‘Last chance saloon’ for Doolin Pier

The proposed provision of the new €5 million Doolin Pier is now entering a “last chance saloon” concerning its future, according to a local hotelier.

It is estimated that the provision of a new pier at Ballaghalaine, Doolin, could be worth €11m  annually to the North Clare economy and Inisheer on the Aran Islands.

In a witness statement at the hearing, Raymond Burke, consulting for Clare County Council, calculated ferry income from fares at €1.1m, ferry tourist spend in Doolin at €4.5m and ferry tourist spend in Inis Oirr at €5.4m from the new pier.

Speaking at a recent oral hearing, Tom Doidge-Harrison of the West Coast Surf Club said he didn’t think the council had worked hard enough to satisfy surfers that the new pier would have no effect on the waves at Crab Island.

Stating the group was not “anti-development”, he stressed it was abundantly clear to the surfing group that a new pier in Doolin is needed.

It is anticipated that An Bord Pleanála will make a decision on whether the proposed development should go ahead next January.

Armada Hotel managing director John Burke has warned there is no guarantee Clare County Council will get the funding or invest the same time and resources for another pier development if the current revised proposal is refused by An Bord Pleanála.

Having attended a recent oral hearing held by An Bord Pleanála, Mr Burke has appealed to local surfers and ­representatives of the West Coast Surf Club  (WCSC) and the Irish Surfing Association (ISA) to seriously reassess their opposition to certain aspects of the proposed development, which he believes could put it in jeopardy.

He acknowledged that surfers have made a great contribution to the North and West Clare economy and local communities and were perfectly entitled to express legitimate concerns in their own and the public interest.

However, he also believes all surfers should closely examine all the most recent amendments and additional information provided about the new pier development to prevent this vital piece of infrastructure being put on hold for an undetermined period.

The recent alternations include reducing the pier by about 15 metres in length, bringing a portion of it closer to the existing pier, providing the new pier practically in line and almost at the same angle as the current one as well as reinforcing the structure of the pier.

New facilities include new surfers’ showers and improved parking facilities, which is a big issue during the summer months, in particular.

A new surfers’ access point is also to be created as part of the works and will be in the form of a stepped concrete ramp near the junction of the proposed revetment and land.

If the current proposal is refused by the appeals’ board, Mr Burke warned the council may  not be a position to make a number of applications.

With between 70,000 and 100,000 customers using the existing pier on an annual basis, Mr Burke pointed out the current pier was at capacity and stressed the tourism potential of the new development was significant.

“People are entitled to protect a wave. Surfers are our protectors of nature. There comes a  point in a process where the proposed development will not have a significant impact, it is vital that the surfers reassess their position and perhaps endorse the pier.

“I spoke to surfers who were not aware of the changes to the pier and didn’t want to be seen as the people who stopped this development. If the new pier will not have a significant impact on the wave in most conditions, we can’t keep doing more research and research.

“I feel it is up to the surfers to make up their own minds and need to reassess all the changes and variations,” he said.

A spokesman for the WCSC recalled over  the past two years, the WCSC and ISA have represented the surfing community in Clare, Ireland and internationally by trying to get the council to develop the pier facilities at Doolin with minimal impact on the world-famous wave environment.

“Our support of the proposed development has been highlighted in every piece of correspondence, every public meeting attended.

“Surfers have accepted that the wave at Doolin Point will be destroyed by the development but have sought to protect the wave at Crab Island – this can be done using the appropriate wave modelling and informed design of the current proposals.   

“However, the limited and flawed modelling carried out to date does show that the wave will be damaged.

“Mr Burke has obviously has not examined the modelling report or has no knowledge of swells and their modelling. His opinion on the wave modelling is meaningless,” the spokesman claimed.

“The provision of showers were never requested by surfers. All surfers request is that the surfing wave is not ruined by this construction.

“The WCSC and the ISA have written formally to Clare County Council on more than 30 occasions since April 2010 and have received only two or three responses and two brief, non-committal meetings.   Furthermore, neither the WCSC nor the ISA have received a single complaint or contact from any surfer that their position is being misrepresented and we reject Mr Burke’s assertion in that respect.

“The council has not managed to engage in any meaningful manner with the surfing community from the start of this project and it is unfortunate that despite repeated requests, they continue to ignore the importance of the wave environment, not only in Doolin but along the whole coast line,” he added.