COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 116

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

That table 4.3 be amended to include the following additional requirements:

Phase1B: “Development and opening of a Western Orbital Road linking the N4 & N7; to include a direct road linkage from the Clonburris SDZ lands.”

 

Phase 3: “Extension of the Western Orbital Road linking to the N3.”

 

Cllrs William Lavelle, Emer Higgins, Vicki Casserly, Kenneth Egan, Paula Donovan, Brian Lawlor and Conor McMahon

REPORT:

Response

A submission from the NTA on the Draft Planning Scheme confirms that the NTA is committed to deliver the transport infrastructure and services that will serve Clonburris including the DART Expansion Programme and Core Orbital Bus Routes. Within the context that traffic generated by Clonburris will contribute to less than 1% of the overall traffic on the strategic road network in the AM peak period, with a trip distribution primarily to the north, south and east, the development of the SDZ lands is not considered to be reliant on the delivery of the Western Dublin Orbital Route. This proposed motion would therefore inappropriately inhibit and delay the development of the SDZ Lands in the medium to long term.

Further to additional correspondence (January 2018), the NTA advises that it is envisaged that the Kishoge railway station will open in 2020 once development occurs in its vicinity. The NTA also advises that it intended to provide the new orbital service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght in the short term.

The Transport Assessment and Strategy (Chapter 6) models the impact of the Draft Clonburris Planning Scheme combined with existing and planned development on the transport network for 2026 and 2035. While the proposed Western Dublin Orbital Route has been tested as part of the wider strategic analysis under the Transport Assessment and Transport Strategy (2017) that accompanies the Draft Planning Scheme, the Tallaght – Blanchardstown Core Orbital Bus Route (along with additional bus routes), the DART Expansion Programme, the planned internal street network and local junction upgrades have been modelled to service the trip demands generated by Clonburris in line with the Transport Strategy for the GDA. The development of the SDZ lands is therefore not considered to be reliant on the Western Dublin Orbital Route, which will have a wider strategic role, and the linking of the development of the SDZ lands to this medium to long terms strategic regional road would not be appropriate.

The 2026 modelling of the Draft Planning Scheme demonstrates that the proposed street network, pedestrian and cycle network together with existing and planned pubic transport (including core orbital bus routes), street upgrades and junction improvements will be sufficient to service the trip demands generated by Clonburris. Within this context, approximately 47% of trips in the AM period will be undertaken by walking, cycling and public transport in 2026.

Further to proposals for a direct link between Clonburris SDZ and the Western Dublin Orbital Route, such an Arterial Road is not considered necessary particularly in relation to the projected easterly, southerly and northerly distribution of trips than will be generated by the SDZ Planning Scheme and the volume of traffic that it will contribute to the strategic road network. Such an Arterial Road would also be at variance with the key objectives of the Draft Planning Scheme to achieve a sustainable modal split and this has not been modelled as part of the Transport Assessment and Strategy.

The linking of the development of the SDZ lands to the Western Dublin Orbital route is therefore unnecessary. This would inappropriately delay the development of the SDZ Lands including other transport proposals that have been modelled to service the Clonburris trip demands in the medium to long terms.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Proposed Motion

The provision of a major link route is in conflict with sustainable transport objectives and would adversely affect material assets SEOS and potentially Air Quality and Climate SEOs. Therefore this motion is not recommended for adoption.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No likely significant effects on European sites within the SDZ’s zone of influence are predicted.