New plans for a community centre in the Knocknacarra area were branded 'developer-led' and a 'terrible blow' to residents in the Millar's Lane area, at a meeting of Galway City Council on Monday night. The council received a presentation from the Moritz Group on the long-awaited community centre on Monday, outlining a land swap and re-zoning proposal, which could make the recreational centre a reality.

Under the plans, Galway City Council would swap the 5.44 acre site currently occupied by the Millar's Lane pitches, for a 7.53 acre site adjacent to the proposed Knocknacarra Community Centre site. The Millar's Lane pitches would then be rezoned from recreational-amenity (RA) to residential (R) to allow for housing to be built in the area. A number of other sites and rezoning projects are also involved in the plans.

The proposal was well received by council officials, who said that the deal would make providing the centre "very workable", with funding from Galway City Council, the Moritz Group and Sports Capital Grants as well as private contributions.

However, a number of concerns were raised by councillors, who felt that the proposition was representative of the ‘heavy hand of the developer' and would require a large monetary contribution from the Moritz Group to be viable.

Cllr John Mulholland vehemently opposed swapping the Millar's Lane site, saying it would be a great pity to "give something to people and take it away".

The plans were also rejected by Cllr Daniel Callanan, who said it would be more realistic to plan a scaled down version of the centre, considering the current economic climate.

"Without the developers contributing millions, together with a substantial contribution from the council, this project is already dead in the water as clearly there will be little or no grants forthcoming from the Government."

"Why not consider building a scaled-down community centre in Cappagh Park (on a site we already own) without a swimming pool, which could be fully funded by the city council, the €300,000 which the community has in the bank and a financial contribution from the developer for rezoning their large industrial site to commercial," said the Independent councillor.

"This community centre, if accompanied by all-weather pitches, would be a great complementary resource to the Knocknacarra Soccer and Salthill/Knocknacarra GAA Clubs, who are already resident in Cappagh Park. This plan would also mean that the Millers Lane pitches would not have to be rezoned," he said.

The plans will now be put forward for consideration by the public, with a report on the public response being returned to Galway City Council at a meeting in April.

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