Landmark building proposed for former Salthill tourist office site

The City Council-owned site is in a highly visible location along the Prom, which the Council itself describes as a gateway to Salthill and the Atlantic coastline

Published 26th Sep 2026, 09:57 BST Former Salthill tourist office site | Local The City Council-owned site is in a highly visible location along the Prom, which the Council itself describes as a gateway to Salthill and the Atlantic coastline A new landmark building of up to four storeys could be developed on the site of the former Salthill Tourist Office on the Prom.

The proposal is now going out to public consultation as the City Council looks to establish a new future for the 0.15-hectare property.

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Shops, hospitality, community facilities and workspace for start-up businesses are among the uses that the local authority wants to see considered for the prominent site on Salthill’s seafront.

The local authority envisages a “new, bespoke building of approximately three-to-four storeys” which it says should become an “architectural landmark” in Salthill.

The City Council-owned site is in a highly visible location along the Prom, which the Council itself describes as a gateway to Salthill and the Atlantic coastline.

Under the concept, the ground floor of the new multi-storey building could include public and community uses as well as incubation units and flexible workspace aimed at start-ups and new businesses.

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The council wants any new building to make more of its seafront location, with activity at ground-floor level and better links between the site and the prom.

There are no detailed designs for the building at this stage and exactly what would occupy it has yet to be decided.

The first step is a proposed change to the Galway City Development Plan 2023-2029 to allow a wider range of development on the site.

The former tourist office is currently zoned Natural Heritage, Recreation and Amenity. Galway City Council is seeking to have that changed to Commercial/Industrial.

It says the current zoning “restricts the site’s potential” and has left “limited options for viable redevelopment”.

The consultation report says the change would allow for a “high-quality, contemporary building” which complements its surroundings while providing a strong civic and economic presence in Salthill.

Because of the proposed building’s seafront location, any future development would also have to take on board the risk of flooding.

The council says the public will have another opportunity to have a say as plans for the site progress, including on what the building is ultimately used for and how it connects with the surrounding area.

Members of the public can view the proposal and make their own submission through Galway City Council’s online consultation portal until Thursday, October 15.