COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

MOTION NO. 3

MOTION: Councillor C. Keane

"That this Committee discusses the Willbrook Lawn open space area with the aid of a full report on the matter outlining the DATE that this open space will be made available for the residents use. As per e-mail submitted by the Residents Association are not prepared to wait any longer in order to have this space made available to them; and that the work on same proceed immediately."

REPORT:

In order to progress the matter of making the open space at Willbrook Lawn available for use by residents, officials of the Parks Department held a site meeting with representatives of the Residents Association on the 15.01.09.  At this meeting, the Parks Department outlined a timeframe for the open space redevelopment.  Tree removal and pruning works were agreed and have since been completed. 

The Parks Department has been advised by the residents of No. 29 Willbrook Lawn that work has commenced on the construction of the new boundary wall to the open space as per Planning Permission Register Reference No. SD08B/0314, dated 25.06.08.  Construction works on the wall are scheduled to be completed by the end of March/early April 2009 subject to favourable weather conditions.

In tandem with the construction of the open space boundary wall adjoining No. 29 Willbrook Lawn, installation will be undertaken of the new lockable double gates across the open space.  At a meeting between officials of the Parks Department and representatives of the Residents Association, dated 25.11.08, it was confirmed as per a previous agreement that the Residents Association would be responsible on a daily basis for the opening and closing of the gates as per normal park opening hours to facilitate use of the open space by all the residents of Willbrook Lawn. 

On completion of construction works on the boundary wall to No. 29 Willbrook Lawn and the installation of the lockable gates, the existing wooden hoarding will be removed by the Parks Department.  The hoarding will be maintained in situ for the duration of the construction works in the interest of Health & Safety.  The anticipated timeframe for removal of the hoarding is early – mid April 2009.

When the hoarding has been removed, scrub clearance and drainage works will be undertaken on the open space by the Parks Department in consultation with the Council’s Drainage Section.  On completion of the drainage works, the required landscape re-instatement works of topsoil cultivation and grass seeding will be undertaken by the Parks Department subject to favourable weather and ground conditions.  It is currently proposed that the landscaping works will be undertaken during the month of May 2009.  Following completion of the landscaping works, the open space will be closed off by the Parks Department to prevent access until the grass sward is sufficiently established to sustain use by the public.

In relation to the open space area adjacent to No. 30 Willbrook Lawn, the Parks Department have sought advice from the Council’s Law Department with regard to progressing with the removal of the adjoining hoarding to facilitate redevelopment of this portion of the open space.  The Parks Department has been advised by the Law Agent not to remove the hoarding pending the ongoing exchange of correspondence between the Council and legal representatives of the resident of 30 Willbrook Lawn. 

Members will updated on this matter at a future meeting of the Terenure-Rathfarnham Area Committee.