CONFIRMATION AND RE-AFFIRMATION OF MINUTES.

Minutes of Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee Meeting (1) 19th March, 2008

• H-I 1

To ask the Manager to present a detailed and up-to-date report on the planning and enforcement issues relating to 26 Larkfield Close, Lucan, following my most recent representations?

• Q 1

To ask the Manager to set out what requirements the Council will have in relation to having a plebiscite carried out of registered voters who are residents of Abbeywood Court, Lucan, under Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act that provides for such a plebiscite, and in particular id he will clarify if a Council official must be present during such a plebiscite, and can the Manager confirm that if a majority vote in such a plebiscite is in favour of requesting the Council to take-in-charge the roads and open spaces at Abbeywood Court, the Council must implement the taking-in-charge? 

• Q 2

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Planning Files

A. Large applications under consideration - No Business Submitted

B. Files requested by Members - No Business Submitted

Heritage Plan for South Dublin County

• H-I 4

Cathaoirleach’s Business     Cllr G O’Connell

That the Manager give a detailed report on the working of the Enforcement Section of the Council and to specify (a) How many staff are employed in the Section; (b) How many complaints were received in 2007; (c) How many of these complaints were genuine infringements (d) How many of these complaints/infringements resulted in prosecution in 2007; (e) What the cost of the service including legal proceedings was in 2007; (f) What the resultant income from enforcement prosecutions was in 2007, (g) What procedures and processes are in place to handle infringements of planning and that the matter be fully discussed.

That the Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee notes that the development by Eleveden Properties adjacent to Tullyhall Estate, Lucan is taking a long time to complete, causing inconvenience to residents of Tullyhall Estate, and asks if the Manager will make a statement on the matter.

• M 2

That the Manager would report in detail on progress made on the delivery of the New Second Level School in the South Lucan area.  Would the Manager report on the meeting of 11th March 2008 with the Department of Education and Science, and on what progress is being made to determine the precise location of this school in the interest of accessibility for the existing residents in the south Lucan area, the proposed capacity of the school in the interest of ensuring that there is sufficient capacity to cater for the existing and future needs of the local community in the South Lucan area, and what is the time-scale for the delivery of the school in the interest of ensuring the delivery of this new second level school as soon as possible.

• M. 3

That an update be given on the progress of the (Halian) Carroll development at 9th Lock Road, Clondalkin.

• M 4

That the Manager report on what steps the Council have taken, and with what results and what further action is open to the Council, in relation to the activities that are being carried out at the site on Waterstown Avenue (that was recently granted planning permission for apartments against strong objections from the local residents) but despite the fact it is on appeal to An Bord Pleanála work of a development nature has been ongoing there since the weekend after the granting of permission and the nature of the activities which appear to include use as a depot by an engineering company, and the fact that they regularly start at 6.30 am and go onto 1.00 am (even on Easter Sunday), contravenes the traditional use and is a source of great annoyance to the residents of this small settlement close to the Liffey Valley and Waterstown Park.

• M. 5

That this Committee welcomes the award to the Council by the Irish Planning Institute for the Lucan Village Design Statement (in the Participatory Planning Category), congratulates the Planning Department, and requests the Manager to consider implementing an enhancement project for the village, based on recommendations in the Statement, and that he investigates the possibility of the Heritage Council part funding such a project.

• M. 6

That the Manager would present an up-to-date and detailed report for discussion following my Question to the January 2008 Meeting, on progress made to have Larkfield Estate, Lucan completed by the developer. Larkfield Estate remains unfinished for some years now and is the subject of considerable discussions and concerns locally owing to its unfinished state.  Would the Manager report on what steps are now being made to resolve this unsatisfactory situation since my recent representations on behalf of the Larkfield Residents Association.

• M 7

To ask the Manager to write to the Minister for Education and Science seeking information on the steps taken by her Department to provide a new school for St. Andrew's National School, Lucan having regard to the inadequate nature of the existing school site and premises?

• Q. 3

Correspondence

(a) Letter from An Post regarding the moving of the Lucan Sorting Office

(b) Letter from FáS regarding Unemployment in Clondalkin

• Corr (a)
• Corr (b)

New Works

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business      Cllr G O’Connell

That this Committee calls on the Manager responsible to hold the plebiscite to clarify once and for all the correct name of Palmerstown, which I have already requested a number of times and which Management researched as being feasible, as soon as possible as with the completion of the N4/M50 intersection at Palmerstown and the commitment of this Council to both update road signage and place names and to identify roundabouts and major road intersections by naming them, it is imperative that the current confusion between "Palmerston" and "Palmerstown" ends.

• M 8

That the Council carry out a survey of the new residential areas in Lucan Clondalkin to determine the level of services/facilities e.g. postal services, schools, crèches, community centers, bus services and bus stops, etc available/required and that a full discussion take place on the responsibility of the local authority to promote better services for residents who have already been levied for the upgrading of essential services.

To ask the Manager to have the damaged footpath repaired in the vicinity of Freyne's Pharmacy, Orchard Lane, Clondalkin?

• Q.4

To ask the Manager to install a safe pedestrian crossing over the Fonthill Road to serve the residents of Glenfield and St. Mark's Estates?

• Q. 5

To ask the Manager to report on what repair works will be carried out and within what time-scale on the footpath paving slabs in Lucan Village, particularly since a number of accidents have been reported whereby local residents have been reported as having falls on loose and uneven paving slabs in Lucan Village? Would the Manager agree that in such circumstances remedial repair works are of great urgency?

• Q. 6

To ask the Manager to report on the unacceptable delays in the operation of the street lights as part of the Outer Ring Road at the busy junction at Woodies, Lucan. These road widening works have been concluded for some months and despite this the street lights are still not in operation, which is the cause of serious safety concerns at night time?

• Q. 7

Can the Manager outline any plans for noise abatement and traffic enforcement measures along Kennelsfort Road in Palmerstown.  Does the Council have any specific concerns over noise and traffic issues following ongoing communications between the Council, local residents and the Palmerstown Community Council?

• Q. 8

To ask the Manager to have the western slip road off the N4 at the Foxhunter examined with a view to maximising its capacity by providing for two lanes of traffic along its full length to facilitate traffic turning left for Ballyowen/South Lucan and right for Lucan Village as well as facilitating pedestrians and cyclists?  Can a report be brought to this Committee that includes Management views on the working of the whole "Woodies" junction and if it is working as best it could/was envisaged to provide a good flow of traffic in both directions linking South Lucan and Lucan Village/North Lucan as well as enabling traffic get into and out of the N4 in a reasonable time frame?

• Q.9

To ask the Manager to have the street lights on the N4 between the City Boundary and the M50 intersection fixed?  At present there are some 7 lights out of order in this stretch of dangerous road and one of them (the second after the Oval junction on the outbound margin) has been out of order now for almost 18 months and efforts by local residents to have it fixed have been unsuccessful despite the fact that it is beside a shrubbery and back lane that are the focal point for anti-social behaviour?

• Q. 10

To ask the Manager what stage is the examination of the Kennelsfort Road (N4 junction) at, when will the report be ready and to generally comment on the traffic situation at this gateway intersection?

• Q.11

To ask the Manager when will the safety crossing for Collinstown College, Clondalkin be installed?    

• Q. 12

To ask the Manager for an update on the request for 34 parking spaces at Mount Talbot, Clondalkin?

• Q. 13

To ask the Manager if any tests have been carried out recently on the Liffey Bridge at Lucan to establish if the bridge can safely bear the weight of a number of very heavy HGVs being on the bridge at the same time?  Have there been any assessment of the effects on the structural stability due to the huge increase in the volume of traffic on the bridge in recent years, and if he will make a statement on the matter?

• Q. 14

To ask the Manager for an updated report on the installation of bollards at Liffey Crescent, Liffey Valley Park Estate, Lucan which was a Condition of the Planning Permission for the estate?

• Q. 15

To ask the Manager if the Council is considering measures to improve traffic management and safety in the vicinity of The Oval, Palmerstown?

• Q. 16

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Countywide Modelling Study

• H.I.7

Cathaoirleach's Business            Cllr G O'Connell

That the Council carry out a safety audit or survey of the residential areas within the Lucan/Clondalkin areas to identify locations that, given the changing nature and increase in traffic within and through estates that were designed at a different time, are now potential safety hazards and that the matter be fully discussed.

• M. 10

That an improved parking strategy with more parking spaces be developed for the Finches Shopping Area, North Clondalkin.

That the Manager would present a detailed report for discussion following my representations on behalf of the Esker Park Resident's Association in 2004 and 2005, including the presentation of the petition signed by local residents, which resulted in a decision taken at this meeting in June 2005 and the July 2005 Council Meeting, that the Pedestrian Laneway between House Nos. 56/57 and 70/71 Esker Park, Lucan be extinguished, and today this pedestrian laneway remains open and continues to be the cause of serious anti-social problems in the local community in Esker Park, including graffiti, late night noise, public drinking, on-going damages to nearby properties etc. 

• M. 12

That an updated report be given on the footpaths at Neilstown Shopping Centre.

• M.13

That this Committee recommends that a protective metal barrier be erected between the Green Isle Road and the Naas Road (N7).

• M. 14

That the footpath on Monastery Road between the Monastery Heath entrance and exit from Monastery Estate be repaired (very short stretch of pavement) as it is in a dreadful condition.

• M.15

To ask the Manager if he can advise the Area Committee on reported damage to the roof of Quarryvale Resource Centre, three units of which are owned by the Council?

• Q17

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business

No Business Submitted

That in view of the dreadful condition (already reported by this Councillor) of the overgrown carpark at the 9th Lock Road and totally ignored by the owner, that we now proceed to enforcement as a matter of urgency.

• M17

That the Manager would outline the circumstances and process in which it would be possible for the Council to compulsorily acquire the identified site at St. Edmondsbury, Lucan (as indicated in the map provided) as a site for a replacement school for the existing St. Andrew's N.S., Lucan, and that this Committee calls on the Minister for Education and Science to take immediate action to acquire this site through the compulsory acquisition process. 

• M18