Councillor Patrick Clarke stated: “I took a walk along the shore over the weekend and it is quite surprising how bad parts of it are.
“The stretch of wall in front of the Dundrum Bay Holiday Homes development and the section extending to the Greenbanks is in a particularly poor state of repair. The problem is only going to get worse and more expensive to fix.
“Repairing the sea wall, part of which is Council ownership will enhance the sea vistas and attract extra visitors to Dundrum.
“The holiday homes, restaurant and Greenbanks area attract visitors to the area and economic growth and jobs are promoted when they spend money in the village.
“The seawall was built to protect the former railway line through Dundrum and is itself a historic feature of the landscape.
“Sympathetic restoration to its original condition would turn the seawall from a liability to an asset, which could be promoted as an historical physical feature in the village.
“The Alliance representative is urging Down District Council to make an application to the Coastal Communities Fund, which uses revenue from the Crown’s marine estates to fund projects in coastal communities in order to promote economic development and create jobs.”
Councillor Patrick Clarke also wants the Council to take a lead responsibility in the overall repair of the sea wall, irrespective of the application to the Coastal Communities Fund. The matter has been passed to the council’s Building and Estates Committee for consideration.
Ends