In a very welcome decision, An Bord Pleanala has approved the proposals to construct the only remaining missing section of the S2S project in north Dublin Bay in an order made on the 22nd December2011. The section, which is in Dollymount, opposite St Anne’s Park, runs from the Wooden Bridge to the Causeway and is approximately 2kms long. The approval is very important because the completion of this section will allow a continuous 9Kms of traffic-free promenade and cycleway all the way from Sutton to Alfie Byrne Road. This is almost half the entire route around Dublin Bay and leaves only about 6 kms to the completed on the south side of the city.
The National Parks and Wildlife section of the Department of Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht objected to the proposal on grounds of alleged loss of habitat and disturbance to birds, but, having weighed up all the evidence, the Board did not sustain those objections. While everyone accepts that there is unlikely to be money available to carry out the construction in the immediate future, the approval is still of critical importance as it will enable work to be commenced if and when the money does become available or the cost of the proposals are reduced.

We have uploaded a presentation , which was made by Tom Leahy of Dublin City Council at the Dublin Bay Taskforce in November 2008. While some elements of the proposals have changed in the intervening period, particularly in the inner city area, a lot of what is shown is still relevant. It provides a very good overview of the route and the issues that arise. It shows some details of the proposed section at the Bull Island in the North Bay which was recently approved by An Bord Pleanala.
The presentation includes references to coastal protection, which is a completely separate exercise by the Local Authorities. Given that both objectives will happen in the same strip of seafront however, it makes sense to incorporate the S2S into whatever is agreed as a solution to the requirements for coastal defence..
Dublin City Council is to be commended for its positive attitude to the project as displayed in this presentation and in the success in securing an approval from An Bord Pleanala for the section at the Bull Island. If only this enthusiasm can be extended to other authorities,,,,,,,,,

The National Transport Authority (NTA) and Dublin City Council (DCC) have announced proposals to complete the missing two kilometre section of the Sutton to Sandycove Promenade and Cycleway between the Wooden Bridge and the Causeway at the Bull Island Estuary. The works, when completed, will be of great significance for the S2S project because they will effectively join up the route of the walkway and cycleway from Sutton to Alfie Byrne Road in East Wall- a distance of over 10 kilometres. It will be the largest section of the overall 22 kilometre S2S route to be completed since the idea was first promoted in 2001 and is a huge boost to the project that will be welcomed by the thousands of people who have supported it over the years.

In terms of urban development, the proposals seek to achieve a number of objectives: improve the flood defences, improve the security of the water supply to the north city, improve facilities and road safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It is a practical proposal which combines several objectives in a project that is affordable and achievable. More information on the proposal is available here.
Full details of the proposals and the background studies related to it are available on the Dublin City Council website at: http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/MajorTransportProjects/Pages/SuttontoSandycoveCyclewayandFootwayInterimWorksScheme.aspx

The process for approval of the proposals has already been started by DCC. Any member of the public (both for and against the proposals) who wishes to do so, may make a written submission before 4.30pm on Monday 18th February 2013 to:
The Executive Manager,
Planning Department,
Dublin City Council, Civic Offices,
Wood Quay,
Dublin 8.

Those who wish to support the project are strongly encouraged to make a submission, even if it is only one line to confirm support for it.

Please click here to view a selection of the comments received from people who have expressed their support for the proposal by mailing us at the following address: