€12m for roads near Hellfire Club

More than €12 million has been committed to road improvements near the Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains to be carried out alongside the €20 million tourism project.

€12.5m will go towards upgrading the R115 Killakee Road near the Hellfire Club as the local authority look to create a visitor centre there and provide better accessibility to the location.

The eight-figure sum is separate to the money allocated towards the tourism project at the iconic Dublin Mountains location.

The budget drawn up for the road improvements in the Dublin Mountains will not be tapped into until 2027 but the figure set aside for the project dwarfs any other allocation towards road infrastructure in South Dublin over the next three years.

Footpath improvements are also set to be implemented alongside the road improvement works.

The €23.25m tourism project at the Hellfire Club is expected to create a Dublin Mountains Visitor Centre – first priced at €17m in 2015.

The development at the site is led by South Dublin County Council and supported by Coillte.

Work started on improvements to the trails in the area earlier this month, as well as the creation of new trails.

The removal of invasive species, improved drainage, erosion control, seating, new signage and scenic viewpoints are also set to be carried out during these works.

The enhanced trail network is expected to be delivered over the next 12 to 18 months.

SDCC Chief Executive Colm Ward warned that the visitor centre project may have to be shelved due to “procedural and administrative issues” with tree felling licences.

The council’s Chief Executive said: “We’ve been awaiting tree felling licences to allow us to progress with the visitor centre and with the car park.

“There are delays with those – there’s procedural issues and administrative issues and whatever else.

“So, it may be that we have to pivot and work on the road upgrades and conservation works to the Hellfire building rather than the actual building of the visitor centre if it continues to see delays with the felling licences.”

The tourism project was proposed by South Dublin County Council in 2017, with hopes that the development could attract up to 300,000 visitors a year.

It is proposed that the development will be housed across two buildings, consisting of a visitor centre with an exhibition space, a panoramic café, toilets, changing facilities and a walkers’ lounge.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.