COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

MOTION NO. 6

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

"That this Area Committee gets a full report on the planned play spaces in Newcastle and to have a legal representative there if the update is legal." 

REPORT:

There is no public land currently available at Newcastle to construct a suitable play space; which limits the Council's ability to provide facilities. The Council has made contact with the Department of Education and Skills with relation to the possible provision of an interim site for a play space in Newcastle within Department-owned lands. The Department has indicated it is willing to consider such a proposal. The facility proposed is on a temporary basis only as it is the councils understanding the land is not available on a permanent basis. The council has developed a design for the proposed play space; which the Department has approved in principal, subject to the Council entering into a licence agreement with the Department of Education and Skills. The requested licence agreement has been drafted and is now in Heads of Agreement form which has been forwarded to the Department for comment.

Secondly a development firm that has acquired the future building lands within the Newcastle LAP area has expressed an interest in providing a play space ahead of the LAP housing construction. The proposed play space design is proposed at two locations in Newcastle and the draft drawings have been presented to the Clondalkin Area Committee members on previous occasions. It is intended to proceed with a Part 8 process for these 2 No. play spaces; however in accordance with the Planning and Development Act a contract is required between the parties prior to the Part 8 commencing. The Council is currently engaging with the firm in order to agree the contract. The draft contract has been subject to much negotiation and is on-going. A number of meetings have taken place to attempt to overcome a temporary impasse. A further iteration of the contract has now been drawn up and is with the development firm for their consideration at the time of report.

Once the contract is agreed, the Part 8 process for the 2 No. play spaces can commence. Clondalkin Area Committee members will be contacted prior to commencement of the Part 8 process and the final agreed drawings will be circulated at that stage.