LATEST: Plans advance towards next stage of greenway opening in Kilkenny

Ongoing progress on the South-East Greenway means that the 5.5km section from Ferrybank to Curraghmore in South Kilkenny remains poised to be opened to the public by the end of Quarter One, 2025.

The final surface layer is now complete while the drainage edge stone is now also 99% completed.

Fencing works along the greenway continues with the installation of the timber screen fencing.

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Works are also nearing completion at all level and segregated agricultural crossings.

Works associated with the provision of public lighting have been completed and connection applications have been submitted to the ESB.

The installation of amenity fixtures including picnic benches, benches and bicycle stands is complete.

The initial stage of landscaping works is now also complete with the exception of one wildflower area and some hedging.

Chicane gates are currently being installed at two level crossings and the installation of the safety fence in the permanent greenway carpark at Ballyverneen, Glenmore, was completed in December.

A Road Safety Auditor has been appointed and the Road Safety Audit will progress later this month.

The public lighting columns have been stood and lighting heads are to be installed shortly.

Accommodation works required to improve the sight-lines at Level Crossing 1, Rathpatrick, will commence in the coming weeks.

Once all the outstanding works are completed a safety audit will be conducted, thereafter, any recommendations arising out of same will be assessed and other minor finishing out works will be completed.

Remaining Lots
The Project Landowner Liaison Officer is continuing to engage with landowners adjoining the greenway in relation to boundary treatment and crossing points.

The parameters for these discussions are set out within the Charter for South East Greenway Accommodation Works.

Fehily Timoney and Company Ltd, the multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy team engaged in May last year, continue to advance the detail design on the remaining sections of the greenway.

Link to Glenmore
Last year, the Department of Rural and Community Development announced that a funding application under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) to progress this project was successful.

This funding will now allow the local authority to proceed to the detail design, land acquisition and construction stage of the project.

This project also incorporates the provision of a new Pink Rock Cycle Loop which will offer greenway users, travelling from the New Ross end, the option of cycling back along an alternative route beside the scene River Barrow.

Tender documentation is currently being prepared to engage the services of a multi- disciplinary engineer-led design team to advance the project through detail design, tender award and construction stage.

This tender competition will be launching in the coming weeks.

Link to Slieverue
The route selection and design options report to provide a connectivity link between Slieverue village and the South-East Greenway was completed in 2023.

During this process, five route options were considered and it was concluded that a looped route formed by a combination of two separate links, the Kilmurray Lane route (the Southern Connectivity Link) and the Luffany route (the Northern Connectivity Link) were the preferred options.

This overall looped route would best accommodate active travel by locals using the greenway and would provide the best facility to attract tourists to the village and tourism related activities in and around the locality.

A planning application under Part 8 Planning and Development Regulations was advertised in September for the Southern Connectivity Link.

The public consultation process under this process has concluded and the final date for submissions was October 25.

A planning report and recommendation will go before Kilkenny County Council for consideration at the upcoming January Council Meeting.

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