Broadmeadow Way to be completed by the end of 2024 says Fingal County Council

Cllr David Healy (GP) asked for an update on the project and received a written response from the local authority who said that a “significant amount of work has been ongoing on this project since the granting of planning permission” for the greenway.

That work has included the completion of a topographical survey of the site, a ground investigation contract has been completed along the railway causeway between Bissets Strand and Kilcrea, and further elements of the ground investigation, which were delayed initially by Covid 19 are scheduled to mobilise to site in October.

An ecology walkover survey of the site has been completed and advance works contract for site clearance and fencing of the CPO lands are scheduled for October.

Ongoing negotiations for agreements with various utility companies in relation to required utility diversions are taking place while FCC property, valuation and engineering team are engaging with landowners affected by the CPO for the project.

There has been an application for a foreshore license and lease from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. This process usually takes at least 12 months.

Draft detailed drawings have been submitted to the council by the appointed consultants RPS for the route from Kilcrea to Newbridge House and draft detailed design drawings for the route from Malahide Demense to Bissets strand are expected shortly.

Irish Rail have indicated that the detailed design of the main estuary bridge should be complete by the end of October.

A significant amount of time has been spent by the project team on examination of the causeway, in particular the northern causeway where significant challenges remain in achieving the required greenway width.

The council met with the DART+ Coastal North team with respect to the interaction with Fingal greenway projects. The meeting highlighted some potential impacts of the project on the consented greenway. The IR project is at pre-planning stage. Further meetings are being arranged to discuss those issues, according to Fingal County Council.

According to the local authority “there remain significant risk items in particular around the foreshore consent process and resolving the northern causeway issue”.

Notwithstanding that, the current timeline is for fround investigation contracts to begin in Q2 2022 with a four months duration.

Landward works commencing Q1 2023, with a six months duration is the plan and the council anticipate that the estuary bridge and causeway construction will take two years to complete over 2023 and 2024.