COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

QUESTION NO. 6

QUESTION: Councillor Peter Kavanagh

"To ask the Chief Executive in the Clondalkin LEA in the last 5 years what areas of trees and hedgerows have been removed to facilitate development and what areas of trees and hedgerows have been retained and integrated into residential schemes?"

REPLY:

The Council’s Development Plan contains several objectives with regard to the protection of trees – two of which are listed below.

G2 Objective 9:

To preserve, protect and augment trees, groups of trees, woodlands and hedgerows within the County by increasing tree canopy coverage using locally native species and by incorporating them within design proposals and supporting their integration into the Green Infrastructure network.

HCL15 Objective 3:

To protect existing trees, hedgerows, and woodlands which are of amenity or biodiversity value and/ or contribute to landscape character and ensure that proper provision is made for their protection and management in accordance with Living with Trees: South Dublin County Council’s Tree Management Policy 2015-2020.

Conditions based on the objectives laid out in the Development Plan are included in the planning process in order to protect existing trees, if possible, and make provision for additional tree planting. If trees and hedgerows must be removed, an ecological assessment is conducted by suitably qualified personnel and to mitigate the loss a provision is made to plant additional trees/hedgerows. There are no details retained in the manner requested with regard to retention or integration of trees and hedgerows.