The Sandy Quarter | Galway

The Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Galway City Council (GCC), has prepared a Draft Spatial Framework for lands adjoining Sandy Road, Galway. The Framework sets out a vision for the transformation of brownfield and underutilised lands into Ceathrú an Ghainimh – The Sandy Quarter, a vibrant new mixed-use urban neighbourhood with a strong sense of place and community.

The vision for The Sandy Quarter is to create a walkable, connected and sustainable neighbourhood centred on high-quality public spaces, new pedestrian and cycle links, a revitalised local main street, and a range of community facilities. The development will support renewed growth and investment across the wider Sandy Road area while enhancing connectivity with the city and surrounding communities.

The first phase of the project was a Design Review commissioned by the LDA and undertaken by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI). This exercise explored ambitious, high-level concepts for the site and provided indicative assessments of its development potential. Building on this work, the LDA appointed a multidisciplinary design team led by Reddy Architecture + Urbanism to prepare the Spatial Framework.

The Spatial Framework is founded on three key structuring principles:

• A comprehensive vision for the area;
• A set of masterplanning themes; and
• A series of key development principles and design guidelines.

At its heart, The Sandy Quarter seeks to establish a distinctive new urban district that prioritises people, place and quality of life. New character areas will be integrated through attractive streets, biodiverse parkland, play spaces and high-quality public realm, creating an environment where people can live, work, meet and build lasting community connections.

The development represents a significant opportunity for Galway City, delivering innovative, universally designed and energy-efficient mixed-tenure homes, including affordable and social housing. By combining sustainable development, high-quality design and strong community infrastructure, The Sandy Quarter will establish a benchmark for future neighbourhood development in Ireland.

Work is now underway to progress the delivery of The Sandy Quarter and to identify how the LDA can help activate the wider Sandy Road area for housing and mixed-use development. In collaboration with Galway City Council and local stakeholders, the LDA is advancing proposals to address key development constraints, facilitate enabling infrastructure and bring forward opportunities that will support the delivery of new homes, community amenities and employment uses as part of a sustainable and integrated new urban quarter.

Find out more through the development's website: www.thesandyquarter.ie

Get in touch: [email protected]