COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

MOTION NO. 12

MOTION: Councillor C. Keane

"That this Council discusses the Willbrook Lawn open space issue – ensuring the new fence is located in the correct position as agreed at TRAC meeting of this council."

REPORT:

At the meeting of Terenure Rathfarnham Area Committee on November 13, 2007, it was agreed that the Parks Department would remove the two sections of hoarding adjacent to nos. 29 and 30 Willbrook Lawn in order to reinstate the entire open space area and that two sections of gated fence be installed.  The proposed gated fence would extend across the open space just in front of large side windows on house no. 30 and would lie in line with the rear of house no. 29.  These gates are to be opened during normal park hours and closed at darkness thereby giving access for recreation to the entire open space during daylight hours.  The purpose of the gated fence and their management in this manner is to minimise security risks and exposure of the adjoining properties to anti-social behaviour along their rear boundaries which are secluded from view.  The residents of nos. 29 and 30 were to arrange and pay for the reconstruction of their own respective boundary walls.

Because part of the open space area enclosed by the hoarding was higher than that of the adjoining house at No 29 Willbrook Lawn, it was not considered appropriate to remove the hoarding which would expose the security of the adjoining house until the residents had undergone the planning process and completed the reconstruction of their boundary wall.  The reconstruction of the boundary wall of no. 29 was completed during March 2009 after which the Parks Department commenced with reinstatement and relandscaping of the open space.  As the area enclosed by the hoarding had remained inaccessible for many years it had become very overgrown.  During late spring / early summer 2009, the Parks Department undertook considerable scrub clearance, tree pruning and removal works, site levelling and drainage works on the site and subsequently cultivated the area and seeded it with grass.  Having completed the landscape works, the hoarding was then removed. 

Prior to clearing the site of the scrub overgrowth, it was very difficult to fully assess the site’s levels.  When the scrub was removed, it revealed a partial slope towards the boundary with no. 29 because the overall level of the open space area is higher than that of no. 29.  It has been necessary to retain this slope in order not to compromise the structure and stability of the boundary wall of no. 29 and also to maintain adequate depth of soil cover over services located in the open space.  For this reason, the proposed location of the gated railing has had to be reconsidered .  The presence of the slope would render the gated railing ineffective as a security measure because it would be possible to gain access underneath the gate.  The proposed and most practical solution is to move the line of the gated railing forward to a relatively level area of ground towards the open space frontage.  Because the site is wider at this location, the span is physically too great for gated railings alone and it is necessary to incorporate two short sections of fixed railing as well.  This does not alter the proposal that the gates are to be opened during normal park hours and closed at darkness thereby giving access for recreation to the entire open space area during daylight hours.  Officials from the Parks Department met on site with representatives of the Willbrook Lawn Residents Association Meeting on 06.08.09 to explain this situation.  A drawing is available to Rathfarnham Area Committee Meeting illustrating the proposal.

With regard to the open space area beside no. 30 Willbrook Lawn, the boundary wall of this property has been partially removed and the open space to the rear of the hoarding has been maintained for a number of years by the adjoining resident.  The Parks Department was advised by the Council’s Law Agent not to remove the hoarding pending the outcome of exchanges of correspondence between the Council and legal representatives of the resident of 30 Willbrook Lawn which has been ongoing over the past year.  In a letter dated September 2, 2009, the Council has now written to the legal representatives of the resident of 30 Willbrook Lawn giving 30-days notice of the Council’s intention to proceed with removal of the hoarding and reinstatement of the open space.