Consultation
Howth Harbour Dredging
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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Howth Dredging and Reclamation – Online Public Consultation
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the harbour authority for Howth Harbour Fishery Centre, are proposing to dredge seabed material from within the harbour to provide better water access to the fishing, leisure, and RNLI craft using the harbour. It is proposed to reuse the material to create an area for public realm on the west side of the West Pier.
The volume of material to be removed is approximately 240,000m3, and the area to be created is approximately 4.8ha.
The reclaimed area would be used for public realm, water access for leisure users, car parking and hard standing areas that can be used for storage areas for existing harbour leisure users and the harbour authority. In the future, some of the area created may be converted to light industrial/ commercial use to support harbour operations. Such future use is not part of the proposed development being considered at present.
The harbour was upgraded in the 1980s when the Syncrolift, the berthage face along the west pier, the present middle pier, the internal breakwater, and the marina area were constructed.
Enhancement of water depths within the harbour area is now required to maintain safe access to the harbour during any tide state. This is necessary because of increased fishing vessel sizes, siltation, and a desire to improve the usable water area. Lack of sufficient water depths due to siltation in the vicinity of the public and RNLI slipways is resulting in restricted access to the water for the public and RNLI rescue craft at low tide.
To this end DAFM are preparing a planning application, EIAR and NIS for a proposed dredging and reclamation project at Howth Harbour FHC. While a town hall public consultation exercise would normally be undertaken to inform the preparation of a planning application with an EIAR, because of COVID restrictions, this public consultation exercise is being undertaken virtually.
Proposed Development
The proposed development will be the subject of a planning application by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and relates to the following main elements:
• Dredging of the harbour and reclamation of land on the west side of the West Pier using treated dredge material;
• The dredge material will be treated using soil stabilisation techniques prior to placement in the reclamation area. This will improve the strength of soil, bind in contaminants and minimise the potential for leachate;
• Coastal protection works to the perimeter of the reclaimed area;
• Landscaping on the reclaimed area and construction of footways, roadways and parking areas;
• Construction of viewing points and a slipway for access to the water;
• Construction of storage areas for harbour activities;
• Provision of necessary services.
Click link below to view full details on the project
Data Protection
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) are collecting the data.
The data processing is lawful under GDPR Article 6 1 (e) processing and is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
The data will be used to inform the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), the Natura Impact Assessment (NIS) and overall design.
The email submissions will only be seen by DAFM and their Engineering and Environmental Consultants, Malachy Walsh and Partners.
The data will be held for a period of six years.
Deadline
If you would like to submit your comments or feedback, you can do so at:
howthengineering@agriculture.gov.ie or in a sealed envelope marked “Dredging Comments” to
Harbour Master's Office, Howth, Co. Dublin
Address:
Howth Fishery Harbour Centre, West Pier, Howth, Co. Dublin
, Dublin
, D13 A3Y0
Comments must be submitted before 2300hrs (11pm) Friday 09 April 2021