COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

QUESTION NO. 14

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

"To ask that the Chief Excecutive  to issue a report into the Playspaces for Newcastle and detail what the delay is and when the much needed facility will be delivered?"

REPLY:

There is no public land currently available at Newcastle to construct a suitable play space; which limits the Council's ability to provide facilities and makes the process through which a playspace can be delivered more onerous and time consuming. The Council has made contact with the Department of Education and Skills in 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. We are awaiting a reply but in the interim have tendered the works to ensure all is in readiness pending approval.

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 and a final version 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.