Rejected coastal greenway ‘should be moved inland’

DUNES Mornington to Drogheda section was rejected over impact on protected habitats

Following the refusal of planning permission for the Mornington to Drogheda section of the Boyne Greenway, a group of local residents say it should be located on the inland side of the coast road.

The project was refused planning permission two weeks ago by An Bord Pleanala on the grounds that adverse effects on the most sensitive habitats and species in the area, which are protected by EU law, could not be ruled out.

Colin Blake of the Seaview Residents Association in Mornington said that nobody was opposed to the greenway, but there were concerns over its impact on the Special Protection Area along the estuary and the Special Conservation area at dunes at Mornington.

"One solution would to run the greenway on the other side of the road from where it was planned," he suggested.

The proposal put to An Bord Pleanala was for a greenway running on the coast along the Drogheda to Mornington Road.

"If it was just located on the other side of the road, it would be away from the protected areas," he said.

Mr Blake said that he and other Mornington locals with the help of Protect East Meath have been campaigning to save the Boyne Coast and Estuary Special Area of Protection and Special Conservation area for over 10 years.

"The greenway plans were fatally flawed because the route chosen was not sustainable and its start point was in a SAC that has been degraded to the point of extinction."

The Protect East Meath group on its website said that the refusal was the result of the Council’s decision to select a route close to (and in some cases actually inside) a Special Protection Area for birds and to terminate the route at the Mornington dunes which are within a Special Area of Conservation, both of which are protected by EU law.

Birdwatch Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service had expressed serious concerns about the impact of the project on these habitats and species.

The Planning Inspector’s report accepted the principle of a Greenway in the area but said the proposals didn't show how public transport would link up to serve the greenway. The lack of any dedicated parking areas, congestion at Mornington and elsewhere were also outlined in the report.

According to Protect East Meath: "The greenway was refused because adverse effects on the most sensitive habitats and species in the area, which are protected by EU law, could not be ruled out. In essence, either the Council had not done enough to rule this out, or alternatively it is not possible to rule them out given the route that was selected."

Cllr Stephen McKee said the refusal was very disappointing but not a surprise. "An Bord Pleanála felt that the project could adversely affect the integrity of the Boyne Coast and Estuary Special Area of Conservation.

"What’s needed now is a new direction and focus. It was always clear to me, as proven by the decision, that the route chosen was wrong.

"It is important that a major project such as this commands the support of those who live along its route and who will be directly impacted by it. I raised concerns in my own submission to An Bord Pleanala on behalf of residents along Tower Road and Mornington Court about them losing parts of their front gardens and boundary wall.

"I have written to the Boyneside Trail Committee to offer my help and support in progressing the Greenway project."