6th January 2011
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The village and community of Buttevant are today celebrating the success of securing a link to the proposed M20 (Cork-Limerick Motorway Scheme).
An Bord Pleanala has now requested the National Roads Design Office of Cork County Council to submit further information and new detailed plans for the proposed motorway including a link to the town of Buttevant. The tremendous news has come after a strong and detailed submission was made by the local community at an oral hearing held on the scheme which took place in Charleville in July 2010.
Cllr. John Paul O’ Shea (Ind) said “In the original proposal by the National Roads Authority (NRA), access to Buttevant would have been at either Mallow or Charleville, which were both over 11km from the town. This was not acceptable to me and locals rightly feared their businesses and future development of the town would be severly damaged as a result. I am pleased that An Bord Pleanala has made what I see as the right decision here today by giving the chance of Buttevant having their own access link to the new motorway”.
Cllr. O’Shea added “Cork County Council has continuously been supportive of securing an access link for the town of Buttevant. Since the publication of the County Development Plan in 2009, the local authority has being trying extremely hard to promote Buttevant as a town to attract development, expand its economic base and grow employment. The plan also highlighted the important strategic position of the town on the Atlantic Corridor and the importance of having high-quality links to the national primary route network”.
The proposed motorway will consist of 80KM of new motorway extending from Killeens near Cork City to Patrickswell, near Limerick City. In addition to the new motorway mainline, the development also includes over 64KM of National, Regional and Local Roads, nine separate junctions and a motorway service area in Lissard (Approx 3KM North of Rathduff Village). Construction work on the M20 should commence in 2012, subject to available funding from the government. In the interim, preparatory works such as site investigations on the southern section of the route will continue and all other statutory procedures will be completed.
