‘Significant’ submissions made on Dungarvan-Mallow Greenway consultation

‘Significant’ engagement has been seen on the Dungarvan to Mallow Greenway feasibility study, according to Waterford City and County Council officials.

An update on the matter was sought at this week’s meeting of the Dungarvan Lismore District by local councillor John Pratt, following the closure of submissions to the public consultation last month. Cllr Pratt also queried as to whether there were many submissions on the project.

Waterford City and County Council Economic Division responded to the matter stating that the project is managed by Cork County Council’s Regional Design Office and that the consultation would have seen significant engagement from landowners and members of the public.

“At the last meeting, there were in excess of 400 submissions. They’re content with the level of engagement they got,” they said.

The public consultation, which ended on April 29, was the first public consultation regarding the Dungarvan to Mallow Greenway. It considered the development of a greenway extending from the existing terminus of the Waterford Greenway in Dungarvan to Mallow.

According to public consultation documents, it is envisioned that the proposed greenway will follow the abandoned railway line between the two towns, encompassing Cappoquin, Lismore, Ballyduff, Clondulane, Fermoy, Ballyhooly and Killavullen.

Recently, the matter of the proposed Greenway was raised at an IFA meeting where some farmers highlighted specific concerns and objections to the old railway route, claiming it was unsuitable and would impact significantly on their properties.

Agricultural Consultant to the IFA, Kevin Kinsella told the meeting that IFA had recently negotiated a New Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways with TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) to protect the rights of farmers and landowners on a Greenway project and said the Code of Best Practice is an important safeguard for farmers whose land is on Greenway routes.

Mr Kinsella added that an essential aspect of the new code is the use of Voluntary Land Acquisition Agreements, in order to avoid the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), where private lands may need to be acquired to complete a Greenway project.

SECOND CONSULTATION

It is understood that feedback from the first public consultation process is currently being reviewed and considered and a constraints analysis is to be drafted.

Under the Project Delivery process, a second public consultation is to be held, following the constraints analysis and route options assessment, which will then see an emerging preferred route selected and recommendations made on how best to proceed with future project development phases.

A 74km stretch of scenic countryside is to be incorporated into the greenway in its journey from Mallow to Fermoy and onto Dungarvan and would run alongside the Blackwater River.

Having commenced in the summer of 2021, the current timeline for the greenway feasibility is expected to run into Q1 of 2023. Funding of €361,238 has been awarded to both Cork County Council and Waterford City and County Council by the Department of Transport under the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways, to complete the feasibility project.