MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
MOTION NO. 6
MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty
That the Chief Executive welcomes the commencement of conservation works on the Silver (Farmleigh) Bridge and liaises with Fingal County Council to plan for the next stage, namely linking up both sides of the Liffey Valley to members of the public from (or in interim at the location of) the Silver Bridge; and if a statement can be made on the matter, including an update from South Dublin regarding plans to acquire land on the south side of the bridge in Palmerstown.
REPORT:
The conservation works being undertaken by Fingal County Council on the Silver Bridge consist of the repair and cleaning of the Stone abutments and associated features to the bridge, repair of the metal members and bearings of the bridge, replacement of the bridge deck beam, shot blasting of the existing paintwork, and reapplication of paint and all associated siteworks. These works will conserve and protect the bridge structure as a landscape feature.
Fingal County Council have informed the Council that any proposals related to access are outside the scope of the conservation works project and that the reuse of the Guinness Bridge for active travel has not been identified as part of these works or in Fingal County Council’s recently adopted Capital Programme 2023-2025.
The future use of the bridge is a matter for Fingal County Council. Members will be aware that the restoration and future use of the bridge is a matter for Fingal County Council having regard to health and safety, financial outlay, and ultimate use whilst having regard to significant constraints, in terms of structural constraints, landownership and finance.
The matter of land acquisition on the south side of the bridge will need to be examined in detail and in tandem with the plans and progress of Fingal County Council.
I tabled this motion to see what avenues there are to make further progress. I'm fully aware this is driven on the Fingal side, but South Dublin has a role to play in providing access also.
There's more details on what is being sought in this submission to the Fingal Development Plan process made by Paul Corcoran of the Rebuild the Silver Bridge Campaign. See here: https://consult.fingal.ie/ga/node/28826 All background documentation on the current plans is at the bottom on this link page. The final Fingal 2023-29 plan is due for completion in February of this year.
