COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

QUESTION NO. 20

QUESTION: Councillor J. Lahart

"To ask the Chief Executive for a comprehensive report on the history of the use of Elkwood Green?"

REPLY:

Background

The public openspace at Elkwood was developed during the construction of the surrounding residential developments; Elkwood, Knockcullen, and Ballycullen.

The openspace was taken in charge by Dublin County Council sometime in the 1980s and was subsequently developed into a football pitch due to an increasing demand for pitches in the County.

The pitch is located within the openspace in the centre of the aerial photograph below.

The pitch may be accessed by vehicle from the Ballyroan Road through Ballyroan Crescent, and into Ballyroan Heights or may be accessed from the Knocklyon Road, through Knockcullen Rise and into Knockcullen Drive or Knockcullen Lawn.

The designated carparking areas for pitch users are as located at Knockcullen Lawn and Ballyroan Heights.

Gaelic Football Activity : Ballyboden St Endas

Initially, the pitch was laid out as a Gaelic Football pitch and it was allocated to Ballyboden St Endas from mid 2003 to mid 2011.

Ballyboden St Endas used the pitch regularly either for matches, or training, or both.

The Council was not aware at any time of any negative issues pertaining to the use of the facility during this letting period either from directly from the club or local residents.

Soccer: Knocklyon United FC

The pitch was subsequently laid out as a Soccer Pitch and let to Knocklyon United FC at the commencement of the 2011/ 2012 Soccer Season.

It appears that over the past few seasons, KUFC’s use of the pitch had grown to the extent that KUFC played three matches consecutively on the pitch at Elkwood every Sunday morning, and had training sessions up to five nights per week on the periphery of the pitch during the summer months.

Issues / Complaints

Over the period from December 2011 to August this year, the Council received a total of 56 complaints from the local residents association in relation to Knocklyon United’s use of the football pitch in the openspace. The Council also received various representations from Council members and responded to issues raised by members at Rathfarnham Area Committee Meetings.

The complaints received from the residents, particularly in relation to parking difficulties were verified via real-time site visits by Council staff while the pitch was in use.

In an effort to address the issues raised by the residents, a number of meetings were held with representatives from both Knocklyon United and the Residents Association.

Issues raised by the residents, namely the use of the periphery of the pitch for training up to five nights per week by up to five teams at a time and the car-parking area remaining locked and unused were presented to Knocklyon United for reply.

No satisfactory response was received from the club to these complaints. Considering the most recent complaints, all formal complaints received in relation to the pitch at Elkwood over the last three years were reviewed and taken into account during the assessment of applications for 2014/2015 pitch letting.

Having regard to the nature of the pitch at Elkwood, the limited parking facilities, and the growth and success of KUFC it is considered that the pitch at Elkwood is no longer able to meet the needs of KUFC, while also not infringing on the residential amenity and access of the surrounding dwellings.

2014 /2015 Letting: Terenure FC

The pitch has been allocated to Terenure Football Club for the 2014/15 soccer season.

The pitch is being used by 4 underage teams with many of the players being local residents. Accordingly, it is expected that the impact on the environs of the openspace will have considerably reduced and the openspace continues to serve as an amenity for both the soccer community and local residents.