COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE 1
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
MOTION NO. 9
MOTION: Councillor J. Lahart
"That the Council (i) meet with the residents whose homes lie adjacent to the Green Route at the top of Glendhoher (including Glendoher House) who have very legitimate complaints with regard to the proximity of the new road alignment to their homes (within 1.5 metres) and that (ii) the Council provides a wall of sufficient height and quality to alleviate the significant damage to their quality of life and (iii) the council roads department makes a statement with regard to the width of the footpath with regard to regulations of same."
REPORT:
(a) The Resident Engineer has met with the three residents concerned on a number of occasions since the commencement of works in October 2006, most recently on the 5th and 6th of September 2007. Since then matters have been discussed with SDCC engineering staff directly .
Taking the adjacent proposed on-road cycle track of 1.5m into consideration, the centre line of the new carriageway will be in exactly the same position as the old Taylor’s Lane alignment. This means that traffic will be no nearer the residences at this location. In addition, a low noise surface is being provided along Taylor’s Lane as part of the scheme. This indicates that the overall noise levels will not in fact increase and there is therefore no requirement on the Council to increase the wall height.
(b) According to current road design guidelines, whilst the desirable width of a footpath, where it can be achieved, should be at least 1.8m (6 feet), it is permissible where circumstances dictate, to reduce the width to 1.5m (5 feet). Indeed the current County Development Plan, (Urban Design) requires a minimum desirable width of 1.5m. In the event, the proposed construction width of the footpath at the location in question is 1.65m, (5feet 6inches) this being determined by the new road alignment and the existing garden walls.