‘Deep anger’ at planned greenway

Angry residents whose properties stand to be affected by the Cork-Kinsale Greenway have called on Cork County Council to review the project’s proposed route.

Speaking on behalf of affected members of the Ballinhassig community, some of whom were present in the chamber at County Hall on Monday, Bandon-Kinsale councillor Gillian Coughlan (FF) said there is “deep anger and opposition” towards current plans for the greenway.

“I understand it; farm holdings on this emerging proposed route are being compromised to an extent whereby the farmer himself feels that it would be unviable for him to proceed,” said Cllr Coughlan.

She added: “We wouldn’t place a greenway through a shopping centre, we cannot therefor place a greenway through somebody’s business.”

The Cork-Kinsale Greenway is funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and aims to provide a greenway between Cork city and Kinsale.

The third public consultation window for the greenway ran from 2 July to 15 and included three public events. The purpose of the consultation was to present the emerging preferred route corridor for the greenway and to invite feedback from the public.

Cllr Coughlan asked that, although submissions to the public consultation are yet to be collated and presented in the Chief Executive's report, Cork County Council would commit to reviewing the route in consultation with landowners.

“Had we given ourselves a bit of more time as a council to painstakingly knock on doors, speak to people, look at the lands, the maps, in a very painstaking way and look at margins that could have been perhaps utilised with permissive access, I think we could have had a better outcome here,” said Cllr Coughlan.

She added: “I do believe that with this route as it stands, we will not have a chance of getting it over the line.”

Responding to Cllr Coughlan’s motion, Cork County Council Chief Executive, Moira Murrell, said the council has only ever moved ahead with such schemes with agreement from landowners.

“We’ve seen fantastic, absolutely transformative greenways and active travel schemes brought in across the county.

“Some of them have been difficult to negotiate and some of them have been less so depending on where they are and what the nature of the scheme is.

“But in all cases, I do need to acknowledge there has been agreement with the landowners.

“That’s our approach and that’s how we do our business,” she added.