Clarity sought on planning approval for Mayo Greenway extension

A MAYO councillor has asked for clarity on whether the extension of the Greenway onto Achill Island will be developed using permissive access model or under the new TII guidelines.

Planning for the extension of the Greenway from Achill Sound to Bunnacurry was approved by local councillors under the Part 8 planning process in June 2020. The first phase from Achill Sound to Saula has been completed and the next phase will see the Greenway extended for 5km from Cashel to Bunnacurry.

However, since December 2021 the development of all national and regional Greenways has been taken over by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) who have set their own guidelines for delivering greenways. Under the new guidelines, landowners allowing permissive access for a greenway and retaining ownership will no longer apply and instead the TII will purchase the land for the greenway.

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Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, Achill councillor Paul McNamara said that in June 2020, councillors voted for the greenway to be developed using the permissive access model and was not in favour of the new TII guidelines which allows for the compulsory purchase order (CPO) of land if landowners are not willing to allow access.

The Fianna Fáil councillor asked for clarification if the Part 8 planning approval they made in 2020 was valid under the new TII guidelines.

Clarification

“THE clarification I want for the next meeting is the Part 8 that we passed on June 30, 2020 is the Part 8 which is in place for the building of the Greenway from Achill Sound to Bunacurry and does not fall under the new guidelines that came out in December 2021. We did not pass a Part 8 that included the extra steps of the CPO of land. The Part 8 we passed was on permissive access. I want full clarification that we have permissive access and we will not be looking at a CPO route,” he said.

The proposed route of the Cashel to Bunnacurry Greenway will go through a number of properties and consultants were recently appointed to assess the route and liaise with landowners.

Cllr Paul McNamara and Minister Jack Chambers at the opening of the Greenway from Achill Sound to Saula in 2023

Cllr McNamara told the meeting that before the Part 8 was passed in 2020, some residents in Cashel raised concerns and they were informed that all concerns would be addressed in the permissive access agreement.

“The answer given back was Mayo County Council will prior to any construction work commencing, require a permissive access agreement with the landowner and this agreement will address the above concerns. What I want to know is will those observations raised be answered under that and not fall under the new guidelines for national and regional greenways. That is not the Part 8 which came before us. The Part 8 which came before us was a permissive access agreement and not the new guidelines,” he said.

Under the new TII guidelines, the land will be independently valued and if there is an agreement between all parties, a voluntary land acquisition agreement will be signed. However, if there is no agreement the land can be CPO'd by the TII and Cllr McNamara said the thought of this terrified some people.

He said the permissive access model which was in place before this had worked well and he believes any development of greenways should go along those lines.

Communities onside

“IF the greenway is to be a success it needs the communities onside and needs to work with permissive access and that is all greenways in my opinion. It needs the goodwill of the community and farmers and goodwill of all and it has worked. Why we should change to a new document that is completely different is beyond me,” he added.

Independent councillor John O'Malley agreed that all greenways should be developed with permissive access and that the CPO of land will not work as did Independent Ireland councillor Chris Maxwell.

Director of Services, Joanne Grehan told Cllr McNamara that she will seek clarification on the matter and if clarification is not available for the May monthly meeting it will be at the June meeting.