Cllr appeals to landowners to engage with greenway project team to help refine the planned route with their concerns in mind.Mayo County Council has confirmed that the planned 6km section of the Westport to Louisburgh Greenway, between Belclare near Westport and Murrisk at the foot of Croagh Patrick, will need to go to An Coimisin Pleanla for planning permission.The need for the planning board to approve the environmental Appropriate Assessment and a Nature Impact Statement means that the project must be submitted to An Coimisin Pleanla. The greenway is to run on the mirror side of Cluw Bay to the Great Western Greenway between Westport and Achill.The project is one of many in which landowners and at least some local representatives have objected to greenways and to the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for greenways.While farming groups have claimed that CPOs are fundamentally inappropriate for greenways, the High Court and the Supreme Court have backed the use of the land acquisition process for greenways. The courts have referred to acquiring land for greenways as a legitimate use of CPOs, and to a public benefit that does not require some sort of artificially high threshold.An options selection report is due to be finished for the Belclare to Murrisk by Q3 2026.Reacting to the news of the planning process required for the project, Cllr Peter Flynn (Fine Gael), Cathaoirleach of the Westport Belmullet Municipal District, said it was very significant but not altogether surprising news that the preferred route for the Belclare to Murrisk greenway will be sent to the national planning board for their decision to approve or reject the route.This removes Councillors from any input in the final decision, which is disappointing, but given how divisive the debate has been right across the community, it now allows a completely independent body to make the final decision, said Cllr Flynn. ALSO READ: If an inland greenway route from Westport to Murrisk goes ahead, you will never see a war in Ukraine like it, says Mayo councillor (from 2024).In a Facebook post this evening, Cllr Flynn said: The requirement to carry out an Appropriate Assessment and a Nature Impact Statement will add more cost to the project and will take additional time, but at least once An Coimisin Pleanla make their decision, it should be binding.This has been a painful process with poor communication at times, lots of misinformation at times, and things said that shouldnt have been said. There is now a clear route to a final decision and clarity for everyone, be it people for or against the preferred route option, he said. He said he would again appeal to all stakeholders to engage with the project team so they understand peoples thoughts and can include them in the detailed recommended route.Engaging with the project team creates no commitment, but critically it ensures the project team have a full picture and stakeholders know the alternatives available to them, he said. Referring to a Robert Frost quote, he said: Lets all show up and try to find the route less travelled, but eventually will become the one most travelled.IMAGE: A section of the Great Western Greenway on the other side of Cluw Bay.