COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

MOTION NO. 13

MOTION: Councillor J. Lahart

"That the Manager meet with M50 Concessions to represent the following issues with regard to the widening scheme:

a. The negative visual impact of the gantries on Residents of Castlefield and Orlagh Grove estates and how they propose to address this;

b. The landscaping plan for the motorway as it runs by Orlagh, Woodifeld, Beverly, Woodstown Village, Prospect, Airpark and Orlagh Park, and Orlagh Crescent, where there is 'dead' ground with an open entrance adjacent to the wooden boundary walls on St Colmcille's Way;

c. The safety barrier adjacent to the on-ramp at Orlagh Avenue and what progress has been made on this issue;

d. The replacement of the original wooden barriers at Orlagh Avenue and Orlagh park with new wooden walls;

e. Consideration to be given to moving the wooden boundries at Propect\Court (M50 side) from the boundary wall to the road side of the M50, which would relieve the issue of light loss on Residents and also maintain the objective meeting with An Bord Pleanala objectives regarding noise reduction measures."

REPORT:

a. Sign gantries have been installed by M50 Concessions Ltd in accordance with their Contract with the NRA. The Council has requested the NRA to consider the planting of trees as a way of reducing the visual impact of these gantries and the NRA is investigating the feasibility of screening the gantries. However it should be noted that there is a considerable foundation involved in the construction and erection of these gantries.

b. A Preliminary Landscaping Design (based on the M50 Upgrade Scheme EIS) was included in M50 Contract Documentation such that this must be developed into a fully Detailed Design by the M50 Contractor. This Design must be submitted to and approved by the NRA’s Supervising Consulting Engineers (Roughan & O’Donovan). The Council has requested  RO’D to ensure that the concern expressed in the question is addressed prior to giving approval to the Contractor’s Detailed Design for Landscaping.

 c. The Contractor has included the provision of a safety barrier at this location in his works and has indicated that the barrier is expected to be installed within the next 10 days. A temporary barrier has  been installed meanwhile.

 d. The Contractor has been informed that any existing wooden barriers in poor condition must be either replaced or reconditioned to a standard acceptable to the NRA.

e. The Noise Barrier at this location has been installed by the M50 Upgrade Contractor in accordance with the M50 Upgrade Scheme EIS as approved by An Bord Pleanala. Relocating the Barrier down the batter towards the carriageway would reduce the effective height of same and thereby reduce the effective protection against noise which An Bord Pleanala has ruled must be put in place.