Consultation to start on Sutton to Malahide Way

The Baldoyle to Portmarnock section of the greenway was opened in June 2020, with the council reporting it to be 'a great success.'

The emerging preferred route for remaining sections from Sutton to Baldoyle and Portmarnock to Malahide is currently being advanced.

A study on Portmarnock village has been undertaken by the project landscape architects to identify potential public realm improvements to be incorporated in the scheme.

The detail of the non-statutory consultation is currently being considered with a view to commencing this consultation in early 2021.

A further round of consultation may be undertaken on the final preferred route to facilitate a

planning application, along with any Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), to be made to An Bord Pleanála in late 2021.

The remaining sections from Sutton to Baldoyle and Portmarnock to Malahide are being progressed as one scheme through design and planning.

The completed Sutton to Malahide Greenway will provide for a pedestrian and cycle route to extend from Sutton Cross to Malahide.

Green Party councillor and Mayor of Fingal, David Healy, speaking during a presentation on the Sutton to Malahide Greeway at a recent Local Area Committee meeting, said the fact that previous consultation was held for the scheme in 2017 and a number of motions had again been raised in the council, highlighted the need for councillors to be made aware of the progress of the scheme.

He was 'very grateful' for the update from the council, he said, but what was needed now was to 'get into discussion' with councillors, the community and stakeholders.

'For the last two years', he said, councillors had been given an estimated time-frame for completion of the greenway, which had been missed.

Regarding design issues in relation to the project in 2014, as raised by Cllr Healy, a council official said he was unaware of the full history of the plans, and that he was being informed by the councillor.

However, he said, public consultation in 2017 informed how the project would proceed, and undertaking additional non-statutory consultation would ensure the community was involved.

'Face-to-face' meetings were needed for the project, the official added, which had been delayed, leading to a delay in updating councillors on the project.

The council now believed it had a plan to take the project forward towards completion, and 'get it to planning by end of 2021', he concluded.