COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor F. Warfield

"That this area Committee calls on South Dublin County Council to implement a practical and achievable programme of tree replacements in the Orwell Park Estate - Orwell Park Green, Way, Avenue and Cresent, where old, unsafe trees have previously been removed."

REPORT:

In recent years, the primary focus of the Council's annual Tree Maintenance Programme has been on tree pruning, tree removal, hedge maintenance, open space shrubbery maintenance and tree stump removal.  The priority allocation of resources for this purpose has resulted in very limited implementation of new or replacement tree planting across the county over the last 5 years.  However, the Council's recently launched draft Tree Policy 'Living with Trees', which is currently under public consultation, recognises the value of street trees in the urban environment and is committed to planting new trees to ensure that the visual amenity in South Dublin is assured for future generations.  

Orwell Park Estate is included on the 2015 Tree Maintenance Programme for tree maintenance works on all existing trees within the estate that are identified as requiring either pruning or removal.  Over the past few years, maintenance works have also been completed on individual trees within the estate in response to requests from residents and public representatives.  When the 2015 programme of tree maintenance has been completed in Orwell Estate, an assessment of the entire estate will be made to determine the most suitable locations for replanting and a design and phased programme for new tree planting will be prepared for implementation over the coming years commencing in spring 2016.

In the past, some of our streetscapes have been planted with trees over succeeding generations without the benefit of a clear design. In many places, this has worked well, but in some locations issues have arisen in the street environment because there are too many trees or they are the wrong species or in the wrong place. Given this experience, it is not always appropriate to simply replace a tree in the same place.  

In developing a plan for new and replacement tree planting in Orwell Estate,  the principle of planting the ‘right tree in the right place’, as outlined in the Council's draft Tree Policy, will apply to minimise future nuisance issues and unnecessary maintenance costs.  Potential sites for tree planting will be determined having regard for factors such as underground and overhead service lines, sight lines and traffic signals, space for future growth, etc.