island, Salmon Weir, Co Galway	Sept 2025	€980,000	104 m
2a Waterside, Galway, Galway	Dec 2025	€350,000	190 m
2 Canal Court, Canal Rd Upper, Galway	Sept 2025	€580,000	246 m
St. Vincents, Newtownsmith, Galway City	Apr 2025	€5,646,714	253 m
6 Canal Court, Canal Rd, Galway	Jan 2026	€345,000	262 m
12 Corrib Terrace, Woodquay, Galway	Feb 2025	€530,000	266 m
20 Riverside, Woodquay, Galway	Jan 2025	€600,000	269 m
Riverside House, 13 Riverside, Woodquay	Nov 2025	€1,600,000	274 m

Nearby properties, not this site — a guide to local values.

Sources: Building Control Management System (commencement notices) and the Residential Property Price Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Records are matched to this application by location and may not be exhaustive; always confirm against the official source before relying on them.

Key dates

Timeline

Application received11 April 2025
Further information requested29 May 2025
Further information received11 July 2025
Decision due7 August 2025
Decision issued1 August 2025
Grant issued12 September 2025
Permission expiry11 September 2035

In the area

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