TWO SEPARATE legal challenges aimed at overturning planning permission for the €317 million Galway city ring road project will be heard at the Commercial Court later this year.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly yesterday transferred both actions to the Commercial Court and listed them for hearing, on a concurrent basis, from June 30th next.
Esmonde Keane SC, for Galway City and Galway County Councils, sought the transfer on grounds of the cost and urgency of the road project, the N6 Galway city outer bypass. Some €12 million has been spent on the project to date and the estimated total cost is some €317.5 million, the court heard.
The first set of proceedings is by Hands Across the Corrib Ltd, Ballinfoyle, Co Galway, which describes itself as an environmental non-government organisation.
It claims the November 28th 2008 decision by An Bord Pleanála granting permission for the project was based on a flawed environmental impact assessment and also argues an “efficient, intelligent, public transport system” is a “very real alternative” to the proposed bypass and would serve commuters better.
The second action is by environmental campaigner Peter Sweetman, and is against An Bord Pleanála, the State and the Minister for the Environment.