COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, May 12, 2008
QUESTION NO.5
QUESTION: Councillor T. McDermott
To ask the Manager for a comprehensive status report on the implementation of the Strategy for Liffey Valley Park as documented in the Strategy Document commissioned from ERM by the joint Local Authorities and OPW?
REPLY:
Liffey Valley Park
Development Plan
The establishment and development of a Liffey Valley Park is an objective of the Council as set out in Policy LHA 5 of the County Development Plan 2004-2010, which seeks to “secure, as an amenity of national significance, the preservation of the Liffey Valley and its landscapes and to seek to have the lands brought into public ownership for the purpose of designation as a National Park”. This policy is supported by Policy LHA 17 in the Plan which seeks to “preserve the major natural amenities of the County (i.e. Dublin Mountains and River Valleys) and to provide parks and open spaces in association with them”.
‘Towards a Liffey Valley Park’
Environmental Resources Management Ireland (ERM) was commissioned by the Office of Public Works to conduct a study of the Liffey Valley, to prepare a Strategy for the delivery of a Liffey Valley Park and to create a management framework for the whole Liffey Valley. It was recognised that the surrounding areas in the vicinity had seen extensive population growth and that there was an urgent need to ensure that the valley could function and contribute to the recreational and green space facilities for the people of the wider area.
The overall aims of the Strategy set out in ‘Towards a Liffey Valley Park’ were to:
- to provide an integrated management framework for the Liffey Valley and
- to create a process towards the establishment of a Liffey Valley Park.
The Strategy states that the “document represents the first comprehensive strategy for the River Liffey and its adjacent lands…. This Strategy provides for a process that will lead to the delivery of a Liffey Valley Park. It represents a contribution to the policymaking process in relation to the management of the valley. As such it will help inform the local authorities responsible for the valley” (Foreword).
The geographic area of the Strategy extends from Ballymore Eustace in South Kildare to Islandbridge in Dublin City. However, in terms of a priority area the Strategy states that in the first instance actions to create the Liffey Valley Park should concentrate on the area between Islandbridge in Dublin City and Celbridge in County Kildare.
The Strategy recognises the need to create new opportunities for the enhancement of the river valley. Thus “whilst the overarching objective is to maintain the integrity of the Liffey Valley and provide essential recreational space for the wider region, sensitively designed and appropriate development in certain areas will provide a means to bring further areas into public ownership and financial resources to the ongoing running of the Park”
The Strategy presents a Vision for the Liffey Valley as a corridor and also sets a series of objectives to realise the Vision through building up the public parks and spaces in the Liffey Valley. It proposes this through a series of identified actions and priorities.
The Vision is founded on seven objectives;
1. Establishing a launch programme for the strategy centered on the delivery of ‘flagship projects’;
2. Bringing planning and related policy together for the purpose of directing the development and management of the Liffey Valley;
3. Engaging the local and wider community and promoting the Liffey Valley as a site for recreation, education and the enjoyment of the environment for all;
4. Supporting sustainable economic activity and development that is sympathetic to the character of the Liffey Valley;
5. Ensuring the River is accessible through the public parks and spaces along the maximum extent of the Liffey Valley Park;
6. Protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural resources of the Liffey Valley in the interests of maintaining a diverse biodiversity and for the benefit of future generations; and
7. Ensuring the preservation, enhancement and continued use of the Liffey Valley’s cultural heritage assets.
In South Dublin County substantial progress has been, and continues to be, made in the establishment and development of a Liffey Valley Park through the acquisition of lands along the river. These include lands at Palmerstown, with the acquisition of lands at Riversdale House and Stewarts Hospital, and at Hermitage in connection with the development of the new private hospital at Fonthill.
A Motion agreed at the County Council Meeting of 10th December, 2007 requested the Manager to write to the OPW regarding the establishment of the Strategy Steering Group to implement the recommendation of “Towards a Liffey Valley Park”. The Minister of State at the OPW, Noel Ahern TD was written to by the Council. In reply, the OPW stated in a letter dated 23rd January that “the implementation of steps to bring the Park into existence are a matter for the local authorities concerned and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government” (Correspondence Item No. 4, Meeting of County Council 11th February 2008).
Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP) Recommendation regarding St. Edmundsbury/Woodville
The Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP) recommended to the Council that it should initiate a Variation of the Development Plan 2004-2010 in relation to lands at St. Edmondsbury and Woodville, Lucan. The recommendation by the AHP was made on foot of a proposal to the AHP by Ballymore, the owners of the lands.
The Variation would involve:--
a) re-zoning lands comprising of some 99 acres from zoning objective “G” – ‘To protect and improve High Amenity Areas’, to zoning objective “A1”– ‘To provide for new Residential Communities in accordance with Approved Area Plans’, and
b) inserting a Specific Local Objective on the subject lands to provide that in any residential development 70% of the residential units (up to 10% of which may be social housing if so determined by the planning authority) shall be for affordable housing purposes as agreed in a covenant with the Affordable Homes Partnership.
In addition to providing affordable homes on the lands the landowners proposed to transfer 184 acres of land to the Council. This would have included all of the land in their holding at St. Edmondsbury that lie within the Liffey Valley (Lucan Bridge to Palmerstown) Special Amenity Area Order 1990 (SAAO) area.
An opportunity existed under the proposal, in line with the OPW Strategy set out in ‘Towards a Liffey Valley Park’,to acquire a substantial area of riverside land at Lucan, (including all of the lands included in the Special Area Amenity Order in Ballymore’s ownership) together with additional open space lands being transferred, free of charge, to the Council as part of the proposal submitted to the Affordable Homes Partnership., in return for facilitating a residential development on a portion of the Ballymore lands. Having regard to the extensive capital programme of public and recreational facilities already determined by the Council in terms of priorities, there is no likelihood of the Council being in a position to purchase these lands for the foreseeable future. There was no proposal by the State to acquire the lands. In these circumstances it was advised to the Members that the opportunity to bring the greater part of this land into public ownership at no cost to the Council should be explored fully.
At its meeting on 10th March 2008 it was resolved by Council that
“That the Manager refrain from all further action regarding the Affordable Homes Partnership’s recommendation for a variation of the Development Plan in relation to lands at St. Edmunds bury and Woodville, Lucan pending forthcoming correspondence and a decision regarding an extension of the Special Amenity Area Order by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, T.D.”
On 4th April 2008 John O’Connor CEO of the Affordable Homes Partnership wrote to the Council informing it that Ballymore had indicated to the AHP that it had withdrawn its proposals regarding St. Edmondsbury/Woodville. Accordingly the AHP recommendation to the Council to initiate a variation of the Development Plan was withdrawn.