Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is awaiting further details of a 680-berth marina plan for Ireland's largest manmade harbour, which some conservationists fear would change its character for ever.Apart from the marina berthage, its most visible impact would be two rock-armoured breakwaters necessary to shelter the yachts. Two amenity buildings are also planned as part of the scheme, which qualifies for £4 million in State and EU aid.The project, which could cost up to £12 million, is being planned by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and generally conforms with one of the objectives in the county council's development plan to facilitate the creation of a yacht marina in the harbour.But the planners have sought additional information on several aspects of the scheme, notably its impact in terms of car-parking, given that only a limited amount of land-fill is proposed, as well as pollution control and other users of the harbour.Mr Simon Lewis, of Mouchel McCullough, which is managing the project for the harbour company, said yesterday he expected it would submit a detailed response to the issues raised by the planners within the next two weeks.He conceded that some of the marina's car-parking requirement would be satisfied by displacing park-and-ride spaces in the harbour area which are currently used by DART commuters. However, he said, all these spaces are harbour company property.In the longer term, Mr Lewis suggested, the parking problem could be solved by taking in underutilised areas such as the West Pier Gut, where the county council plans to provide a new bridge over the railway line to improve access from Crofton Road.And while many of the 490 existing yacht moorings in the harbour would be displaced by the development, he stressed, these would be replaced by fore-and-aft moorings in the vicinity of the east and west piers, leaving the middle of the harbour open.Mr Lewis also said the marina project had been discussed with a wide range of interests, including Dun Laoghaire's four yacht clubs, which are in favour of it, as well as with An Taisce and the Heritage Council, which are reserving judgment on it.Mr Peter Pearson, a member of the Heritage Council and author of a definitive book on Dun Laoghaire, said the scheme would have a "dramatic negative impact" on the harbour, which he described as a marine monument of international importance."The unique quality of the harbour is its large expanse of sheltered water, embraced by stone piers which are without parallel in Europe," he said, adding that it deserved designation as an officially protected heritage site under national legislation.Mr Pearson said the integrity of the harbour, which had already suffered from piecemeal in-fill over the years, would be compromised by the marina plan. Its open aspect, particularly the view northwards to Howth, would be changed for ever.He said the car-parking required by the marina would have disastrous implications for the public amenity value of the harbour, while the scheme would also result in the loss of an open expanse of water used by Sea Scouts and the local rowing club.Mr Pearson said it was amazing that the marina project had reached planning permission stage "with almost no public debate or discussion whatsoever". Even residents of Dun Laoghaire who regularly used the harbour seemed unaware of it, he added.The developers' environmental impact statement concedes that views from Harbour Road and Crofton Road will be "very significantly" affected by the project, while views from the East Pier, where most people walk, would appear more organised.It also estimates that the scheme would generate an additional £800,000 for the local economy.
