Mounting opposition to proposed greenway

The proposed Mallow to Dungarvan Greenway is meeting mounting opposition from affected householders, landowners and stud owners as over 125 people who are largely opposed to the development,

met this week at Cork Marts, Fermoy.

At a meeting on Tuesday, organised by the IFA, a large crowd gathered for discussions surrounding the opposition to the proposed 74km greenway development which is expected to pass through or link the towns and villages of Mallow, Killavullen, Ballyhooly, Fermoy, Clondulane, Ballyduff, Lismore, Cappoquin and Dungarvan. Estimates on the number in attendance on the night, range from 125 to 200 people.

IFA North Cork County Chairman, Pat O’Keeffe from Ballindangan, said “There was real anger in the meeting directed at the project promoters, Cork and Waterford County Councils. There was also a real determination among the farmers that they are not going to be bulldozed on this issue.”

A number of issues in relation to the proposed development were raised, including people being restricted access to their private dwellings, private roads and farms. According to many of those in attendance, the proposed development will have ‘major negative impacts’ on working farms, houses and private roads along the expected greenway route.

Others at the meeting alleged that the relevant Councils were trying to give the impression that most landowners were in favour of the project, which they claimed was ‘very misleading’.

A number of county councillors from both Cork and Waterford addressed the meeting and said they were only recently briefed on the details of the greenway by the project promoters.

ENGAGEMENT

The route of the old railway line, which the greenway route is proposed to follow ‘where possible’, was claimed by some to be totally unsuitable because of the damage it would impose on farms.

Kevin Kinsella, an agricultural consultant working for the IFA, gave a detailed presentation on the new greenway proposal. He also presented details of the new Code of Practice for National and Regional Greenways that his association has negotiated with TII and the Department of Transport.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Kinsella stated that Project Liaison Officer for the project, Cole Stephens, was currently visiting landowners with maps to hear their views on the proposed route, adding that it was very important that landowners made their views on the project very clear.

Mr Kinsella said the IFA was opposed to the use of CPO (Compulsory Purchase Orders) for greenways and also to the severance of farms, adding that the Code of Practice facilitated the use of voluntary land acquisition agreements.

It was alleged at the meeting that the proposed greenway land route, which follows the disused railway line, is 90% privately owned in Waterford and 70% privately owned in Cork.

‘BUMS ON BIKES’

Attendees outlined that the ownership of the proposed development is a ‘major issue’ and questioned why the County Councils were ‘ misleading’ the wider public by promoting this idea of using a disused railway line. Criticism included that it was ‘unacceptable’ that the councils, as project promoters, were not in attendance, despite invitations being issued.

Ballyduff local, Seamus Daly, is one of those who expect that their farm would be affected by the proposed development. The project is proposed to follow the disused railway line where possible, however, on Mr Daly’s land, as with many others, the line no longer exists and has been re-purposed, now serving as a farm track and a key access point to much of his land.

Despite promises from the design team to make contact with all those affected, Mr Daly told The Avondhu this week that he has yet to receive a letter or communication from officials related to the project.

“There has been very little communication. No representative from the council would attend the meeting on Tuesday. People on the line still haven’t received letters, including me. Communication from the council still remains very poor.

“We are in the middle of the most serious housing crisis and the council think it’s more important to put bums on bikes and spend millions to use up some of the most fertile lands in the country for this project,” Mr Daly

‘PRODUCTIVE LAND’

Both councils came under fire on their position of promoting the greenway as a disused railway line. Many people who addressed the meeting sought to clarify this, by stating the railway line is ‘no longer visible any more’ and is now ‘productive land’.

Previous greenway projects were reported to be, in a large part, in state ownership. Those who attended Tuesday’s meeting at Corrin Mart claim that the current proposed Mallow to Dungarvan Greenway stands in a very different position to previous developments.

A farmer who lives close to Fermoy, said he had no objection in principle to a greenway but these projects are meant to be developed on public lands and the old railway line is now in private farmer ownership and not suitable.

Other farmers raised major concerns around security and the loss of privacy if the project went ahead, with one lady saying her family were currently living in fear of rural crime and the greenway would provide another access route for criminals.

Over 250 landowners are expected to be affected by the proposed development in Cork.

Cllr Declan Doocey of the Dungarvan Lismore District stated that there were a lot of attendees from the West Waterford area at Tuesday’s meeting and stated that he was ‘disappointed’ with the lack of communication with landowners.

“Property owners’ concerns should have been addressed two years ago. It’s causing huge upset to the people concerned and they will have to be accommodated by moving the route. The claim that the greenway will be on a disused railway line is inaccurate and where there isn’t a railway track anymore, the greenway will have to be moved”.

Confirming that he is not opposed to the development, Cllr Doocey said that current concerns relate to the division of farms and land, as well as safety for those in close proximity to the proposed development.

LANDOWNERS WANT ‘PEACE OF MIND’

Local councillor Frank Roche, from Castletownroche, who attended the meeting stated that in some cases, entire households attended Tuesday’s meeting and said that the general mood on Tuesday night was that the people do not want the development to go ahead under the current proposal.

“They’re opposed to the route and do not want it to go through productive lands. To be fair, to any farmer along this route, it is going to cause destruction and the landowners just want peace of mind. I’ve had farmers calling me at 10 at night crying about this and at 7 in the morning saying they didn’t sleep all night over it. There are a lot of farmers along the route who don’t want the greenway, but have no objection to looking at an alternative route,” Cllr Roche said.

The North Cork IFA outlined on the night that they are opposed to CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) being used to purchase land in greenway developments.

Affected locals also claimed that the proposed development may be at odds with a number of new EU directives, that are opposed to private land being acquired for certain public and private projects based on environmental considerations.

“It appears at this early stage, the county councils have lost the trust of affected parties of this development”, one group informed The Avondhu.

Pat O’Keeffe said the IFA would convey all of the issues raised at the meeting to the project promoters in the county councils concerned. He also requested that the councillors present insist that the views of the farmers are prioritised and fully taken on board before the project is progressed any further.