New greenway project in midlands could cover 73 kilometres

Members of the public have until October 22 next to view plans for a massive 73km greenway project which Longford County Council is planning to develop as part of the Mid-Shannon Wilderness Park scheme.

The plans for the ambitious greenway went on display in the offices of Longford County Council last week, and a central plank of the proposed development is to make use of existing rail lines which were previously used by Bord na Móna as part of their peat harvesting operations which ceased last year.

Submissions on the Mid Shannon Wilderness Park Greenway project can be made, in writing, to the planning section of Longford County Council by November 8 next.

While the greenway project is predominantly located in Longford, it also includes a crossing of the river Shannon in Roscommon, which will be over the existing Bord na Móna bridge at Kilnacarrow, some 30km from Athlone, which will be retrofitted as part of the scheme.

The main route runs north west from Ballymahon towards Lanesborough and from Lanesborough back towards Longford town, including a link to the Corlea trackway and a second link to the Royal Canal Greenway, north of Keenagh. It is envisaged that it will link into the growing network of Greenways which have already been developed across the Midlands.

The Mid Shannon Wilderness Greenway consists of 61km of greenway along decommissioned Bord na Mona railway lines; 6km along existing local roads and a further 6km through existing cutaway bog. Of the 73 km, 23.4 km of the proposed greenway have been subject to successful Part 8 planning applications, while existing planning applications account for 3km of the 6km of the greenway crossing cutaway bog.

Among the works which will have to take place as part of the project are track clearance, track widening, removal and stock piling of material and the laying of a new track surface, resurfacing of existing roads and the provision of signage and street furniture. A number of new bridge crossing and bridge improvement works will also be required as part of theproject, and works may also include bank clearance, construction of bridge foundations and the installation of new bridge infrastructure.

Longford County Council says the proposal, which has already been subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment, will “offer extensions and links to existing and proposed greenway network and will enable the area’s promotion under the Fáilte Ireland, Hidden Heartlands banner, tourism product.”