08/07/2009 -

Eastern Bridge Project Approved

An Bord Pleanala Approve Eastern Bridge Project

The proposed Eastern Garvoge River Bridge will provide an eastern relief road which will further reduce traffic congestion in the city centre.
It will provide for the ongoing commercial, residential, recreational and social development of communities in the East of the City, and will establish a vital link with Sligo General Hospital and the city’s educational hub at the Institute of Technology in Ballinode.

The bridge will connect communities north and south of the river and provide access to the regional hospital and the proposed new private hospital. It will improve traffic circulation on the Eastern side of the river of the City while opening up a large area for potential development. This project will also facilitate the regeneration of the Cranmore/Cleveragh areas.’

The approval to the EIS represents  planning approval to proceed with the scheme, and allows Sligo Borough Council to plan detailed design and construction. The approval of the Compulsory Purchase Order allows the Council to proceed with land acquisition.

In approving the scheme An Bord Pleanala stated that subject to the conditions it imposes on the scheme the proposed road development would not adversely affect the integrity of the Lough Gill candidate Special Area of Conservation, would not result in significant adverse effects on the environment or on amenities in the area and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The conditions imposed by the Bord include the following:

• The local authority shall appoint a liaison officer for the duration of the development works. The liaison officer shall commit to ongoing liaison with all affected parties.
• Mitigation measures presented in the Environmental Impact Statement and to the oral hearing by Sligo Borough Council shall be implemented as part of the development except as amended in the Bord’s decision.
• A Noise and Vibration Management Plan for the construction of the project shall be developed in the interest of residential amenity and adhered to during construction.
• Limits are placed on working hours during construction.
• Landscaping works shall commence within the first planting season of works associated with the development and shall address, in particular, impacts likely to be generated by the proposed development at Martin Savage Terrace, Glencarrig and Cranmore Road.
  

- Impression of Proposed Eastern Garavoge Bridge

In particular the Bord has omitted the noise barriers that were proposed by the Borough Council south of the river, in the Doorly Park, Martin Savage Terrace, Garavogue Villas, Hazel View, Crozon Promenade and Cranmore Road areas and has conditioned the provision of low noise road surfacing throughout the entire scheme.   These proposed noise barriers were the subject of much controversy during the scheme’s development.

It is also significant to note that in approving the Compulsory Purchase Order the Bord has reduced the amount of permanent acquisition of part of the front gardens of a number of houses on Cranmore Road and therefore reduces the impact on these properties.

The estimated cost of the scheme is approximately €30 million. The Government recognises the importance of the scheme, and to date the Department of Transport has funded preliminary design and associated costs in the sum of €700,000.  Funding for the scheme will be by way of Central Government Funding and Development levies. When finance is approved, the design stage would be completed in 18 months, and construction would take a further 18 months.

An Bord Pleanala has made a significant decision in approving the development of this scheme with specific conditions.  It is now essential that the scheme is allowed to progress without delay in the interests of the overall economic and social development of Sligo & the surrounding area.