The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has updated local Fingal councillors on its proposals for the dredging of Howth Harbour.
On his Facebook page, Cllr Cian O’Callaghan says the meeting with the department and the Howth Harbour Master on Wednesday (6 March) detailed a plan to dredge five key areas of the harbour, namely:
- The fishing trawler basin between the West Pier and Middle Pier
- The approach channel at the mouth of the harbour
- The marina used by Howth Yacht Club
- The approach channel to the marina
- The outer moorings area which is used by the Howth Sailing and Boat Club
This would result in the extraction of 225,000 cubic metres of silt, the equivalent of up to 30,000 lorry loads, says Cllr O’Callaghan.
The detailed plan follows testing of material extracted from the harbour which confirms that while is it contaminated by general harbour activity, it is not considered hazardous.
It is being proposed that the spoil be treated and used to create a 100-metre-wide infill area along the west side of the present West Pier. Plans for the use of this new space have not yet been decided but it is expected there will be a relevant public consultation by year’s end.
Four months ago the tender period closed for engineering services related to these long-awaited dreading works in the North Co Dublin harbour.
