Landowners on the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth will be told of the preferred route for the Dundalk Bay-Carlingford greenway just days after some of them protested outside the Dáil against any compulsory purchase orders in the area.
Last week a group gathered outside the gates of the Dáil in Dublin to voice their opposition to the greenway being located on lands where farmers and other owners did not want it passing through.
Opposition to the facility has been spearheaded by the National Greenway Action Association (NGAA). It wants work on greenways paused until the joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport has completed its review of greenways and active travel generally.
However, it is now emerged the preferred route of the Dundalk Bay-Carlingford greenway, which would be a spectacular facility, will be announced next Tuesday. Once the preferred route is published, landowners can query the plans, including seeking face-to-face meetings, though they are being limited to groups of four.
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The NGAA says no compulsory purchase orders should be used to secure the land required for greenways in any part of the country. It also believes livelihoods and private property rights should be better protected.
However, greenways have brought a significant tourism boost to areas where they have been rolled out. And greenways are also seen as a very effective way of getting more people active, through both walking and cycling.
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“Greenway groups throughout the country remain committed to working collaboratively with government, agencies, local authorities and communities to deliver greenway infrastructure that is sustainable, community-led and fair," the NGAA said.
"We will monitor closely how the code of practice review unfolds and will continue to press for changes that reflect our core principle: greenways as opportunities, not sources of conflict.”
Louth County Council said earlier this month the 'Emerging Preferred Route Corridor' for the Louth greenway was progressing, adding letters would soon be sent out to land owners about the route plan. On its website, the Dundalk-Carlingford greenway has now explained the preferred route will be published next Tuesday.
“The emerging preferred route corridor that will be presented as part of the public consultation does not represent the actual width of the proposed greenway development or the lands required to facilitate the development," it said.
"The corridor simply indicates the area within which a greenway alignment could feasibly be developed. Currently, the corridor is approximately 50m in width (although wider in a number of locations due to notable constraints and opportunities) and the proposed greenway will typically be 6-8m in width.”
As part of the next phase of the project - which is welcomed by many people in the area - residents, land owners, farmers and others will be able to speak to the greenway project team. They can also request online meetings or in-person meetings with officials.
Booking for those meetings will open next Tuesday when the preferred route is published, with more information available by following this link.
