KILDARE County Council has granted planning permission for Waterways Ireland (WI) to carry out a series of restoration and maintenance works including dredging on the River Barrow Navigation. Alison Alderton reports…
The permission comes off the back of an extensive planning process which is believed to have taken more than a year to be accepted by planners and put through intense environmental scrutiny. WI was required to include a Natural Impact Statement (NIS) while a specialist hydrological report and input from the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) on the river species were also sought.
Works over a 10km stretch of the Barrow south from Athy is expected to be carried out this year with attention to post-flood spot dredging, maintenance dredging and essential repairs to bank reinforcement.
Permission has also been granted by Laois County Council for similar works to go ahead in the townlands of Clogrenan, Crossneen and Ballyhide. Meanwhile, Carlow County Council permissions have been met with objections and works on the proposed greenway there have been suspended.
The news of dredging works has been welcomed by a number of boating associations and businesses based along the length of the Barrow as the build-up of silt has been a growing concern for a number of years and is preventing boaters and would-be visitors from reaching some destinations.
Meanwhile, the Heritage Boat Association (HBA) is currently touring the River Barrow where townships along the length of the river have been welcoming, with great enthusiasm, the fleet of 16 restored vessels. The fleet hopes to reach Waterford and Cheekpoint by mid-June but these plans may be hampered due to silting in the Carlow area.
