Taylor's Hill residents have begun to act on their opposition to plans by the Mercy Sisters to develop lands in Taylor's Hill, already lodging planning objections in order to stop the development going ahead.

Residents have begun leafleting the area, encouraging parents of children attending Taylor's Hill schools and anyone commuting through the area to object to the plan. The leaflet quotes the planning reference number and gives instructions for lodging an objection.

At a meeting last Friday with city council planning officials, residents of the area were brought through the planning process and shown where they could make their input.

According to one resident from the Devon Park area, the meeting, which was organised and chaired by Mayor Tom Costello, was "very positive".

"The big concern is that the proposed development is too high, too dense, and out of character with the area and other developments. We're also concerned about the traffic; with 128 units in an area which already has mayhem in the mornings and at school times, it's an accident waiting to happen," she added.

The resident also pointed out that a previous application by the sisters for a similar development was rejected by An Bórd Pleanála due to the proposed height, which included two, three and four-storey buildings.

A further meeting on Friday evening saw residents of Devon Park, Devon Mews and Devon Gardens as well as those from other areas come together to discuss the plan of action for objecting to the development. Several objections have already been lodged with the city council and more are expected before the 1 February deadline.

Both residents and the area's councillors are proposing that the site be purchased by the city council and used as a park. One resident told the Galway Independent that the area should be used as an "inclusive park for all", with facilities such as a children's playground, a skateboarding park, and raised gardens.