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Stillorgan Local Area Plan submission
Director of Services
26th July 2006
To whom it may concern,
Stillorgan Local Area plan
Pre-Draft Public Consultation Submission
Firstly I welcome the Stillorgan Local Area Plan. Proper planning needs the holistic approach a local area plan offers.
A key objective of the plan must be to marry the needs and environment of existing residents, to those of any prospective residents. This is the challenge for the planners. Any new developments must take account of residential nature of the Stillorgan environs.
Stillorgan essentially a residential suburb. It is not an urban city center environment. Existing dwellings and housing estates must not be dwarfed or ‘intimidated’ by the over development of the sites which are currently available for development. As the Council policy states “additional development must respect and not be injurious to the existing built form”. The local residents are depending on planners remaining true to this objective.
One of the great concerns I have in relation to the development is the strain
that will be put on the existing infrastructure particularly the roads. There is a very obvious desire to make Stillorgan a destination town center and to attract many motorists to the area I do not believe the existing infrastructure can cope with these increased car journeys which the plan would demand of the road network.
More dense shopping outlets will lead to increased HGV traffic as these trucks supply the shops and offices. How will the road system cope with this? Very poorly in my assessment.
The plan makes reference to close proximity to the Luas – this is blatantly untrue. The Luas is not close to the centre of this Stillorgan Local Area Plan. It is a journey away – be that car, bus, or bike. To describe it as of functional use to the visitors to the center is to dream. Certainly I have yet to meet a resident on the fringes of the Stillorgan Local Area plan who would describe themselves as living beside the Luas!
The plan makes reference to the fact that on page 22, ( 4.8.2 – Water) – “There is currently no capability of supplying additional water in the Stillorgan and Sandyford area. It is apparent that a substantial extension to the supply network will be required prior to any significant development or intensification of development in the area”. How can we be certain that existing residents and business supply of reliable clean water will not be interfered with? Will the water shortage be addressed prior to any development taking place? I fear not.
I welcome the inclusion of Crèche and childcare facilities and the obvious commitment to developing a permanent site for the Library.
Parking is a big problem for residents around the Stillorgan local area action plan. They had been promised a park and ride site since the Stillorgan QBC was introduced in 1999 – it still has not been provided. Parking is not successfully addressed in this plan. The pressure on local roads for parking has caused misery in some communities I hope that the proposed plan will not add to the misery.
The encroachment on the green space at Patrician villas is regrettable. The residents of this enclave have suffered a consistent chipping away of their green space over the years and they will not put up with a further encroachment, particularly as it is bringing a busy road closer to their homes.
The green space at Patrician Villas is a vital green lung to this community who are surrounded by busy roads. It will detract considerably from the resident’s quality of life if it is interfered with.
I welcome the opportunity to make a submission and I hope you will take account of my concerns and those of my constituents.
Yours sincerely,
Fiona O’Malley T.D.