A €7 million coastal walkway between Salthill and Silverstrand will take a step closer to becoming a reality when a public consultation process is announced in the coming weeks.
The Galway City Council is now preparing to place plans for the walkway on public display and invite observations from the public and relevant State agencies. The proposed project involves building scenic pathways and footbridges spanning the shoreline between the Salthill Promenade and Silverstrand, while also protecting the coast from erosion.
An internal preliminary review of a foreshore licence application, in respect of the project, has also been conducted by the Department of the Environment. Normally such an application is a protracted process, but it has been speeded up by the Department on the basis that the project involves coastal protection.
Following the public consultation process, the foreshore application will be progressed to the Marine Licence Vetting Committee for technical evaluation before being submitted to the Minister for approval.
The developments have been welcomed by Fine Gael Galway West TD Brian Walsh, who said the walkway will be of “huge value” as a tourist attraction and public amenity.
“It’s a real opportunity to maximise the potential of Salthill, Silverstrand, and the beautiful area in between,” he said, “but it’s also vital as a coastal protection scheme, which is urgently needed to ensure Silverstrand and Lough Rusheen are not lost to erosion in the long term.”
