Draft plan spells "ruin" for some of Dublin's top areas, says councillor

DUN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's new draft development plan spells "ruin" for some of the most sought after areas in Dublin…

DUN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's new draft development plan spells "ruin" for some of the most sought after areas in Dublin including Blackrock, Dalkey, Monkstown and Sandycove - according to Cllr Jane Dillon Byrne (Labour).

By abandoning residential density zoning, it would be a recipe for "disaster", threatening over development and exploitation of "every square inch of these very special districts", she said, calling on Dun Laoghaire residents to object to this aspect of the plan.

The draft, which went on public exhibition last week for the statutory three month period, is the county manager's plan. No changes were made by councillors to the 225 page "written statement" or the dozen or so detailed maps which illustrate its objectives.

Not surprisingly, Ms Dillon Byrne's reservations are not shared by the planners. They say it is in line with the principles of sustainable development to maximise the potential of existing zoned land, rather than permit development to gobble up greenfield sites.

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"Nearly everyone would agree that there is a need for higher density development along strategic public transport corridors. The problem is that they don't want this to happen in their own areas, one of the Dun Laoghaire planners told The Irish Times yesterday.

The draft proposes to dispense with the maximum densities of three, six or eight houses per acre which used to apply in different parts of the former Dun Laoghaire Borough.

Instead, it says new housing will "generally" be influenced by the density of the surrounding area.

However, this blanket discretion is not universally applied because the planners are determined to prohibit new developments in certain sectors along the coastline and the urban fringe where density controls are considered necessary to preserve their special amenity.

Several such areas along the coast are delineated on the plan by red dotted lines, although, curiously, the proposed restrictions would not apply to a lengthy strip running southwards from Coliemore Harbour. However, there is a virtual ban on development between coast roads and the sea.

However, the abandonment of residential densities will affect the large Cherrywood area, in Carrickmines Valley. Under the existing plan, residential development here would have been restricted to four or, at most, six houses per acre. These ceilings are lifted by the new plan.

This change is strongly defended by the planners on the basis that the area will eventually be served by an extension to the proposed Luas light rail system southwards from Dundrum. Housing in the area will be designed to permit trams to pass in front of people's hall doors.

The draft plan forecasts that the population of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown will increase by at least 10,000 to 200,000 within the next five to 10 years. However, with relatively little land available for housing, it was perhaps inevitable that density standards would he lifted.

It represents the first attempt to draw up a coherent development plan for the new council area, to ensure "consistent and co ordinated approach". Until now, there were two sometimes conflicting plans - one for the old borough and the other for the Rathdown area.

The new plan is also seen as "a step towards sustainability", although it concedes that sustainable development is "a longterm objective which can only be achieved by degrees over time." It also admits that the draft has been prepared in the absence of a coherent regional plan.

So, it includes several references to working with other authorities in the Dublin area - for example on the issue of waste management. For the first time, it includes "waste to energy", or incineration, as a possible disposal option rather than relying exclusively on landfill.

Measures are also proposed to protect the natural environment. These include the designation of It proposed natural heritage areas, as well as a special protection area for birds, under the EU Habitats Directive, stretching from Booterstown Marsh to the Dun Laoghaire's west pier.

A number of additional views and prospects are included in the plan to protect prominent landscapes or areas of special amenity value visible from afar such as Roches Hill, in Killiney.

The listing of architecturally or historically important buildings for preservation has also been augmented, to include a number of prewar Modern Movement houses such as the late Michael Scott's home, Geragh, near the Martello tower at Sandycove.

The planners also hoped to list a total of 20 important interiors for, special protection. However, opposition from certain property owners prevented surveys being undertaken, so the number was reduced to 17.

The draft includes a rolling programme of town and village improvement schemes. While Sandyford has already been completed, the Stepaside scheme is being officially inaugurated today and work in Shankill - now by passed by through traffic - is due to be completed next month.

The Dun Laoghaire Rathdown draft development plan is currently on public exhibition at the County Hall in Dun Laoghaire and at the county council's offices in Dundrum, as well as local libraries.

It will remain on display for the statutory three month period until August 22nd, which is also the deadline for submissions or objections from interested members of the public.

Afterwards, the draft and the public responses to it will be considered by the elected councillors, all of whom are entitled to propose changes. Any such alterations would then be exhibited for a further month.

The final plan is likely to be adopted by the council before the end of next year.

Frank McDonald

Frank McDonald

Frank McDonald, a contributor to The Irish Times, is the newspaper's former environment editor