Meath County Council have published the preferred route for the highly-anticipated Boyne Greenway, Oldbridge-Navan section

The long-awaited second Public Consultation on the Boyne Greenway, Oldbridge-Navan section – detailing the Emerging Preferred Route – has been published. The consultation runs from the 11 December 2023 to 29 January 2024, and you can make your submission here.

The proposed 26.5km greenway route will provide a pedestrian and cycle route from the existing Boyne Greenway at the main gates at Oldbridge Estate all the way along the River Boyne to Andy Brennan Park in Navan. The proposed Navigation Restoration Scheme extends from Oldbridge Guard Lock to the Canal Harbour in Navan. It should also be noted that due to problems arising with coupling the greenway project with the canal restoration, a decision was reached that the proposed Navigation Restoration should be considered separately from the greenway scheme.

Maps of the Emerging Preferred Route (from Navan to Stackallen). Click to see bigger

From Navan, the preferred route follows the Ramparts to the Broadboyne Bridge, where it crosses to the north bank (likely on a new separate bridge structure) and continues there as far as Slane Castle. A new bridge will be installed opposite Slane Castle to return the route to south bank, continuing all the way past Slane Bridge, and on toward Rosnaree through a newly formed path along field boundaries. It will then continue alongside the main road to the Rosnaree towpath toward Newgrange, and continue along on same side all the way around to Oldbridge Estate.

According to the new vision statement, the aim of the greenway is “to create a safe, attractive and environmentally sympathetic canal and river side walking and cycling route between Andy Brennan Park in Navan and the main gates of Oldbridge Estate, in tandem with the sensitive restoration of the Boyne navigation route. The completed scheme will provide access and connectivity to the towns and villages in the Boyne Valley which will encourage and facilitate physical activity and create a sense of ownership among the adjacent communities.”

“The Boyne Greenway and Navigation Restoration will be a flagship tourism scheme of regional, national and international significance which will provide access to the wealth and diversity of ecological, cultural, industrial and historical heritage within the Boyne Valley.“’“

Maps of the Emerging Preferred Route (from Stackallen to Slane). Click to see bigger

Timelines

The first non-statutory Public Consultation for this section was published in March 2021, and according to documentation in those plans, the second public consultation was originally meant to take place around ‘Q3 2021’, approximately two and half years ago.

On the timeline of the initial consultation, the new report states:

‘Following the completion of the Options Report and the identification of the Emerging Preferred Route in the end of 2021, the Approving Authority of greenways was changed from the Department of Transport (DoT) to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Due to changes in the approval process, the scheme was halted for a certain period of time. In May 2022, TII undertook a peer review of the Feasibility and Options Assessment Report with comments and suggestions to be incorporate in an updated report. One of the main outcomes from the peer review was the requirement to undertake a flood modelling exercise of the potential flooding risk of the Emerging Preferred Route and its year-round availability. A flood modelling exercise was then carried out and a Flood Modelling Interpretative Report was prepared in May 2023.’

Maps of the Emerging Preferred Route (from Rosnaree to Bur na Boinne). Click to see bigger

This second public consultation will be open for submissions until 9th February 2024, at which point various reports based on feedback from the public will be completed (the Emerging Preferred Route may even be modified to reflect that feedback). Once the preferred route is finalised, preliminary design will begin with a further public consultation to come prior to a planning application from Meath County Council to An Bord Pleanála. According to the new timelines, it is indicated that that planning application will be submitted by Q4 2025 / Q1 2026.

Navan Cycling Initiative Chairperson Ed Moynihan said: “We are delighted to finally see this section of the Boyne Greenway progressing. It has been a long wait – over two and a half years – for the preferred route to be revealed and it is something we have been strongly advocating for over the last number of years. This part of the greenway, running from the Battle of the Boyne site at Oldbridge, on to the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site, Slane, and Navan, has the potential to be one of the best greenway routes in Ireland. There is a massive demand to see this happen and we now hope to see this project prioritised and given the attention it deserves.”

Get involved

It is crucial that all members of the public who support The Boyne Greenway make their voice heard and make a submission. Information on the proposals and Emerging Preferred Route will be available to view online and at the locations below from 11 December 2023 to 29 January 2024.

Submissions should be made no later than 5.00p.m. on 9^th February 2024 and can be made by

1. By visiting the Meath County Council Consult Website consult.meath.ie.
2. By email to activetravel@meathcoco.ie, or 
3. By post to Boyne Greenway & Navigation Restoration Consultation, Active Travel, Transportation Department, Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, County Meath, C15 Y291,

•  Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, Co Meath, C15 Y291. Opening Hours 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm excluding bank holidays.
• Meath County Council offices, Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District, Main Street, Duleek, A92 CR33. Opening Hours 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm excluding bank holidays.
• Slane Library, Castle Hill, Slane, C15 XWF5
• Navan Library, Railway Street, Navan C15 RW31

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