Landowners in the Clew Bay area, Co Mayo are objecting to a proposed new greenway route which they say will cut through their fields and cause widespread ecological and environmental damage.
Mayo County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland say the overall aim is to provide a continuous high-quality loop across the entire county. They say there will be ongoing consultation with landowners at every stage of the project.
Cecil attended a public meeting at the Sheebeen pub in nearby Rosbeg a few months back to hear plans outlined by the project team. "Well, no matter what compensation they give me I wouldn't accept it. Because they're making no more land, land is a thing and it's gone and when the land goes, we have nothing anymore. So, no matter what money they'd offer me I wouldn't accept it.
"I own horses and I run a dog daycare. I use the fields because it's private. I can run and train dogs in there without any public interference, basically. So, it's really going to affect me with people cycling past and it also floods here severely and very regularly so we don't know where the water will go if there's a structure put in. So, it's going to be environmentally detrimental.
"If they're going to criss cross it with more tarmac and fencing I just think it's going to take from the whole valley anyway. I don't think they've thought it through. And I don't think they've listened. They think it's a little flood. It's not! I should know. I've lived here for 35 years." Peter Shanley insists that the landowners are not opposed to greenways in general and points to the success of the old rail route between Westport and Acaill Island.
Greenways are now subject to strict safety standards imposed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. They must now be a minimum of 3m wide and if running alongside a main road there must be an additional divide of 2m. Many properties would also be impacted along this route."I'm really impressed with this route. It would run from Aughavale graveyard in Westport, across through Belclare and all the way to the visitor's centre at Croagh Patrick.
"The CPO process is a very sharp instrument. Previously it was 'permissive access' so you had to consult with farmers and you either got an agreement or you didn't. If the agreement wasn't forthcoming, you moved away. Whereas with the CPO process they're negotiating with you, they're consulting with you.
"I suppose our contention here is why would we create something brand new, spend a lot of money on something when we have an existing cycle/walkway to Murrisk. It just needs upgrading, a little bit of TLC, a little bit of upgrading.
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