DART+ Coastal North Next Steps
The option selection and design development that has been undertaken has led to the development of the ‘Emerging Preferred Option’ which is the focus of this public consultation stage.
Once the public consultation process is complete, all feedback and submissions received will be reviewed and assessed as part of the next stage of the design development. Following a full appraisal of the feedback, a public consultation report will be prepared to document this process and it will be incorporated into the Option Selection Report.
Further studies, assessments and consultations will lead to development of the ‘Preferred Option’ which will be presented to the public at Public Consultation No.2 in Spring 2023.
All information gathered by the project team will be used to inform the design development of the project which will be the subject of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) (if required), and ultimately the Railway Order application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
The Railway Order Process
The application to An Bord Pleanála for a railway order is broadly similar to the planning application process, which most people are familiar with.
The Railway Order application process is set out in the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 (as amended) and the application will be made to An Bord Pleanála. The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) will detail the nature and extent of the proposed project and identify and describe the impacts on the environment. It will also detail measures which will be taken to avoid, reduce and/or monitor these impacts. Following the submission of the Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála, the public are invited, through public notices, to make submissions which will be duly considered by An Bord Pleanála as part of the decision-making process.
We expect that An Bord Pleanála will conduct an oral hearing, to provide the public with further participation in the decision-making process for this project. At an oral hearing the Iarnród Éireann project team will provide responses to submissions and will be available for questioning. Any person or body may make a submission or observation in writing to the Board in relation to the Railway Order application including the EIAR and the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) requirements.
We expect to make the application to An Bord Pleanála in Summer 2024.
Property Acquisition
The DART+ Coastal North Project will predominantly seek to confine the railway improvement works within the existing railway corridor. However, where works and modifications are required outside of the existing corridor, some land acquisition may be required i.e. where the provision of new electrical substations are required.
We have commenced an extensive programme of consultations with the potentially affected property owners and if your property is likely to be directly affected by the works you should already have heard from us. Our Community Liaison Officer will be available throughout the process to ensure you are regularly updated on the current proposals.