An Bord Pleanála (ABP ) has asked the ring road project managers at Galway County Council to re-advertise their planning application for the route from Coolagh to the R336 Coast Road, and open it up to public consultation.
This consultation will allow for new written submissions to be made to ABP before the end of July.
Commissioners in the national planning authority had previously approved the 18km orbital route – costed at €550m ten years ago – but on foot of a judicial review in 2022, the High Court remitted the approval back to ABP in 2023 because commissioners did not consider the Government’s latest climate action plan in their deliberations.
ABP received updated environmental, geological and ecological reports from Galway’s two local authorities, and the National Transport Authority, in April. These reports assessed the impact of two 200m tunnels, a new bridge over the Corrib, a viaduct, 6km of single carriageway, 12km of dual carriageway, and several link roads, side roads, junctions and other engineering structures.
In correspondence dated June 6, seen by the Advertiser, ABP has now decided that this new information “contains significant additional data in relation to the likely effects on the environment of the proposed road development, and the likely consequences for proper planning and sustainable development in the area in which it is proposed to situate the said development.”
The Board has directed Galway County Council to provide copies of its new reports for inspection by the public, and send copies to all interested parties who have previously made planning submissions on the road. Newspaper notices must be published in relation to the new consultation period before Sunday, July 6.
The move comes after a Department of Transport report was published last month, estimating that although the current ring road proposal may reduce congestion temporarily, increased traffic volumes by 2040 will create more congestion, especially at new junctions in the city’s western suburbs around Knocknacarra.
The Economic Cost of Congestion in Regional Cities Report further estimated that the financial impact of Galway city’s congestion far outstripped that of traffic jams in Cork and Waterford, even if proposed road, rail, bus and cycling projects are completed.
Last month, the National Transport Agency said it was suspending the development of Galway’s entire Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS ) until a the N6 Ring Road planning application was approved or rejected by ABP.
Senior Galway County Council officials recently expressed confidence that the ring road will ultimately receive planning permission, while Galway City Council’s chief executive warned he expected another oral hearing first.
Minister of State for Road Transport, Galway East TD Sean Canney, said the ring road could be shovel-ready within three years of a planning approval.
