COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2010

MOTION NO.7

MOTION: Councillor J. Lahart

That this Council calls on the NRA and M50 Concessions to rationalise, clarify and explain apparent material changes to landscaping, boundary and roadlines, among other matters,on the M50 as it relates to Orlagh Grove Estate, Beverly Court and Orlagh Park and the Scholarstown Interchange.

REPORT:

Phase 2 of the M50 Upgrade Scheme is a PPP Project which is essentially a Design & Build Contract with private financing and is being implemented directly by the PPP Unit of the National Roads Authority.

The Design & Build Contracting Consortium (M50CL) is thus required to take the Preliminary Design contained in the M50 Upgrade Scheme Environmental Impact Statement as approved (with minor modifications) by An Bord Pleanala in April 2005 and develop this into a full Detailed Design which conforms to the National Standards (such as the NRA’s Design Manual for Roads & Bridges) as indicated in the Employer’s Requirements. The Employer’s Requirements also require the Design & Build Contractor to construct the Scheme within the CPO Lands as approved by An Bord Pleanala and further that the Landscape Requirements as set out in the EIS are also implemented in full.

South Dublin County Council who is liaising with the NRA’s Team and the Design & Build Contractor is satisfied that the Scheme is being constructed within the CPO Lands as approved by An Bord Pleanala. Additionally South Dublin County Council is confident that the Landscaping Requirements as set out in the Contract Documents which are essentially a reiteration of the EIS Landscaping Requirements will also be implemented in full when the main construction works for the widened carriageways and structures have been completed.  

The Council is aware of complaints from some residents to the effect that trees were apparently unnecessarily removed during the course of the construction works for the environmental barriers. The contractual requirement on the Contractor in this instance is that existing planting be maintained where this is feasible. Should it be discovered post construction that trees which were removed could have been maintained during the course of the construction then the Contractor will be obliged to replace these trees.

If the motion is passed the Council will convey the terms of the motion to the Consortium and to the NRA.