Pier work proposed for Howth Harbour

Shauna Bowers

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THE Department of Food, Agriculture and Marine has proposed additional work to take place at Howth Harbour.

The work will include:

• Additional berthing on the Middle Pier to allow safer access to and from vessels by reducing congestion and increase the amount of workspace and berthing for harbour users, and 

• Work to remediate structural damage to the East Pier as a result of wave action, to prevent wave overtopping of the pier, and to create a more accessible walkway to the seaward side, giving a safer path to experience the harbour views. 

The department is currently seeking planning permission for this work and will then try to obtain funding.

A public information session was held at Howth Yacht Club last Wednesday, January 17, to discuss the plans. 

Last year, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Michael Creed, set aside €2.32 million for work on Howth Harbour under the Fishery, Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2017.

Work on both the East Pier and additional berthing on the Middle Pier was due to be completed in 2017 under this programme but additional work needs to be carried out in these areas. 

The department said it will allocate funding for works such as this each year and that the two piers are potential projects which may attract additional capital funding.

“Capital funding is made available on an annual basis to the Fishery Harbour Centres, including Howth, via the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Development Programme,” a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine told Northside People.

“Preparatory work has commenced on both projects including design and permitting stages, with pre-planning meetings with Fingal County Council held in May and December 2017, in addition to a consultation process with An Bord Pleanála. 

“No planning applications have been made for either project, though it is hoped to progress the applications in 2018.”

Work on the East Pier would result in it being closed to the public. However, because it is a long-term and costly project that will extend through the entire length of the East Pier, it is planned to do the work in stages.  

Cllr Cian O’Callaghan (SD), who represents the Howth Malahide Local Electoral Area (LEA), said work on improving the harbour has been an ongoing process spread across many years.

“There has been a lot of work happening on the pier,” Cllr O’Callaghan told Northside People. 

“They’re just constantly trying to make it safer for users. The West Pier has lots of shops and restaurants and there are loads of sea vessels there too. 

“So work on the Middle Pier will allow for the majority of sea vessels to go there instead of the West Pier. West Pier will be more used for the public.

“I think the work on the Middle Pier especially will really be welcomed by locals.”

Cllr O’Callaghan said that while there has been a lot of work carried out over the last number of years, many locals think the harbour needs to be dredged to improve it for recreational use.

“A lot of people who use the harbour recreationally would like to see it dredged,” he added. “That’s one thing that hasn’t fully been dealt with yet.”