COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

That this Area Committee recommends that South Dublin County Council initiate the statutory processes required to exercise its powers under Sections 202 and 203 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to extend the area subject to the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area Order to include all lands zoned ‘I’ in the new Draft South Dublin County Development Plan.

REPORT:

In September 2008 the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government requested that an evaluation be carried out of the lands between Palmerstown and Lucan Bridge, between the the existing area of Special Amenity and N4/Old Lucan Road/Old Hill Road, to assess the suitability of some or all of these lands being designated a new area of special amenity, having regard to the provisions of Section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. 

In March 2009, an Evaluation Report was submitted by the Manager to the Department of the Environment, as requested.  A response has yet to be received.

It is apparent  that Section 202 of the 2000 Act makes provision for an extension to an SAAO only where an order for an SAAO was previously made under Section 202 of the 2000 Act.  It therefore appears that procedurally, it would be necessary to proposed a new SAAO, either in addition to or in lieu of that already existing.  In addition, the motion refers to the new 'I' zone, which includes significant new lands in addition to those considered in the March 2009 Report to the Department.  It is therefore necessary to further evaluate these lands in the context of required characteristics for SAAO designation.

A response from the Minister to the Manager's submission of March 2009 was formally requested further to this matter being raised at the September 2010 Lucan-Clondalkin Area Committee meeting. 

To progress the matter, it is now proposed to arrange an informal briefing for local elected members on the issues involved in initiating Section 202 of the Planning and Development Act, within the coming weeks.