Greenway project in Donegal continues to grow wheels

Greenway project continues to grow wheels

We’ve been keeping a keen eye on the progress of the North West Greenway Network. Some of you might remember that we first covered this exciting, INTERREG VA-funded project, in issue 4 (December 2017) and subsequently again in issue 8 (April 2019). Since 2019 the project has developed further.

The final section of route 1, Buncrana to Derry, was announced in July 2019 when the preferred corridor linking Inch Island through Fahan village was finalised. For much of this 2.5km route, the greenway will hug Lough Swilly. The advice of An Bord Pleanála was subsequently sought regarding the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), as the project team believed, given its proximity to Lough Swilly, a full assessment was justified. In February 2020, the Bord concurred with Donegal County Council and an EIAR will now form a central part of the planning application when it is submitted in December 2020.

More good news comes with the appointment of Fox Contracts Ltd to construct the dedicated cycling and walking route linking Lifford to Strabane, known as route 3 of the project. While planning permission for Lifford had been granted in July 2019, it didn’t come before Derry & Strabane’s Planning Committee until January 2020, where there was unanimous support. Work on the route commenced in March and is scheduled to be completed by November 2020.

Did we forget to mention Muff? Route 2, which links the small village of Muff to Derry City, will see work commence in June. Tender documents are due to be issued in April and the project team is confident that progress will be swift in and around the village. Once these three routes are complete, Donegal County Council will seek to design and build additional greenway routes across the county.