COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

QUESTION NO. 14

QUESTION: Councillor Alan Hayes

To ask The Manager for an update on a previous agreement at this ACM to explore options between SDCC and Cloverhill Courthouse to lessen the negative visual impact of high security netting adjoining Whitethorn Estate.

REPLY:

This matter was raised under motion 16 on the agenda of the June 2021 area committee meeting, the report which was given in response to that motion is copied below.  The additional planting referred to and committed to in the previous response has now been carried out.  No contact has been received to date on the matter from the prison service. 

'Significant amounts of ground contouring works have taken place on the open space at Whitethorn Gardens/Park to provide visual relief from the boundary wall and fence at Cloverhill Courthouse. The extent of the mounding in terms of height and proximity to the boundary is restricted by the security requirements of the facility. It is not possible to augment or alter the existing mounding.

To enhance the view of the green space, vertical screening is therefore required. This can be achieved by planting trees. There are currently 3 Quercus ilex (evergreen oaks) planted outside the periphery of the facility. The trees will provide excellent screening once they mature however this will take time to achieve. To augment the screening the open space will be listed for consideration for planting additional trees. The trees will be planted during the 2021/2022 winter planting season subject to no objections being received from the Irish Prison Service.'