COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

MOTION NO. 25

MOTION: Councillor L. O'Toole

"That this Committee asks that the CEO engages with the community of Adamstown (Adamstown Working Group/Adamstown Input Group) to allow them the opportunity to be part of the initial plans and to have their views heard. To date residents, school representatives and ETB representatives have met with the two groups where an understanding has been reached by all parties and can now move forward with joint views. Furthermore that this meeting of stakeholders be arranged by SDCC and the ETB as the main drivers in this project."

REPORT: 

"At last month's meeting of the Area Committee, the members were advised that a date had been fixed for an inugural meeting with some of the design team that had been appointed by the developers to progress the brief for the design of the community and sports facility. This preliminary meeting took place and was attended by the appointed Project Manager and the appointed Architects, a representative of the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (ETB) and the relevant officials from the Council.

The primary purpose of the inaugural meeting was to outline the current position of the respective parties; to identify the key elements required to be included in the design brief; to provisionally examine the manner in which the integration of the various elements of the facility could take place and generally to highlight other key issues which needed to be taken into account in the preparation of the design brief. Some general comments were also exchanged on the particular design challenges of the location of the facility.

It was agreed that it would be useful to the process if the Architects, who have a wide experience in designing similar type facilities, examined the manner in which the design challenges had been successfully dealt with on other occasions and tours of a number of existing functional facilities were recently organised.

In addition senior Council officials have opened a further line of discussion with senior officials from the ETB to ensure that the successful models of integrated working already in place in similar facilities in the County are replicated in this proposed facility. It was agreed that it would be useful for these contacts to continue for the duration of the design process.

The next meeting with the design team is scheduled for later this week. Progress on the matters outlined above will be reviewed at that stage.

At the end of February last a deputation from the Adamstown residents was received in the Council chamber to discuss this matter. A commitment was given at that deputation meeting that when progress had been made on the design that they and others would be consulted on the matter. While some progress has been made, in effect it is clear from the foregoing the process is only commencing. Even when the full design team is in place it will take some time for the basics of a design to be developed to the stage where a consultative process could be opened. Notwithstanding the foregoing an invitation from residents to attend a meeting in Adamstown next month has been accepted by the Council and a senior official will attend subject to the understanding that he is unlikely to be in a position to fully address many of the questions that will arise until the work of the design team has advanced.

As previously indicated it is likely that despite the desire by all parties to progress the matter as quickly as possible that it is likely to take a number of meetings over a number of weeks before there will be significant progress to report. The members were advised that the Area Committee will be informed as soon as the matter progresses further. This commitment and the commitment to the residents groups remains."