By Mia Chesby
Cork County Council is planning to develop two new greenway projects in Cork County. There are now open submissions for members of the public to have their say on both the Cork to Kinsale Greenway Skibbereen Sections of the West Cork Greenway.
The projects have been funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s (TII) Greenway Programme and is set to follow the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways.
The purpose of these public consultations is to provide information on the projects and to invite feedback on the Study Area, the constraints and opportunities located within and any other features that the public would like to see that the design team will take into consideration.
Cork County Council welcomes and invites as many people as possible to view the information online and submit their feedback.
For the Cork to Kinsale Greenway, it is proposed to develop a suitable route creating connectivity between Cork City and Kinsale, linking two of Cork’s very important and popular tourist destinations, while acting as an active travel route for local communities and an alternative to commuting by car.
For the West Cork Greenway, it is proposed that all routes will originate in Skibbereen and connect to the communities of Baltimore, Schull and Drimoleague.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn is encouraging communities to get involved and have their say on the first step in these exciting projects for Cork County, “The community plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of these projects. We encourage feedback and input to ensure these greenways align with the needs of residents and businesses in the area. Our common goal is to provide greenways that are sustainable, accessible, safe, and attractive for locals and visitors alike”.
Both of these projects are currently at Phase 1: Concept and Feasibility stage. This stage involves the development of the study area, investigating the constraints within the study area to examine the feasibility of the project and optioneering of the proposed route.
The first public consultation for the Cork to Kinsale Greenway will be online until 29th February 2024 at www.corkkinsalegreenway.ie. Information will also be available to view at Kinsale Library during the consultation period.
Alternatively, submissions can be made by post to Greenways, Cork National Roads Office, Richmond, Glanmire, Cork, T45 WA44.