Housing units will 'decimate' retail core of key Mayo town

A Ballyhaunis councillor says the town centre will be “decimated” if commercial properties continue to get repurposed as residential units.

Cllr Alma Gallagher said Ballyhaunis is at a crossroads and Mayo County Council should be mindful of allowing an excess of groundfloor housing schemes to replace retail units.

Cllr Gallagher made the comments after proposing the go-ahead for the N60 Abbey Street River Bridge Pedestrian Scheme in Ballyhaunis, which will see the construction of a new pedestrian bridge, measuring 2.5 metres in width.

The Fine Gael councillor proposed a review of Article 10 (6a) of the Planning and Development Regulations to be carried out. This article provides for an exemption in the change of use from commercial to residential. Currently, it is council policy to support the renovation of commercial spaces into residential units as a town renewal initiative.

“We are at a crossroads in Ballyhaunis and residential developments are not key actions like the new bridge are. We need to protect the commercial entity. We need to offer incentives to encourage entrepreneurs, that is the way forward.”

Cllr Gerry Murray supported Cllr Gallagher’s comments.

“It is vital to maintain the commercial core of our town. Legislation has unintended consequences and we need to ensure we retain the commercial core."

Director of Services Tom Gilligan, who is responsible for housing delivery in Mayo, disagreed and said residential development "plays a key role in regenerating rural towns". 

"We can attract families and repopulate schools,” he said. “Online shopping has transformed retail and we have a long housing list."

Cllr Gallagher said if the council needs houses, it should expedite projects such as the 25-house development at Abbeyquarter, Ballyhaunis.

“We need support to ensure that the commercial core is kept in our towns. If we need housing, we should be building houses,” she said.

“Upstairs residential in the town centre is understandable but we need the ground floor for commercial. The centre of Ballyhaunis will be decimated without those services and there are enough houses in the centre of Ballyhaunis right now.”