Galway: Inner city urban renewal and land use diversity

Abstract:

The project "Inner city urban renewal and land use diversity" was based on a specific programme of tax incentives by the national government designed to arrest the decline in physical fabric in urban areas and to encourage development and has included the combination of a wide mix of land use, the rehabilitation of the derelict inner city and medieval heritage and the redevelopment of the inner city area (50 km2) in balance with its surroundings. The main reasons for adding this project to the good practice examples are as follows:

• contributing to the attainment of several environmental, economic and social goals
• interdisciplinary co-operation between agencies, participation of citizens, local government and partnerships in the decision-making process and in implementation
• self-commitment of the municipality to the principles of sustainable development
• contribute to creating or maintaining meaningful employment
• contribute to providing affordable, environmentally friendly, socially compatible housing
• contribute to making commercial activity sustainable
• contribute to making land-use patterns sustainable
• contribute to improving urban design.

Description

During the 1960s and 1970s, general trends in planning favoured the placement of new developments on the perimeters of urban centres rather than in central locations, resulting in the decline of the environmental quality of inner city areas and the consequent under-utilisation of existing infrastructures. In 1986, the Irish Government launched a special programme of tax incentives designed to arrest the decline in physical fabric in urban areas and to encourage development. An area of 50 km2 in Galway (57,000 inhabitants) was designated for this purpose. The designation area comprised 6 hectares located beside the city centre commercial core. Approximately 50% of the designated area was derelict and in need of urgent renewal.

Planning objectives were formulated from the comprehensive view that new developments should reflect the character and atmosphere that is unique to the urban environment of Galway's inner city such as the characteristic narrow streets, steep gables, strong corners, painted plaster or stone finishing and provide a diversity of land use essential to the vitality of the town centre. The aims of the project were defined as follows:

1. to redevelop this run-down area of the city so as to reinforce the city centre as the dominant shopping and commercial core of Galway City and region incorporating a wide variety and mix of activities;
2. to retain the existing street pattern making use of existing infrastructure;
3. where possible, to retain and incorporate remnants of the mediaeval city walls and to rehabilitate the more important key buildings to act as anchor points and to preserve continuity with the past;
4. to bring back residential life to the city centre. Thus all new developments were required to provide a substantial residential content.

The Galway Corporation actively promoted the renewal of the designated area and assisted in the promotion of development projects by:

1. contacting directly all property owners in the area and circulating all financial institutions and developers;
2. assembling sites and making them available for development;
3. using compulsory purchase power to help developers with land title difficulties;
4. expediting planning applications, giving priority to the provision of a wide mix of uses including shops, offices restaurants, recreational buildings, etc.;
5. promoting a partnership approach - the renewal could not have happened without the full involvement of a broad range of sectors in the city, including residential, construction industry, conservationists and the Local Authority itself. Thus, their active participation in the renewal initiatives can be facilitated.

The main features of sustainable development within the designated area include:

1. the total surface area is evenly divided between shop offices and residential development;
2. residential surface space is located above commercial developments. In many cases these residential units take the form of small courtyard town houses designed with separate
3. frontage overlooking an internal communal open space area;
4. all developments have been designed in scale and character with their setting;
5. improvements to infrastructure, roads, footpaths and amenities were undertaken.

Overhead wires were placed underground and street furniture, lighting, seats, planting, bins, signage, etc. were all carefully integrated. A new centre city park was created in the form of a riverside walk. A study of all medieval buildings, structure and artefacts was carried out prior to renewal work. Planning permissions for development required that all existing mediaeval structures be retained, restored and highlighted, and that new developments were required to be subordinate to these medieval structure.

Results

The following results were obtained:

1. by projecting a positive image and their clear plan for the area, the local authority was able to generate confidence among developers and investors;
2. reinforcement of the mediaeval character in the central area has increased an awareness of their cultural heritage and fostered a pride that is evident to both residents and tourists alike;
3. the central area has now become the undisputed shopping and commercial centre of the city, thus contributing to local employment.

The success of the project can be measured not only in terms of the investment created but also for the beneficial effect it has had in projecting the image of Galway as a vibrant centre, to live in or to visit. New and exciting dimensions have been added, socially, environmentally and economically to the quality and variety of inner city life.

Finance

The Irish Government launched a special programme of tax incentives in 1986 which were designed to arrest the decline in physical fabric in urban areas and to encourage development. Concerning the real project costs there is no further information available.

Statistical Information

Start: 1986

Source of Information

Personal communication with Joe O’Neill, Galway Corporation, Urban Renewal and Planning, January, 2000.

Heidemji Advies BV: Urban environment and sustainable development - Success stories, Arnheim 1994 (on behalf of EC, DG XI)

Contact:

Cities:

Galway :

Galway is a seaport located on Galway Bay in the county of the same name in the west of the Irish Republic. The city exports through its harbour areas wool and other agricultural products from the surrounding area, in addition in the city there are numerous fish processing plants, distilleries, iron smelting and grain mills. There is a University College in the city, which is part of the National University of Ireland. Many buildings in the city reveal a Spanish influence, because significant and major trade relations between the city and Spain persisted until the latter part of the 17th century.

Population:

Project was added at 01.06.1995
Project was changed at 22.08.2001

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