Bord Pleanala will rule on Westport road on Thursday

mayo | environment | press release Tuesday November 07, 2006 00:53 by Cllr Keith Martin - Westport Labour

Westport Civic Trust will learn on Thursday 9th, if its appeal to An Bord Pleanala regarding the controversial Cloonmonad road development has been successful.

In June the Trust appealled to the Bord to make a ruling as to whether or not an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for the road which will pass over and adjancent to the popular Railway Line Walk. The issue was originally due to to be decided on October 10th but the Bord subsequently delayed their decision until this Thursday.

Cllr Keith Martin of the Stop the Road campaign says he is sure of a ruling in favour of the Civic Trust. "I am confident that the Bord will see that the Railway Line Walk's delicate environment needs to be protected from this kind of development and because of this a EIS should have been carried out. This road has been opposed since it was first mooted in 2001 because of the very detrimental impact it would have on the walk and the local eco-system.

We had great support for our campaign to stop this road and if the Bord decide in favour of the Civic Trust then this could well mean the end for the road project and the council may be forced to look at the alternative's that the Civic Trust and the Stop this Road campaign have proposed."