FAQ’s

A1: Leitrim County Council, in partnership with Sligo County Council, Cavan County Council and Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, under the auspices of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Department for Infrastructure (DfI) are developing the Sligo, Leitrim, Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway. Arup have been appointed by Leitrim County Council to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and other specialist consultancy services.

A2: TII defines a Greenway as “…a cycleway that caters for people walking, wheeling and cycling in a mainly recreational environment.” Where a cycleway is “…an offline public road reserved for the exclusive use of people cycling or people walking, wheeling, and cycling. All mechanically propelled vehicles, other than mechanically propelled wheelchairs and electric bikes, are prohibited from entering except for the purpose of maintenance and access.”

A3: The Sligo, Leitrim, Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway as a concept has been around for a number of years and is recognised locally. That said, Leitrim County Council have held initial discussions with Fáilte Ireland around branding and a name change is under consideration.

A4: The latest design guidance and policy encourages the use of “state-owned land”, and “disused railway infrastructure” is quoted as an example. While the preferred option may end up on the line of the historic railway there are sections of the historic railway which are no longer available for use as a Greenway (eg. the N16 at Blacklion / A4 at Belcoo). We are required to formally appraise all viable alternatives as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment to ensure that the advantages and disadvantages of the various options are considered, and the emerging preferred option represents the best solution.

A5: The width of the Study Area varies and may increase following comments received during the first Public Consultation – Concept and Feasibility. At its narrowest the Study Area is ≥3km. In developing the Study Area a radius of 1.5km was set around the population centres of Carraroe, Collooney, Ballygawley, Ballintogher, Dromahair, Manorhamilton, Glenfarne, Blacklion, Belcoo, Letterbreen and Enniskillen. 1.5km was selected on the basis that “average urban commuter cycling speeds are up to 20 km/h” which translates to a ≤ 10-minute cycle to and from the greenway to the centre of each town / village. A similar principle was then applied to the areas in between these population centres with the Study Area then expanded to capture nearby opportunities and / or constraints.

A6: The Project is being developed in line with TII Project Management Guidelines, the Code of Best  Practice for National and Regional Greenways (CBPN&RG) and and UK Transport Appraisal Guidance (TAG). 
Phase 1 Concept and Feasibility identified an appropriate Study Area and a long list of route options. During Phase 1 the long list of options were examined in terms of their feasibility, conceptually and practically, to achieve the Project objectives as part of the Preliminary Options Assessment and some were ruled out.   

During Phase 2 Options Selection the viable Corridor Options (presented during Public Consultation No.2) were evaluated by undertaking an appraisal of the quantifiable and non-quantifiable impacts. This appraisal was in accordance with Project Appraisal Guidelines Unit: 13.0 Appraisal of Active Modes under the headings of Transport User Benefits and Other Economic Impacts, Accessibility Impacts, Social Impacts, Land Use Impacts, Safety Impacts, Climate Change Impacts, Local Environmental Impacts. The appraisal scored each Corridor Option under these headings and the Corridor with the highest score was selected as the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor.  

 Corridor Options have also been subject to appraisal against the UK Government’s five objectives for transport (Environment, Safety, Economy, Accessibility and Integration). .  

A7: The width of the Emerging Preferred Corridor varies. In most locations the Corridor is 200m wide, however in more constrained the width has been reduced, for example where existing paths are being utilised. The width selected provides flexibility and sufficient scope to vary the exact route of the proposed greenway to avoid constraints, allow for construction and operation of the greenway, and accommodate necessary elements such as earthworks, drainage / environmental features, boundary treatment, accommodation works and public facilities such as bins, toilet facilities, rest / picnic areas, fishing platforms, slipways, trailheads, parking areas, etc. 

A8: The route of the Greenway will be developed during Phase 3 Design and Environmental Evaluation. The purpose of this Phase is to develop the design to a stage where sufficient levels of detail exist to establish land-take requirements and to evaluate potential environmental impact. Phase 3 has commenced and will take place in 2025 and 2026.   

A9: As the route design has not begun the width of the finished greenway is not yet known. As this will most likely be a Shared Use (2-way) facility the absolute minimum width of the finished greenway is likely to be of the order of 5-7m, excluding necessary elements such as earthworks, drainage / environmental features, boundary treatment, accommodation works and public facilities such as bins, toilet facilities, rest / picnic areas, fishing platforms, slipways, trailheads, parking areas, etc

A10: Every landowner directly affected by the Emerging Preferred Corridor Option has been sent a letter as part of the third Public Consultation event. Please note that the team are using available PRAI and LPS data to identify impacted landowners. If you have not received a letter but believe you own land/property within the Emerging Preferred Corridor, please reach out to the project team via the ‘contact us’ page. 

A11: The project is currently programmed to submit simultaneous planning applications in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2027. Once these planning applications are submitted, the planning authorities will dictate the project timeline and their decision date. Subject to planning approval and funding for the project to proceed it will subsequently take time to complete the detailed design and appoint a contractor. The duration for construction is currently unknown as the extents of the project are still unknown at this Phase. Therefore, the only certainty on timeframe at present is that it is expected that the submission of the planning applications will occur in 2027.

A12: The need for the SLNCR Greenway is underpinned by the necessity to provide facilities which enable physical activity in a safe environment for all, by the need to connect rural communities using sustainable modes for short trips and strengthen rural economies and communities, whilst enhancing amenity and heritage.

A13: The previous project was developed and assessed in four separate sections back in 2013 and/or 2016. A lot may have changed in those years both in terms of constraints and legislation. TII have only recently published new standards and guidelines for Greenways, and it is important to start from a blank canvas to fully understand what the issues are and what is the most optimal solution.

A14: Your house is an important constraint and will be considered among all the constraints. 

A15: (a) Republic of Ireland- The Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways sets out guidance around compensation, payments, etc. for landowners affected by a greenway project. The code is available from the tii.ie and gov.ie websites.

(b) Northern Ireland: At present, access to privately owned lands and land purchases will be pursued through agreements with landowners. Discussions are ongoing between Council and the Department on key issues such as land acquisition, compensation, and insurance/indemnities for the proposed greenway. In cases where agreements cannot be reached,  vesting of lands will be considered. Updates on this topic will be communicated via the “FAQs” section of the project website and future consultation events.

A16: The design team are at the very early stages in the development of a greenway in this area. The protection of the natural environment is one of the key considerations that informs the design process and even at this early stage, the various designated sites along the routes have been identified as key ecological receptors. In addition, the potential (and known) presence of several protected species has been identified in the area and these have also been identified as potential key ecological receptors. As the design and route selection process continues, a series or robust and comprehensive ecological surveys will be carried out in line with the most relevant policies and guidelines and will allow a full description and evaluation of the ecological baseline along the route of the greenway. This will inform the final selected route and the design of the greenway itself. The development will be designed to avoid ecological impacts wherever possible and to minimise and mitigate any unavoidable impacts. It will be the subject of Appropriate Assessment (or Screening) and will not proceed if the potential for adverse effects on the Conservation Objectives of any European Site (SAC or SPA) cannot be excluded in the absence of scientific doubt. Similarly, the greenway will not proceed if significant impacts on key ecological receptors cannot be avoided. However, through careful design and route selection processes, we are confident that a Greenway can be designed within the Study Area without resulting in any adverse effects on European Sites and/or significant impacts on Key Ecological Receptors. 
Once the preferred option has been identified detailed ecological surveys will be undertaken and appropriate mitigation measures will be put in place. 
If required an assessment of the potential for the proposed greenway to adversely affect the integrity of the SACs and potentially Special Protection Areas (SPAs) will be undertaken and presented in a Natura Impact Statement along with any mitigation that is prescribed to avoid any such effects. We note that it is reasonable and permissible to carry out development within an SAC provided that it can be clearly demonstrated that the development will not result in adverse effects on it. Should the preferred option travels through an SAC we will be required to demonstrate that any proposed development will not result in adverse effects on the SAC and will not prevent the individual Conservation Objectives for the site from achieving or maintaining favourable conservation status. If this cannot be demonstrated then this route would not be consider viable. 

A17: Yes, our project liaison officers will be available for the full duration of the project to answer any questions the public and interested parties may have in relation to the project. The project team will be able to advise of any potential conflicts between a proposed planning application and this project.

A18: The decision to give planning will be made by the relevant authority which will be An Bord Pleanála in the Republic of Ireland and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in Northern Ireland.

A19: The councils will comply with all regulations relating to biosecurity and / or disease control as direct by the relevant government department, be it the Department of Agriculture in the Republic of Ireland and/or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. 

A20: No, horses will be prohibited. Use of the Greenway will be restricted to people walking, wheeling, and cycling.

A21: Concerns will be discussed with individual landowners once the emerging preferred route has been identified. Where practical, the Greenway will be routed to stay away from houses and/or farm buildings. Where necessary, screening such as hedges, fences or other suitable screening will be used to provide adequate privacy. Boundary treatment will be discussed and agreed with the landowner / farmer during the landowner consultation process in Phase 3 (2025 and 2026). 
The Council will work closely with key stakeholders, like An Garda Síochána & the PSNI, and apply experience gained on other Greenway projects. Experience to date from other greenways around the country is that anti-social instances are infrequent, and that Greenways tend to be managed by passive surveillance of the users. 

A22: he Project has received Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) Approval for all Phase 2 Deliverables and Phase 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation has commenced. The purpose of Phase 3 is to develop the project design, following selection of a preferred Corridor Option, based on both technical and environmental inputs, to a stage where sufficient levels of detail exist to establish landtake requirements, to identify and mitigate project impacts, and to progress the project through the statutory processes. 

A23: “Identification of the preferred route in Phase 2 will lead to discussions taking place on a one-to-one basis with the potentially affected landowners. The project promoter will take all reasonable steps to notify each property holder likely to be affected by the preferred route in advance of official public announcements…”
As the design progresses through Phase 3 and the landtake necessary for the construction and operation of the preferred option will be identified and those with property within the landtake will be notified.

A24: (a) Republic of Ireland: Formal objections can only be submitted after the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) are published. In the interim, please feel free to contact the project team via the online feedback form, by email to slncr-greenway.com or by post to the Arup Dublin or Belfast office with your concerns as it may be possible to mitigate issues throughout the design process.
(b) Northern Ireland: Once the planning application has been made the public have the right to comment on the Environmental Statement or to object to the project. In the interim, please feel free to contact the project team via the online feedback form, by email to slncr-greenway.com or by post to the Arup Dublin or Belfast office with your concerns as it may be possible to mitigate issues throughout the design process.

A25: Our full Privacy Statement with regards to the collection and usage of personal data is available on the project website. Personal data provided to the project team is stored securely and in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements. The data will only be used for the purposes of the SLNCR Greenway Project. Data will not be retained for any longer than is necessary.

A26: You can contact the Project Team either through the “Contact Us” page on this project website or using any of the following emails:
• leitrim@slncr-greenway.com
• sligo@slncr-greenway.com
• cavan@slncr-greenway.com
• fermanagh&omagh@slncr-greenway.com

A27: (a) Republic of Ireland: The Council will indemnify the landowner / farmer against all actions, claims and demands arising from the acquisition of the land for the construction and use of the Greenway. This would also be applicable for Investigation Works and Advanced Works.
(b) Northern Ireland: At present access to privately owned lands and land purchases would be by agreement only. Initial discussions around compensation, insurance/indemnities for cross border Greenway projects have been held at Department level. Any agreed approach will need to be backed by legislative measures by the Northern Ireland Executive. Updates on this topic will be communicated via the “FAQs” section of the project website and future consultation events.

A28: We will seek “… to minimise severance on individual landholdings by following the perimeter of farm / existing field / property boundaries where practical to do so. In the event that severance to an integral part of the farm operation is unavoidable, then compensation and accommodation works will be provided by the project promoter on a case-by-case basis, in conjunction with the farmer / landowner and their advisor.…” where practical to do so.

A29: “Fencing and boundary treatment will be discussed and agreed with the landowner and provided by the project promoter. … The type of fencing will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis with each landowner and their representative. … Permanent fencing including crossing points, if required, will be erected / replaced with appropriate materials in each case.”
“Where any fences, walls, boundary treatments or hedges are damaged they will be made good and will be reinstated with similar materials at least as good as heretofore, in a timely manner. Boundary fences erected as part of the Greenway will be maintained by the project promoter, unless otherwise agreed. …”
“The typical standard of boundary treatment will vary depending on land use. An example of standard fencing detail can be found here.” [CBPNRG]

A30: The development of the SLNCR Greenway will attract domestic and international visitors to come, explore and stay in the region. It will unlock the tourism potential of the counties it traverses and will provide opportunities for the development of a local tourism-based industry in the area. New developments and alterations use will still be subject to normal planning procedures / approvals.

A31: As the route design has not begun a complete list of public facilities is not yet known. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have published Greenways and Cycle Routes Ancillary Infrastructure Guidelines and facilities typically provided along Greenways can include bins, toilet facilities, rest areas, picnic benches, fishing platforms, slipways for canoes / kayak access to rivers, parking areas, trailheads and viewing spots.

A32: Each planning application is assessed by the planning authority on its own merits. In the event that a proposed development may impact upon/interact with the Greenway planning authorities will consult with the Council before reaching a decision on relevant planning applications in the same way they would for an application that may impact upon/interact with a public road and/or walkway. As a Greenway is “an offline public road reserved for the exclusive use of people cycling or people walking, wheeling, and cycling…” Councils would have this in mind when providing their views on the proposed development.

A33: (a) Republic of Ireland: General maintenance of the Greenway will be undertaken by the relevant Council, unless otherwise agreed.

(b) Northern Ireland: Discussions are ongoing between Council and the Department on key issues such as the responsible body for maintenance of the greenway. Updates on this topic will be communicated in this section of the website and at future consultation events.

A34: An Independent Agronomist has been engaged by Leitrim County Council to assist landowners through the project considering any relevant agronomy issues. The Independent Agronomist is available to farmers/ landowners in Couty Leitrim, Cavan and Sligo to provide an impartial opinion on the proposals.  

They can be contacted through the PLO or by contacting directly:  

• By Phone: 094-9253742 

• By Email: info@carrollconsultancy.ie 

Address: Carroll Consultancy, Bridge Street, Swinford, Co. Mayo F12 ET18 

A35: Where a farmer / landowner needs access across the Greenway to severed land, the project promoter shall provide a suitable means of crossing. The crossings will be designed to facilitate the movement of farm machinery and include a gated arrangement to allow the safe crossing of livestock. The farmer / landowner undertakes to ensure crossings are managed in a safe, efficient and timely manner. Greenway users should afford reasonable opportunity for this and not interfere with this activity.

A36: Between March and September 2025 non-intrusive ecological walkover surveys are being conducted within the Emerging Preferred Corridor. These surveys aim to identify existing habitats and assess their potential to support protected species. The data collected will help highlight key environmental constraints and inform the design of the Greenway route during Phase 3.  

Throughout Phase 3 of the Project, a range of surveys will be required to inform the optimal design of the Greenway route. Surveys include, but not limited to, drone and topographical surveys, archaeological surveys, geological investigation surveys and additional ecological surveys. Landowners will be notified prior to surveys taking place.  

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have clarified that it is a matter for each Landowner to get Title in their names from Land Registry /Tailte Eireann through their own Solicitor. TII have confirmed that any associated costs with getting Clean title for “Unregistered lands” is a matter for the Landowner and this must be in place to avail of the Early Sign On Payment as per the agreed Greenway Code of Practice  

Leitrim Couty Council’s Legal team have provided a FORM 5 applicable to SLNCR Project  “Application for registration where title is based on possession (Rule 17)” PROPERTY REGISTRATION AUTHORITY.  

The Form 5 has been prepared with the scheme in mind and contains background information relating the scheme and of assistance to landowners.  The remaining parts of Form 5 relate to the particular circumstances of each landholding. This Form 5 can be requested from the PLO’s or you can download from the following link:  

Form 5  

When this Form is completed and lodged by landowners with the land Registry this will start the process for landowners to get the unregistered land into their names and provide clean title to the landholding. It is recommended that landowners engage with their solicitors at an early stage with a view to submitting a Land Registry application if required.