COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE 1

Monday, May 21, 2007

HEADED ITEM NO. (11)

NEW WORKS (a)

Report on Public Notification Procedure Under part 8 of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001 - 2003 for the proposed construction of a housing development at Stocking Lane, Ballycullen, Co. Dublin.

A notice in accordance with Article 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 - 2003 was published on Monday 22nd march 2007 to construct an integrated housing development of 103 no. units on approximately 5Ha (10.8 acres) of land, bounded by the M50 to the north, Stocking Lane to the east, the new distributor / link road to the south and privately owned land to the west. The development will be carried out in phases and includes a mixture of 2  to 4 storey terraces and blocks, all own door access units, comprising:

65 no. single-floor, two & three bed units

29 no. two & two and ahalf storey, three bed units

7 no. two storey, four bed units

2 no. two storey two bed units

A site is also reserved for afuture community facility.

The work to include road works, infrastructure, landscape works, and all necessary associated ancillary works on the site.

Plans and drawings of the proposed development were placed on display at the headquarters of South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24, until Friday 20th April, 2007.   A further period of two weeks were allowed for receipt of written submissions or observations with respect to this matter dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated.

The following submissions (hyperlinks attached) were received:

          John Sugars And Partner Letter

         Ballyboden Group Of Resident Associations

          Alvin Price Submission

          Stocking Lane Residents Association Objections

A summary of the issues relating to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area is set out below together with the Council's responses:

Zoning and Location relating to the 120m contour and the urban fringe

The site is located within the Residential Zone as shown on the Development Plan.  The Ballycullen - Oldcourt Action Area Plan specifically allows for residential development above the 120m contour in order to achieve road frontage and access to zoned lands.  In this instance there are 3 no. blocks above the 120m contour, located adjacent to the roundabout.  Due to the steeply sloping nature of the site north of the distributor road these 3 blocks are less than one storey above the distributor road.  (The height of the ridge level is 7.85m below the ridge level of the Bloomfield Centre across the road). These 3 blocks are an integral part of the design of the scheme providing a sympathetic edge to the suburban fringe, and are not considered to be unduly intrusive. The design fully complies with the objectives of the Action Area Plan in this regard. Landscaping screening / buffering adjacent to the roundabout and all along the southern edge - Stocking Avenue - frontage has been taken into acciount and will be elaborated on at detail design stage. No block along the Stocking Avenue frontage projects more than 1.5 storeys above the distributor road as shown on the Site Sections / Elevation Sheet 2.

Density

The density of 36.30 units per hectare excluding the Residntial Caravan Park is in compliance with the principles of the Action Plan and at the lower end of the recommendaed range set out in the Action Plan, which states that "net residential densities in the range of 30-50 per hectare" and "average net densities closer to 30 rather than 50 dwellings per hectare would be appropriate". The density including the RCP is 33.8 units per hectare. 

Design

The mix and variety of house types and storey heights are the result of careful consideration of the topography and orientation and provide:

A group of 10 no. detached, 3 storey villa type blocks fronting onto Stocking Avenue, but with ground floor levels well below the new distriubtor road level, and 3 no similar blocks along the lower western boundary. 

A terrace of North/South 3 storey blocks backing onto the Residential Caravan park (RCP), where the greatest drop in level across the site occurs.

A terrace of East/West facing 2 storey dwellings gradually stepping down the slopes toward the M50.  The dwelling types were developed in recent years to comply with sustainability, flexibility and energy usage and have been successfully used in recent schemes elsewhere in the County.

End blocks, 4 storeys high, at the lowest point of the northern edge, fronting onto the Motorway.  These blocks are cut into the ground, and present as 3 storeys facing the housing development, with living areas orientated to maximise available sunlight

For the purposes of most recent planning schemes: - A house is defined as a single or multi-level living space with own door access and direct access to an outdoor private amenity space at ground level. 

81 units have own door access with gardens at ground floor level.

22 units have own door access with terraces

21.5% are apartments.

Landscaping/Hedgerows/trees/Walled garden

Landscaping is an important feature of the design which has been repsonsive to Hedgerows, existing trees and additional planting.  Although the walled garden is not a protected structure, and much of the vegetation is decaying, the design has provided for its repair and has enhanced it.  Works to the walled garden will be incorporated with the design of the Community Facility and the adjoining amenity space. 

The scheme will inevitably result in the loss of some trees and hedgerows, but substantial replacement planting will be carried out as part of a high quality landscaping scheme for the site. Full consultation and liaison has and will continue to take place with the Council's Parks and Landscape Services Department regarding the appropriate conservation of existing natural features and the replacement planting. Drainage works will be carried out in compliance with SDCC's Environmental Services Department. 

Open Space

This scheme is part of an overall layout for the Ballycullen/Oldcourt Area requiring 14% of the total site areas as public open space.  The Action Plan designates 10% of the nett housing area in the overall devleopment, in locations central to this housing scheme. This scheme, including the site reserved for the proposed community faciility, has 18.25% dedicated to open space, which far exceeds the objective set out in the Action Plan for required open space.

Community Facility

The entire site development is proposed to be carried out on a phased basis and a site is reserved for the community facility to be constructed in association with one of the later phases.  The proposed location is adjacent to the walled garden.  Discussions have already taken place betweeen staff of the Housing Department, Community Department and Architectural Services Department about this proposal and work is already underway on the design of the community facility. The detail of the community facility will be advanced by Community Services Department and will be subject of a separate Part 8 Consultation process to be built in conjunction with a later phase of the scheme.

Traffic/Pedestrian links with Stocking Avenue

The traffic impact has already been co-ordinated within the Area Action Plan.  A new bus service is proposed along Stocking Avenue.

The proposed pedestrian link from site to Stocking Avenue, follows the principles of urban design encouraging permeability for mobility/ease of movement - the steps shown serve this purpose, they are compliant with Part M for ambulant pedestrian use.   The open space at this point relates to a watermain, and the site is not visible for housing construction as a result. The incorporation of a full mobility access will be addressed in the final design.

Overlooking of adjacent private property (Green Acres House), and blocking of sunlight from South and East

Following further detailed studies of the 3 storey block immediately to the south of Green Acres House and the terrace to the east, it is proposed to reduce further any perceived impact on the adjacent private property by removing the block to the south, and by lowering the end unit of the terrace to the east to 2 storeys, with windows orientated towards passive supervision of the adjoining open space.

Materials

Within this development consistency in materials, render colours, roof pitches and building detailing, is proposed.  The main elevation treatment proposed is selected colourfast render with a contrasting colour/finish generally above first floor wall-plate level, which will aid future maintainance.

Having reconsidered the use of timber cladding within the developemtn, it is proposed to remove this elevational treatment.

Car parking

113 car-parking spaces are indicated on the Part 8 Site Plan Layout.  This is based on one in curtilege space per dwelling and one individual space per unit in each block with 10 no. additional spaces in the lower cul de sacs and adjoining the walled garden.  c. 1.1. per unit. It is proposed to set an objective to seek to increase this provision to 1.5 car parking spaces per unit, subject to review pending the public transport provision. 

Having regard to the amendments proposed in the foregoing report by omitting 1 no. three storey block and reducing the end terrace block to two storey with ground floor extension and garden - the proposal now consists of a total 100 dwellings configured as follows:

62 no. single-floor, two & three bed units

29 no. two & two and a half storey, three bed units

7 no. two storey, four bed units

2 no. two storey, two bed units 

These revisions now give a net residential density of 34.36 units per Hectare (excluding the Residnetial Caravan Park site) and 32.27 units per Hectare including the Residential Caravan Park site. 

As the proposed scheme, as modified in the foregoing report, is in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, it is proposed to proceed with the development as modified.