The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the harbour authority for Howth Harbour Fishery Centre in North County Dublin, is proposing to dredge seabed material from within the harbour to provide better water access to the fishing, leisure, and RNLI craft using the harbour.
Silting of the harbour and the subsequent dredging conversation has been an ever-present challenge for the harbour over the past two decades.
It is proposed to reuse the material to create an area for the 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.
Howth Harbour in North County Dublin
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, the 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.
Details of the West Pier's proposed design, utilising the spoil from the dredging
Proposed Howth Harbour 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.
If you would like to submit your comments or feedback, you can do so at:
Comments must be submitted before 2300hrs (11pm) Friday 09 April 2021
Download the full proposal below (7mb)
