LANDOWNERS VOICE OPPOSITION TO N17 WORKS

Date Published: 07-Feb-2012

Proposed road realignment works along a dangerous stretch of the N17 between Milltown and Ballindine will divide land and cause huge challenges for local farmers’ management and movement of stock.

That’s one of the concerns raised at an oral hearing this afternoon for landowners affected by a compulsory purchase acquisition as part of the N17 Carrownurlaur Bends Scheme.

Six landowners have formally objected to the required land acquisition by Galway County Council involving an area 6.3 hectares in size.

The scheme commences in the townland of Gortnagunned south of Hernon’s bend and is located west of the N17 north of Coynes bend in the town of Carrownurlaur.

The route is 1.4 kilometres in length and would involve a carriageway of 7.3 metres, two hard shoulders and 2 verges.

Galway County Council argues that the safety upgrade works are vital as six road collisions have been reported on the stretch of road from 1990 to 2008 – four of these serious with five fatalities recorded in 2009.

Senior Planning Inspector Derek Daly appointed by An Bord Pleanala brought the hearing to a close in the last few minutes for preparation of a report on the proposed scheme.

At the afternoon’s hearing, concerns were also raised regarding drainage, possible flooding issues and access to water supply.

Local landowner Paddy Moran told Galway Bay fm news that dividing his land will make farming extremely difficult.