Plans to transform a former mill building that is more than 200 years old into a new School of Law centre have been unveiled by the University of Galway.
The McLaughlin Building, a protected structure on Nuns’ Island, will have its roof and fifth floor removed, with two additional floors to be constructed, bringing the height of the building to six storeys.
The extension and refurbishment will provide a new School of Law building that will contain academic teaching and study spaces, administrative areas, staff and student welfare facilities; café and ancillary plant and storage areas.
The McLoughlin Building is a former flour mill, originally constructed in about 1810. The five-storey building was constructed with rubble and cut limestone walls.
Situated on the Goal River, there is a series of arched culverts under the building. On the northern side of the building, the culverts contain weirs which maintain the canal water level.
Substantial refurbishment and alterations were carried out in the 1980s and it functioned as an academic building for the University’s School of Engineering until 2011 but has lain vacant since then.
The proposed works to the McLaughlin Building will include the removal of the mid- to late-20th Century roof and fifth floor level and the construction of two additional floors with substantial glass frontage.
The refurbished building will be 30 metres high, with an increase in floor area from 2,962 sq m to 3,962 sq m.
The university, in its application for planning permission, indicates that some of the original functions of the former mill building, in harnessing the waterway for power generation, will not be lost to history — with the turbines retained to help generate electricity.
“The proposed development provides for the existing turbines, and their associated equipment, to be retained in situ.
“The University is committed to working with Galway City Council in respect of the EUIIA WATERWAY Project which aims to reactivate small-scale urban hydropower systems in Galway City.
“It is envisaged that these systems will generate clean electricity to power local infrastructure, including EV charging, and reinvest income generated directly into Galway City Council’s climate initiatives directly supporting the actions of the Galway City Council’s Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024–2029,” said a report by planning consultants Declan Brassil & Co, which accompanies the application.
The building contains two hydroelectric turbines, located at ground floor, a restored 1932 Francis turbine and a turbine manufactured from plastic installed in the 1980s.
“A dedicated Law School Building will strengthen student recruitment initiatives across the University and continued development of skills based legal education across the Law School’s curriculum including accommodating enrolment growth; improving student experience; promote innovative learning and developing existing research strengths,” the submission continues.
“The location of a Law School Building is of significant strategic importance to the delivery of the School of Law’s mission to foster a culture of engagement with the local legal community, while also continuing to deliver inter-disciplinary programmes and remaining in close proximity to the main campus.”
The report estimates that the proposed development will be constructed over a 24-month period.
Strong support for the transformation of the McLaughlin Building has come from Galway City Council’s Climate Action Department
“This historically and architecturally important building will be protected and transformed into a modern, sustainable facility for the benefit of the University and the wider city,” it said in a letter of support.
It particularly welcomed the retention of the two original turbine rooms and their disused hydropower equipment.
“Reinstating hydropower here directly supports the actions in Galway City Council’s Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024–2029 to harness historic waterways and deliver a 51% emissions reduction by 2030. It would create a highly visible demonstration of heritage-led renewable energy in the heart of the city.”
Galway City Council planners are due to make a decision on the planning application by February 18.
Pictured: The proposed revamped McLaughlin Building at Nuns’ Island.