COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
MOTION NO. 19
MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty
"That the Chief Executive report on all issues regarding what role if any it has in facilitating the construction of a sports hall at Adamstown, which while much needed for Adamstown Community College and the wider community is now also holding up the provision of further phased construction and related facilities on these serviced lands in the midst of a housing crisis; to clarify whether it can negotiate with any developer while court proceedings are initiated by the ETB; to clarify whether it views the provision of covering the costs upfront (assuming the developer cannot get funding for same) as primarily within its remit, or whether this is largely a matter for the ETB and by implication the line Minister; to outline whether any communications were received (since the summer and by the time of this motion being submitted) from the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Education, or indeed any Minister, outlining concerns about the delay in progress on the SDZ; and if he will make a statement on the matter."
REPORT:
The provision of (school) sports hall was never a requirement of the 2003 Adamstown SDZ approved Planning Scheme. It was subject to a separate agreement between the VEC (now ETB) and the Adamstown Developers (Chartridge/Castlethorn) at an early stage of the implementation of the Scheme (2006).
The school sports hall was subsequently made a requirement of the amended Adamstown SDZ Planning Scheme, approved by An Bord Pleanala in December 2014. The Planning Scheme now specifies that it be provided for development to move beyond a specified number of additional dwellings in Adamstown. It is unlikely that this stage (+c500 dwellings) will be reached for some time, however. Consequently, provision of the Sports Hall remains a matter of contract between the ETB and the Developer.
In the Spring 2015 and as part of ongoing discussions, Castlethorn made a proposal to South Dublin County Council. Having considered the proposal and received the advice of the City Valuer, the Chief Executive is not in a position to recommend it to the Council.
The cost of delivery of the sports hall, community centre and all weather pitches is estimated to be c3.25m Euro, with the school sports hall element estimated to cost approximately 1.35m Euro.
The delivery of the Adamstown school sports hall and associated community facilities continues to be a matter of concern and we will continue to endeavour to broker a resolution between the ETB and the Developer. It is also still open to the Developer to make a further proposal that would satisfy the Councils requirement for adequate compensatory provision which might allow the council to become directly involved. The developers have made no such proposal to date.
In the event of legal proceedings it will be necessary for the Council to step back.
We have been advised that a committee of stakeholders has been set up to progress the delivery of the school sports hall.
Correspondence was received from the Minister for Justice and Equality, Francis Fitzgerald TD on the 24th June 2015 expressing concern about the delay in delivery of the school sports hall. A reply issued on June 28th from the Chief Executive outlining the position at that time.