COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor S. O'Hara

"To ask the Chief Executive why, given the final paragraph (see below) in the Tree Review report from a site survey on the 25th September 2018 that informed the Master Plan for Rathcoole, the decision was to proceed and plan for the destruction of these trees. The ecological aspect of the natural regeneration that has occurred on the land in the years since farming discontinued may be of educational interest to local schools and colleges if they were alerted to the potential of the site, and could be a source of subject material for research projects etc.?"

REPLY:

The lands at Rathcoole are zoned residential development in the County Development Plan 2016-2022. In consultation with the members, in line with policy objectives contained within the County Development plan, and in carrying out its statutory duty to provide housing on zoned lands SDCC has prepared a masterplan for development of the lands in Rathcoole.

As part of the masterplan process a suite of initial surveys and reports were carried out including a tree assessment report. The tree survey influenced the masterplan’s proposal to retain trees that were identified to be of arboricultural, conservation and cultural value, namely the remnants of several old hedge-lines that traverse the site.

The comments and conclusions of the initial survey reports and further ongoing recommended survey reports for the site will be considered by South Dublin County Council to achieve a balanced approach between the ecological value of the site and mitigation measures that can be put in place to allow development of the site.