Work is nearing completion on the developments adjoining the Council offices at the Keenbury and DEZ sites (jointly known as Tallaght Cross).  A series of new pedestrian and traffic streets have been created and confusion is arising as to naming and way-finding in this new area. This problem also extends to way finding in the Council offices since it was extended and now has a number of entrances.  To date, this has been addressed with signs on the main building designating sections, as Block 1, 2 and 3.  It is now felt that this approach is overly corporate and neither appropriate for a welcoming Civic Centre nor easily understandable by the general public.  The attached drawing suggests a naming system for the new area.  It is based on a simple but comprehendible use of designations which can also apply to the Cookstown area of the Tallaght Local Area Plan when it eventually begins to roll out. 

ROAD: Heavily trafficked routes along the outside edge of the town centre zone e.g. Belgard Road, Embankment Road, Blessington Road.

STREET:  Routes with a balance of cars and pedestrians inside the town centre zone forming the towncentre grid of streets.

AVENUE: Longer tree-lined cross-streets along the proposed new park or as extension of wider tree-lined roads such as Airton Road.

LANE: Shorter, narrower, non-connecting streets with a balance of cars and pedestrians e.g. street to west of Council offices

WALK or WAY: Mainly pedestrian / cycle priority green-routes.

Overall, the “roads” form the edge of the town centre, the “streets” form the pattern of the growing town crossed by the leafier “avenues” and supported by the quieter “lanes”.  Across this pattern lie a number of safer, greener paths called “walks” or “ways”.  The agreed designation of each street sets the tone for decisions on public realm, materials, lighting, uses and planting. 

CULTURAL QUARTER

It is important that the area around the Council offices be established as the civic and cultural core of the town with its spaces bearing the names of the important adjoining uses.  To this end, it is proposed to designate

• Theatre Square (in front of Council offices)
• Library Square (new plaza). 
• The street to the rear of the Council offices is suggested as Belgard Lane
• Library Walk leads from the new County Library past Marks & Spencers, across Belgard Square West and past the Tallaght Cross Hotel. 
• Theatre Walk leads off Theatre Square along the Council offices up to Belgard Square North. 
• It is suggested that Millenium Square be re-designated as Market Square when it is finally constructed. 
• It is suggested that The Zip/Old Blessington Road be re-designated as “Tram-way” from the Tallaght Village ITT entrance gate to the LUAS terminus.

It may be worthwhile to consider renaming of streets currently called Belgard Square North, West and East.  Those streets are obviously not squares and very few residents understand either their location or the logic of their usage. A further report will be brought to the Committee in the near future.