Greystones harbour consortium advance public access plan

DEVELOPERS BEHIND the €300 million Greystones harbour project in Co Wicklow are to advance a plan to enable public access to parts of the stalled project.

Wicklow County Council and Sispar, the public and private sector partners behind the development, said the deadline for the plan is the week beginning June 27th.

The consortium is distributing a newsletter to homes in the town outlining its options. The move follows the substantial completion of phase one of the development earlier this year. This comprised the major engineering works, including sea walls protecting the new harbour and marina.

Subject to some agreements with harbour users, the development consortium now proposes landscaping parts of the site and allowing public access to as much of the harbour as possible, while keeping the site for phase two of the development secure.

Phase two, which has been altered by the developers to meet changing market demands, incorporates a primary care medical centre, 11 apartments, and new buildings for clubs which traditionally use the harbour.

Sispar has already said it will remove a section of hoardings around the harbour – those along Cliff Road will now come down and a railing will be erected. This will restore a view across the harbour towards Bray Head.

Phase three, the remainder of the project which involves residential units, public infrastructure, commercial and retail facilities, is dependent on funding, which the newsletter says “in turn is dependent on a successful outcome to the proposed amendments to the scheme”.

These amendments include the addition of 34 apartments, bringing the total to 375, and commencement of the final phase is dependent on planning permission and market conditions, according to the developers.

A spokesman for Sispar said the consortium was aware the delays were a “source of great frustration” to people of the town.

Fears have also been raised about the safety of “mothballing” the project.

Brian O’Keeffe, a safety officer with Greystones Sailing Club, said mariners were worried about a recent incident in which a sailing boat overturned.

The view of the boat and its occupants was blocked by the new south pier. With no public oversight from the pier, two sailors were swept a distance of several kilometres to Kilcoole before being airlifted to Tallaght hospital.

Mr O’Keeffe said the incident raised a number of issues in relation to safety and access for ambulances.