Councils aim for completion of Greenway to Omeath in 2023

Plans are still progressing to link the stretch of Carlingford Lough Greenway from Victoria Lock to Omeath and at the Carlingford end into the centre of Carlingford from Carlingford Marina. Despite difficulties encountered along the way on both sides of the border, since funding for the project was first announced, it is hoped that work will be able to commence again in early 2023 with the aim of completion by December 2023.

€3.46m worth of EU funding from The EU’s INTERREG VA Programme managed by SPECIAL EU PROGRAMMES BODY - SEUPB was announced for the development of the Carlingford Lough Greenway in June 2017.

The stretch from the Albert Basin in Newry to Victoria Lock was officially opened in 2018. *73,138 visits were recorded in 2019/2020 but numbers have been falling since, with just 47,005 recorded in 2020/2021 and 35,021 in 2021/2022. It would be expected when the full stretch to Carlingford is completed that numbers using the route will rise significantly.

Planning has been approved for the Border to Omeath stretch and the Carlingford Marina to Carlingford stretch but the stretch on the northern side, from the border to Victoria Lock, that Permission was applied for in August 2020, hasn't yet got approval with consultation and detailed design ongoing.

The planning application is for the "Construction of a shared walking and cycling greenway from the national border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to the existing car-park and amenity site at Victoria Lock." The route would cross the road at Victoria Lock, travel through Fathom Forest before re-crossing the road just before the border and continuing to Omeath partially along the old Newry to Greenore railway line.

The Carlingford Lough Greenway project is led by Louth County Council with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and East Border Region as project partners.

When completed, the greenway will link with the Newry Canal towpath to Portadown making around 52km of a scenic, safe and attractive cross-border greenway. Louth County Council also have plans underway to extend this further to Templetown Beach and Dundalk which forms part of the current National Cycle Strategy in Ireland.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council presently are investigating potential locations for a greenway through the city linking the Carlingford Lough Greenway to the Newry Canal Towpath.

Both Council's informed Newry.ie that an application for additional funding and a request for a timeline extension has been made with the funders. A Louth County Council spokesperson said  "A modification request seeking an additional funds and an extension of the timeline to Dec 2023 is currently with SEUPB pending approval."

A Newry, Mourne and Down District Council spokesperson said “Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is working closely with the lead partner Louth County Council, SEUPB and other key stakeholders to take forward the development stages of the next phase of the Carlingford Lough Greenway Project, specifically on the Northern Section Planning Application from Victoria Lock to the Border (1.7km).

"On the southern sections from the Border to Omeath (3.6km) and around Carlingford Town (1.3km), the lead partner Louth County Council is working across a range of project issues to ensure key milestones are achieved."

The spokesperson added "Subject to planning approval, additional funding and tendering, the planned works on both sides of the border are projected to commence in early 2023."

The Louth County Council spokesperson concluded "The Project Team are hopeful that approvals are in place in the coming months and this would enable works to progress and place the project in a strong position to complete construction by Dec 2023, within the funding programme."

* Newry, Mourne and Down Council Statistics from their 'Performance Improvement Plan 2022-2023' document although the Council state that "The visitor counters at the Dublin Bridge entrance at the Carlingford Lough Greenway were not operational during 2021-22, as this area was designated for COVID-19 testing." so it is not known how accurate the latest statistic is.