Expansion of major Wexford tourist attraction delayed after discovery of rare plant on nearby clifftops

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Plans to expand the Hook Lighthouse tourism experience have been placed on hold following the discovery of a rare plant on the nearby clifftops. Announced in 2023, the expansion will eventually see a new Interpretive Design and Experience Plan built at the Hook Lighthouse Campus in association with Fáilte Ireland.

However, in November of last year it was discovered that a “senstive species” which is given the “highest priority of protection under European directives” was present on the site of the proposed development.

Described as an ‘Annex 1 habitat’, this plant is considered to be a “threatened or rare ecosystem . . . at risk of disappearing” under the EU Habitats Directive. As a result, Wexford County Council (WCC) has appointed environmental consultants to carry out a survey of the area later this month.

“These consultants are coming on April 21 and 22 to conduct a study on the extent of this protected habitat,” said Mr Sean Meyler of WCC’s special projects team. “We will analyse how far we might need to move the building away from this area. We will know more about what constraints we might be under after April 22.

"I would be optimistic that the plan will be submitted to the national planning authority by September of this year, but we remain confident the project will go ahead as scheduled.”

Mr Meyler was speaking at the April meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) where there was initial confusion as to the identity of the species in question.

“If there’s animals in the wilderness they should put be in a zoo,” said Councillor John Fleming. “This is a bugbear of mine; if there’s a fly or a moth in the way they should be removed.”

However, as Mr Meyler explained, the species was flora rather than fauna.

“It’s a clifftop coastal habitat that’s known as an Annex 1 habitat, so it’s given highest priority of protection under European directives. This habitat grows from the edge of the cliff inwards, we have to ascertain where the inner boundary of this habitat ends, and we have to wait until later in the month (to conduct the study) as that’s when this plant comes into bloom.

“Once the survey is complete we can carry out our design of the project and we will submit that to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) in September. It has held up the project by approximately six months.”