Council spends €250k as plans for pier upgrade hit delays

A local authority has spent more than €250,000 to date on a controversial pier project.

Clare County Council’s plan to upgrade Doolin pier — which serves passenger ferries to the Aran Islands — has been beset by delays.

An Bord Pleanála is examining the latest revised plan.

According to the council’s consultants, the impact the new pier would have on surfing conditions is “not significant”.

The comment was made in an environmental study by consultants Malachy Walsh & Partners on the impact the planned pier will have on the Crab Island wave off Doolin.

Surfing bible Footprint Europe claims that the Crab Island wave is Ireland’s answer to the legendary Pipeline wave in Hawaii.

The council directly lodged the planning application with the appeals board following a previous ruling by An Bord Pleanála that the application required an environmental impact statement (EIS) in response to a submission from surfers.

The pier was initially due to be in place by the end of last year. However, the new completion date is summer 2014.

Surfers from across the world, including two-time World Pro Surf champion Mick Fanning, had objected to the council’s initial pier plan in 2010 over the impact it would have on the Crab Island wave.

The West Coast Surf Club led opposition to the two previous plans. Its chairwoman Cliodhna Fawl said they were still reviewing the current application.

In response to a freedom of information request, the council confirmed it had spent €254,529 on the project to date, which did not include staff time spent on the project.

According to the figures, Malachy Walsh & Partners received €120,228; Guerin & Considine Ltd €26,319; and An Bord Pleanála €30,000. They also show that Punch Consulting Engineers received €26,319, with UCC’s office of research grants receiving €16,516.

The EIS lodged with the appeals board by the council states that the proposed development would not have a significant impact on water levels at and below mean high water neap, and would only be potentially significant at the highest water levels for the longer swell waves.

The EIS made the conclusion after employing prediction modelling.

The report claims impacts on waves approaching Ballaghaline Point are greater than at Crab Island.

The new pier is to serve the 70,000 passengers who use the service to the Aran Islands each year. It is planned to be 75m nearer to the Crab Island wave and will be 10m wide and 103m long.

The closing date for submissions is Aug 20.