Essential repairs works on Barrow banks between Athy-Maganey
A stretch of the Barrow banks near Maganey set for remedial bank work
A MAJOR restoration of 10km of the Barrow from Athy has been given the go-ahead by Kildare County Council, but only after an exhaustive planning process under a rigorous environmental microscope.
The works will be carried out this year south from Athy through Levitstown, Grangemellon, Maganey, and Jerusalem.
The application from Waterways Ireland (WI) took over a year to accept by the planners, with further information requested no less than five times.
Even though WI included an Natura Impact Statement (NIS) with the initial application in February 2024, and updated version was requested by the planners – and that was not all.
The diligence at Áras Cill Dara also sought a specialist hydrological report, and invited Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to add their tuppenceworth with a report – with an updated surveys – on the river’s fish and crayfish.
However, “of concern” to them is the potential for rock armour revetement along “very long sections of river bank” which could lead to “scour potential” (erosion) on other unprotected banks, and “ask that this be addressed … with soft engineering”, ie. willow banking.
They also sought an addendum to the Ecological Impact Statement, a Water Framework Directive Compliance Report, an landscape and visual impact assessment, and architectural assessment, and even an underwater archaeology assessment.
Perhaps because of the comprehensiveness of this application, it has lead to zero appeals to An Bord Pleanála.
“The application describes the work as 'essential repair' that will see bank reinforcement (known as revetements) and “small-scale bank repair”, some post-flood spot dredging as well as some maintenance dredging.
After flagging her support for this with a submission on the application, cllr Veralouise Behan has broadly welcomed this development.
“If we want to get the Blueway out to Maganey, we’re going to need this, and I’d imagine these repairs will lead the Blueway all the way to the Carlow border. Waterways have their application in there (Carlow) as well, so yeah, this is opening up the Blueway, and that is my opinion. The riverbank from Athy to Maganey is very busy during the summer, and they’re all coming down to Maganey to swim.
"I’d noted in WI booklets Carlow heritage was well covered, but not south Kildare, and my submission is my part of doing that. We are creating the heritage of tomorrow by setting it up today."
