Slane bypass faces fresh setback as judicial review looms
The long-awaited bypass for Slane in Meath has run into fresh difficulties with a judicial review now expected to be lodged against the project.
Planning approval for the €80m scheme was granted earlier this summer by An Coimisiún Pleanála. The plans include a 3.5km dual carriageway around the village and a 258-metre bridge crossing the River Boyne, along with new public spaces in the area.
However, Meath County Council has confirmed that the development is now set to face a legal challenge.
A spokesperson for the local authority said a member of the public intends to lodge a judicial review, adding that no further comment could be made while proceedings are ongoing.
Slane has long been regarded as a dangerous traffic bottleneck, sitting at the junction of the N2 Dublin–Derry route and the N51 from Delvin to Drogheda. It is estimated that around 17,000 vehicles pass through the village daily.
Campaigners have been calling for a bypass for decades due to safety concerns on the steeply sloped approach to the existing bridge. In December 2023, residents placed 23 white crosses along Slane Bridge to mark the lives lost on the stretch of road.
This is not the first time efforts to deliver a bypass have been stalled. In 2012, An Bord Pleanála rejected an earlier proposal, citing concerns about the impact on the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to Newgrange and other Neolithic monuments.
Meath County Council has said that issues raised in the previous refusal were addressed in the latest application, with updated design standards, environmental assessments, and policy changes taken into account.
The judicial review is expected to delay progress once again on a project many locals see as vital for road safety and the future of the village.