Campaigns
Woodbrook Shanganagh Proposed Area Action Plan
To: Director of Services
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
Dun Laoghaire
Co Dublin
18th August 2006
To whom it may concern
Woodbrook/Shanganagh Proposed Local Area Plan
Firstly, I welcome the holistic and comphrensive way development in this area is being prepared. Proper planning demands that future development happens in a coordinated way and the local area plan provides the necessary scope.
It is regrettable that because this plan was launched over the holiday season I was unable to attend any of the information days, which the council had organised and I fear that this might be the case with many other residents.
Transport
Ostensibly, this area is well served with a good road network: adjacent to the M50 and N11 and bounded on one side with the Dart. Reality of the transport network in the area is that the infrastructure is hardly able to cope. Congestion is a constant feature of travelling within the region and the proposed developments will have to pay particular attention to the smaller network of local estate roads and how new residents will be able to move freely throughout the plan area.
Critical to the success of the new community, which will develop, will be how the issue of public transport is dealt with. Convenient access to both Dart and Luas will be the single most important element in this plan. Equally, a convenient bus network is vital to the success of full operation of this plan. Adequate provision for parking must not be forgotten. I am not sure I agree with the statement on page 11 that park and ride is not required at Woodbrook Dart Station. We have been waiting for promised park and ride sine 1999 in the county and none has materialised. Where parking is inadequate motorists resort to parking in housing estates and this has safety implications for residential communities.
I have great reservations about the inclusion of a bus lane through Shanganagh park it seems counter intuitive to run a bus through a park!
Amenities.
The civic spaces and amenities referred to in the plan need to be spelt out more specifically. Given the intensification, which will take place these public spaces, will be of enormous importance to the community.
The county has great playgrounds in both Cabinteely and Blackrock parks. I hope the enlightened thinking that brought them to existence will be exercised to provide amenities in Shanganagh Park.
Both existing and new residents will need to be assured of the quality of the public amenities. Unfortunately, the theory and rhetoric of a plan or a proposal falls short in the execution. Given the sensitive nature of this site – the last green belt this side of County Dublin particular attention will need to be paid to the quality of design and architecture of the proposed developments.
Has adequate attention been paid to the future needs of schools for this new community? Comments in the plan are vague. While it is not the resp9onsiblity of the local area plan to allocate schools none the less the quality of life for its future community will be determined by adequate planning for schools.
Crisis
Equally, the environmental sustainability of the future developments should be a key determinant in granting planning permissions. This plan should require a higher level of energy efficiency from the buildings both residential and commercial. This is in the long-term interest of both the residents and the nation as we attempt to deal with our Kyoto obligations. I would love to se the council set a high standard in this regard. It is possible and has been done previously by other municipal authorities.
The water supply shortcomings are referred to on page 22 of the plan. It is imperative that these are addressed adequately before the plan gets the green light. Has adequate attention been paid to the existence of flood plains in the Woodbrook lands?
We must learn from previous experience and insist on the provision of essential infrastructure prior to the dwellings being occupied.
The plan will provide for very necessary Social and Affordable housing in the county and this is to be welcomed. The plan represents a major change to the local community. Their concerns must be listened to and addressed.
The challenge will be making this a community, which will draw people in because its well planned and designed.
Yours sincerely,