COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING
Thursday, June 17, 2021
MOTION NO. 112
MOTION: Councillor E. O'Brien, Councillor Shane Moynihan
That this Council reaffirms its commitment to the protection of the Liffey Valley and directs the Chief Executive to include relevant policy objectives to facilitate the delivery of a Liffey Valley greenway - to seek to identify and mark preferred new pedestrian routes and footbridge locations on Development Plan maps, including on private-owned lands which could be developed as 'permissive routes'
REPORT:
The Liffey Valley SAAO was declared an area of special amenity by Dublin County Council in 1987 for the stated reasons of:
(a) its outstanding natural beauty;
(b) the inclusion therein of areas which are of special recreational value, and
(c) the inclusion therein of areas which exhibit a need for nature conservation.
Subject to amendment of the map, the SAAO was confirmed by the Minister through the Dublin County Council (Lucan Bridge to Palmerstown) Special Amenity Area Order (Confirmation) Order, 1990, S.I. No. 59 of 1990
The Council’s commitment to the protection of the Liffey Valley is evident in the restrictive nature of the ‘HA-LV’ land-use zoning objective and in the myriad of relevant objectives within the CE Draft Plan, particularly those under the heading of NCBH Policy 7 which relate to the Liffey River Valley and Special Amenity Area Order. NCBH Policy 7 states: ‘Protect and enhance the special amenity value of the Liffey Valley, including its landscape, visual, recreational, ecological, geological, and built heritage value, as a key element of the County’s Green Infrastructure network and implement the provisions of the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO)’.
In particular, NCBH 7 Objective 4 addresses some of the concerns of the motion in relation to pedestrian routes and footbridge locations. A recommendation to amend this objective has been made in response to motion 70661 and it is considered that the amended motion such be further revised to read as follows (proposed deletions in strikethrough; proposed additions in bold):
‘To facilitate and support the development of the Liffey Valley (Zoning Objective ‘HA – LV’) as an interconnected green space and park in collaboration with Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Kildare County Council, the OPW and other State agencies, existing landowners, and community groups and sectoral and commercial interests in accordance with the Ministerial Order for the Liffey Valley SAAO by:
- Carrying out a study of the lands that comprise Liffey Valley inclusive of the Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO) and adjacent lands;
- Investigating and determining, as part of the study, viable and appropriate uses to support and facilitate the development of a Regional Park (Liffey Valley Park), with particular emphasis on enhancing the recreation, amenity value and accessibility of the area while protecting the valley’s biodiversity and enhancing the green infrastructure network;
- to include the identification and designation of Identifying and designating, as part of the study, possible future new pedestrian routes and footbridge locations in accordance with ‘Towards a Liffey Valley Park’ (2007) or any superseding plan, including potential permissive access routes.
Universal accessibility for all should be balanced with ensuring that environmental and built heritage sensitivities are not negatively impacted upon’.
In addition, NCBH 7 Objective 7 states: ‘To work in collaboration with the owners of lands along the length of the river to seek to provide appropriate public access’.
Mapping preferred new pedestrian routes and footbridge locations on Development Plan maps should not be done until such time as they have been identified through the proposed study, having regard in particular to environmental sensitivities and to viability.
It is considered that the intent of the motion is reflected in several objectives under Policy NCBH 7 including Objective 4 (as further amended) and Objective 7.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the motion is adopted with amendments to Policy NCBH 7 including Objective 4 and to recognise that the intent of the motion is reflected in Policy NCBH 7 Objective 7.
‘To facilitate and support the development of the Liffey Valley (Zoning Objective ‘HA – LV’) as an interconnected green space and park in collaboration with Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Kildare County Council, the OPW and other State agencies, existing landowners, community groups and sectoral and commercial interests in accordance with the Ministerial Order for the Liffey Valley SAAO by:
- Carrying out a study of the lands that comprise Liffey Valley inclusive of the Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO) and adjacent lands;
- Investigating and determining, as part of the study, viable and appropriate uses to support and facilitate the development of a Regional Park (Liffey Valley Park), with particular emphasis on enhancing the recreation, amenity value and accessibility of the area while protecting the valley’s biodiversity and enhancing the green infrastructure network;
- Identifying and designating, as part of the study, possible future new pedestrian routes and footbridge locations in accordance with ‘Towards a Liffey Valley Park’ (2007) or any superseding plan, including potential permissive access routes.