Delgany Greenway Feasibility Study Begins

The latest press release from Delgany Community Council, issued on Saturday, November 21st 2020…

Delgany Community Council (DCC) is pleased to announce the start of the Feasibility Study for the Delgany Greenway.

This has been made possible by €12k funding obtained last year from The Department of Rural and Community Development under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, with 10% matchfunding from both Wicklow County Council and DCC. The proposal is for a Greenway of approximately 4 km running from Barry’s Bridge on the N11/R762 junction down to the coast at Greystones, where it might link up at some future time with an East Coast Greenway. The route generally follows along the route of the Three Trouts Stream river valley.

We envisage that it would be similar to the very successful existing Greenways at Waterford-to-Dungarvan and at Westport-Achill. The route would follow the Three Trouts river, which is already zoned for open space and recreational use. This ensures a fairly straight and direct route, with a gentle gradient. The surface would be smooth and high grade, preferably asphalt, but with some raised sections above environmentally sensitive wetland areas. This makes it suitable for cycling, wheelchair users, and electric scooters, as well as pedestrians.

It provides a safe space for local recreational users, for cycle commuters, and for tourists. Local roads are narrow, carry high volumes of traffic including HGVs, and often lack adequate footpaths. A Greenway can also improve business for shops, cafés and pubs along the route. The main access points or trailheads would be at Barry’s Bridge, Delgany Village, Eden Gate/the new Cairns development, Charlesland, and at Greystones South Beach near the golf driving range.

DCC is pleased to have secured the services of Fehiley Timoney Engineers for this feasibility study. Fehily Tomoney have a wealth of experience, having previously worked on the Waterford-Dungarvan Greenway (46km), The Great Southern Greenway Limerick (40km), and the South Kerry Greenway (32km). Currently they are also working on a Wexford to Rosslare Strand Greenway, and the Grand Canal Greenway in Co. Kildare.

FT are examining the constraints of this planned Greenway, mainly from an engineering and environmental standpoint. One of the main challenges will be how best to run this piece of essential transport infrastructure through an environmentally sensitive area.

In the photo above, top left, is Cllr. Erika Doyle (Green Party), Stephen Matthews TD (Green Party), Clive Dalby (Chairman DCC) and FT engineer and project manager Mr. Gene Flynn in a floodplain meadow adjacent to the Killincarrig-Kilcoole road. This field has never been sprayed, and was used for summer grazing of livestock. As such it would contain a wealth of insects and wildflowers that may have died out elsewhere.

You can read our August 2020 interview with Cllr Derek Mitchell on the proposed Delgany-to-Greystones greenway here.