COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 14, 2008

HEADED ITEM NO (8).

 

REP0RT OF THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS UNDER PART 8 OF THE PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2001 FOR THE PROPOSED REFURBISHMENT AND NEW WORKS AT BALLYROAN COMMUNITY CENTRE, PASTORAL CENTRE AND LIBRARY.

At a meeting of the Terenure/Rathfarnham Area Committee (2) held on 9th October 2007 it was agreed to proceed with a public consultation process for the proposed refurbishment and new works at Ballyroan, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.

Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 prescribes the requirements in respect of certain classes of proposed Local Authority Developments.  The Regulations apply to the proposed works involved in the refurbishment of Ballyroan Community Centre, Ballyroan Library and construction of a Pastoral Centre at Ballyroan.

The project is divided into three sections as follows –

1.                 The refurbishment and extension of Ballyroan Library.  This will include a two-storey extension to the existing building to contain meeting rooms, additional adult-educational areas, staff offices, and a new reception and internet area.  Total area to be 760 sq ms.

2.                 The refurbishment and extension of Ballyroan Community Centre.  This will include a single-storey extension with a youth drop-in facility, enhanced kitchen facilities for Meals on Wheels, improved toilet provision, a meeting room and children’s garden.  Total area to be 175 sq ms.

3.                 The construction of a new single-storey Pastoral Centre with meeting rooms, kitchen/coffee area and pastoral offices.  Total area to be 477 sq ms.

Library:

The current library was build in the 1980’s but has become outdated and too small for the number of people that use the library and has one of the highest user rates in the greater Dublin area.

The proposal is for the building to be remodelled and extended with the existing entrance relocated.  Two new entrances will be provided one to the North, accessed from Orchardstown villas.  One will enter into a new double height internal street.  This street can be used for group activities, large exhibitions, readings, meetings, lectures etc and can adjust as needs change.

New service elements and specific public uses are located in the two storey volume on the east side and these are denoted in a timber lining which snakes in and out of these areas and can be opened and closed to adapt to the user needs.  An exhibition area, coffee dock, seminar rooms which can be divided into two separate rooms and toilet facilities are proposed.  Access can be gained to the second floor were a study area is provided as well as book storage and staff facilities.

The retained section of the existing building will be re-roofed and become a large reading room which can be arranged to suit the demographics of the users.  It will be an open plan room lit from above by means of roof-lights with more intimate reading areas off the main space in the form of pods, which overlook the adjoining streets.  These can be a place to study or sit and read.  A children/group area is located on the north and can be used for book readings, arts and crafts etc.

The car park to the south is to be remodelled to become a shared surface for people and cars.  This area will be planted with trees and benches to allow one sit and read.  The area between the street and the pods is to be landscaped to provide a buffer zone to the reading areas and the library.  On street parking will be maintained on the perimeter of the site.

The remodelled library will be larger and updated to suit the needs of the community for the next generation. 

Community Centre:

The existing community centre is in need of modernisation as many of its services are at the end of the useful life and the internal layout are causing difficulty in the functioning of the building with additional space required to meet the needs of the local community and also prove attractive to use by the youth of the area.  The building will be altered and extended to provide for these new needs.

To provide a more civic face to the building the entry area is to be opened up and integrated as part of the existing shopping centre.  The new area will contain a public face to the community with a new youth drop in café, which can be used by all users and an office to act as greeting point. This will be a much needed requirement for the youth of the area in providing a supervised and safe environment to meet. This will be developed with the local youth and the involvement of South Dublin County Comhairle na N-Og.

To further enhance the civic nature a large window will be provided to provide views inwardly to the main hall and outwards through the café and to the street beyond to highlight the activities that occur within.  This window can be closed off if users require more privacy.

Internally the rooms will be reorganised to provide for a larger kitchen for the invaluable ‘meals on wheels’ facility.  New public toilets will be provided of the café area with an independent roof-light circulation zone providing access to the new toilets and showers, better storage facilities, modified crèche/arts room with a larger meeting room to the rear of the building overlooking an enclosed garden.  This enclosed play area is to provide direct access and a safe place for the crèche.

The upper floors area will remain, albeit modernised with the staircase modified to provide for easier access.  New roof-lights are to be provided throughout to improve the use of natural light within the building as well as improving the internal environment.

Pastoral Centre:

The intention here is to provide a new building, which fulfils a number of social and urban roles.  The pastoral centre is conceived as a key public building within the new urban fabric of its context.  Its relationship to the new library, existing church and refurbished community centre is critical and the strategic landscaping of intermediate areas will ensure the buildings sit together successfully within a unified site.

The building has a clearly defined distinction between the public social spaces of the large hall, large meeting room, café and entrance and the private more intimate spaces of the smaller meeting rooms.  The public spaces are articulated by the removable partitions, clearly defined openings, increased ceiling heights and the penetration of natural light to clearly define social spaces which are intended for communication and interaction. 

The smaller rooms are positione4d deep within the building and adjacent to, or facing, courtyards to create introspective spaces where the occupant feels sheltered from the external world.

We envisage the pastoral centre as a precious modern object set within the grounds of the church.  The flat roof provides the pastoral centre with a clean horizontal profile, which is critical to this relationship with the church and ensuring the centre, does not seek to imitate or mock the church.

The flat roof is critical to the pastoral centre design as the internal spaces are informed by the movement of natural light gained from the courtyards and roof lights, and this would be severely compromised by a pitched roof profile.  The large courtyard has been positioned to allow the retention of the anniversary oak tree and possibly the adjacent tree.  These deciduous trees will provide the courtyard with dappled light during summer months while minimising shading during winter months.

We would also propose that this boundary wall between the library and courtyard be removed and replaced with a linear bench, which will continue to define this boundary while providing a visually connected open space between the two buildings.  This will avoid creating a hidden pocket of space to the side of the pastoral centre, which may be prone to anti-social behaviour and instead creates a space, which will be subject to surveillance from the library, pastoral centre and the road.

The building design will include defensive measures such as anti-vandal glass and paint and shutters, which can be used to close off the building at night if necessary.

Consultation:

The scheme went on public display from Monday 4th February, 2008 to Tuesday 18th March, 2008 at:

The closing date for receipt of submissions was Wednesday 2nd April, 2008.

There was also a public meeting held at the Community Centre on 19th November 2007.

There were seven submissions made during this period and in general were positive and supportive of this proposal. They are summarised as follows:

1/ Nora Kearney, Chairperson, Ballyroan Community Care.

Fully supportive of the project and indicated their wish to ensure the continuation of the Meals-on-Wheels service. The Group have requested the provision of a cloakroom which they also consider essential.

Response:

The Council will do everything possible to ensure the continuation of the Meals-on-Wheels service and will work with the Committee on this request.  The provision of a cloakroom will also be considered.

2/Vera Hayden, Hon. Secretary, Ballyroan Bowling Club

Request for storage and ease of access for carpet frame and equipment of the Club.

Response:

This will be considered in the context of final detailed drawings of the project and every effort will be made to accommodate.

3/ Councillor Cait Keane.

Fully supports the project and makes observations on overlooking aspect of the library, ensure full consultation with all parties at each stage of the project, additional parking and definition of drop-in facilities.

Response:

The project proposes a Pastoral Centre at single storey level which will not create any overlooking problems and the design of the Library proposal does not create any overlooking concerns. There will be full consultation at all times with interested parties to the project as has been the case to date. The youth drop-in aspect of the refurbished Community Centre is a much needed requirement for the youth of the area in providing a supervised and safe environment to meet. This will be developed and progressed with the local youth and the South Dublin County Comhairle na N-Og Committee. There is provision for retention of car parking spaces at the Library. The car park to the south is to be remodelled to become a shared surface for people and cars.

4/ Mrs A. Hickey, Marian Bridge Club

Supporting the project on behalf of the Bridge Club users.

5/ Teresa Cowney, Rosemount Ladies Badminton Club

Supporting the project on behalf of the Badminton Club users.

6/ Maree Jewell, Coolamber Park, Knocklyon

She is not fully supportive of the Community Centre refurbishment proposal as she has some concerns regarding the open plan nature of the proposed refurbished dining room which will prevent it from being used as a proper room, lack of fire escape for upstairs rooms apart from the exit at bottom of stairs and generally considers that the proposal does not offer any great advantage but welcomes the refurbishment. Also requests that the project be phased to allow continuation of the drama teaching service at the centre.

Response:

The open plan nature of the dining room is as agreed with the committees at the centre and provides for greater and more flexible use of the space. Internally the rooms will be reorganised to provide for a larger kitchen for the invaluable ‘meals on wheels’ facility.  New public toilets will be provided of the café area with an independent roof-light circulation zone providing access to the new toilets and showers, better storage facilities, modified crèche/arts room with a larger meeting room to the rear of the building overlooking an enclosed garden. The fire exits as proposed meet all fire regulations. The upper floors area will remain, albeit modernised with the staircase modified to provide for easier access. Every effort will be made to ensure continuation of services and use as far as is practicable.

7/ Laura Higgins, Chestnut Montessori, Ballyroan Community Centre.

Fully Supportive of the project as proposed and requested a phasing on the construction to allow a continuation of the Montessori service from this location.

It is also agreed to alter the direction of the disabled accessible ramp to the church and the internal layout of the kitchen/serving area of the proposed Pastoral Centre. 

Conclusion:

As the only submissions to the project are supportive and as the proposed works are consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and the South Dublin County Development Plan 2004 – 2010, it is recommended to proceed with the proposed works as advertised subject to the minor alterations to internal layout as agreed with the interested users/committees and the identification and sourcing of the necessary funding for the projects.