Submissions closing Sept 6th | Dublin Port MP2 Project

The following is a message from the Clontarf Residents' Association, in relation to Dublin Port’s MP2 Project

The closing date for submissions on the Dublin Port Company (DPC) planning application to An Bord Pleanála for the next phase of the MP2 Project, the second major capital project from the Dublin Port Masterplan 2040, is next Friday the 6th of September.

For those who are not familiar with the plan or the current project the following brief highlights might be of interest.

The Master Plan 

The Board of the DPC adopted the Masterplan 2012-2040 in January 2012. The Masterplan sets out how DPC intend to develop and manage the Port over the period of the plan. It includes details of the major capital programmes that the DPC are proposing. The plan was reviewed and revised in 2018.

Dublin Bay

While the original Masterplan included proposals for infill in the Bay, the reviewed Masterplan no longer includes such proposals.  This is clearly a very positive step from our perspective.  Instead of increasing space via infill, DPC acquired an inland Port site and have relocated non-core Port activities to this site, freeing up valuable space in the heart of the Port for core activities.  This is the strategy that the CRA has been advocating for many years and we welcome the fact that the DPC is no longer planning to infill in Dublin Bay.  

The MP2 Project and Planning Application

The MP2 project is a significant capital development element of the Masterplan.  Full details of the project can be found on the DPC website here. 

Some of the key highlights of the project include:

• Reorientation, lengthening, dredging and redevelopment of a number of existing berths.
• Creation of a unified ferry terminal together with all the necessary works around road access, check-in lanes, parking etc.
• A 4km cycle and pedestrian Greenway along the Northern Shoreline. More details here. 
• A heritage installation. 
• Construction of a new open structure jetty.

Proposed New Open Structure Jetty

The CRA would like to draw your attention, in particular, to this proposed new open structure jetty.

The proposed jetty is intended for RO-RO ferries up to 240m in length and will extend to 270 m into Dublin Bay. The location of the jetty is shown in the image below. 

DPC has provided us with visuals (PDF 1, PDF 2, PDF 3, PDF 4, PDF 5) that may assist residents in understanding how the jetty will appear from various viewpoints along the coastline.  

We would welcome your views on this aspect of the proposal.

Environmental Impact

DPC has prepared and submitted the required Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement to An Bord Pleanála as part of their planning application. These documents can be viewed here https://dublinportmp2.ie/.  Given the uniquely sensitive environment of Dublin Bay, all development in and around the Bay will have an environmental impact.  We would welcome the views of residents on any potentially harmful environmental impacts that they see occurring as a result of the proposed works.

Planning Application

As stated earlier the current proposal is the subject of a Planning Application to An Bord Pleanála.  CRA will be making observations on the application.  If you have any particular views or concerns that you would like addressed in those observations please let us know.  Details on how to make a submission can be found at the following link. If you are making your own submission, we would be very grateful if you could provide us with a copy of same.  We can be contacted on clontarf.res.assoc@gmail.com.  

Finally, we would like to thank all those who attended the public consultation days in July. Dublin Bay is a very special and unique place that we have a duty to preserve and protect for future generations. It is important, therefore that we are, and are seen to be actively monitoring any proposed developments that could impact on the Bay.