Farmers whose land may be impacted by the development of the Mallow to Dungarvan Greenway will be met with in the coming months to discuss the greenway’s exact route and how it will affect them.
The emerging preferred route for the 74km walk and cycleway has been identified as the defunct railway line which runs between the two towns, however certain sections of this are no longer in public ownership.
This week, elected members of both Cork and Waterford county councils were briefed on the route for the greenway, the progress of the project to date and the planned next steps, ahead of a public consultation, which is set to open in June.
In a statement, Cork County Council said that “immediate next steps involve meeting with landowners whose land may be impacted”.
This will take place on a one-to-one basis where the project team will go through the process that is set to unfold as the development gets underway.
An initial public consultation took place between March and April 2022, and saw 29,700 notices delivered, before more than 800 responses were received.
According to the local authorities, these submissions were largely focussed on the impact of the project on the environment, local farms and businesses, as well as questions around safety, security and privacy for residents.
Speaking after this week’s briefing, Mayor of Co. Cork Danny Collins said:
“It is heartening to see such progress being made on the greenway project.
“This greenway has the potential to transform our region, not only as a world-class tourism and recreational destination but also as a way to support economic development and promote healthy living for our citizens.”
Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. John O’Leary echoed this enthusiasm and said “it is very encouraging” to see the project entering the next phase of its development.
“The economic benefits to local businesses are evident with the arrival of more visitors to the local areas.
“Greenways also have a cohesive effect on communities and the improvements to people’s health and well-being goes without saying, as more and more of us have access to safer recreational amenities,” he said.
“Greenways in general have long been embraced by the public and the benefits are far reaching,” he concluded.