The Department of Heritage failed to attend a Bord Pleanála hearing on a proposal to build a bridge across the river Shannon in Athlone, about which it expressed concerns in a submission.
The planning hearing, scheduled to take two days, finished within a half day.
Oral submissions were made about the proposed 104 metre pedestrian and cycleway bridge across the Shannon between the Radisson Blu Hotel and the Luan Gallery in the town.
Westmeath County Council is seeking permission to extend the Dublin-Galway greenway or cycleway across the river.
In its submission the Department of Heritage outlined its “archaeological and nature conservation observations”, which were made “without prejudice to to any recommendation that may be made by the National Parks & Wildlife Service of the department in the future”.
It said that if the bridge was an “integral part of a Dublin-Clifden cycle route project then the Board (An Bord Pleanála) should consider in their assessment whether this standalone applications for the construction of a bridge constitutes project splitting”.
The department also said that “no significant details of the project” or any mitigation measures “should be deferred” until after permission was granted as there could be gaps in the environmental assessments carried out in advance.
Dublin-Galway greenway
Planning and construction on the greenway from Spencer Dock in Dublin to Athlone is either complete or underway except for 700 metres on the Mullingar to Athlone section. Planning, consultation and construction on the proposed Roscommon to Galway section has been suspended since 2015.
The hearing examined the environmental impact statement and the compulsory purchase order from the Radisson Blu hotel, of a small footfall on the hotel’s side of the river. It also considered two objections from owners of apartments attached to the hotel overlooking the proposed cycleway, concerned about issues including increased traffic and the risk of anti-social behaviour.
Speaking after the hearing, project manager for the cycleway from Maynooth to Galway Deirdre Reilly, said that if permission was granted for the bridge, construction would take two years. A decision is expected by mid-October, 18 weeks after the planning proposals were first submitted.
Ms Reilly said “the proposed bridge structure comprises a two span bridge with a pier in the middle of the river and end supports on the river banks”.
It is described as an slender low level, elliptical arch bridge.
The bridge crossing would bring cyclists and pedestrians to recently refurbished Athlone castle.
