COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

MOTION NO. 15

MOTION: Councillor B. Lawlor, Councillor K. Egan, Councillor S. O'Hara

That Amendment 7.21 remain in the Plan without the modification proposed in the CE's Report, in order to reflect Councillors commitment to ensuring that the Orbital Ring Route links to the N81. Proposed by Cllr Shirley O'Hara Seconded by Cllrs Brian Lawlor & Kenneth Egan

REPORT:

The Draft Development Plan provides under Table 7.5 of Chapter 7 for the following with regards to the Western Dublin Orbital Route:

Description: New road from N81 to the Leixlip Interchange.

Function:  New road from N81 to the Link between the N81, N7 and the N4 with a route Leixlip Interchange by-pass function around Rathcoole and Saggart. The need for this route, further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA’s GDA Strategy and in consultation with TII and relevant local authorities. In any such route a primary objective of South Dublin County Council shall be to protect the scenic Liffey Valley parklands, and amenities at Lucan Demesne and St Catherine’s Park and Lucan Village and no proposals to continue a road over these lands will be considered.

Following debate, the Councillors agreed for amendments to the wording of the description and function of the route from that in the Draft Plan. The Motion seeks for the wording of Amendment 7.21, as went out on public display and shown below, to remain:

Description: New road from N81 the N7 to the N4 Leixlip Interchange with an extension to the N81.

Function: New Road to link between the N7 and the N4 Leixlip Interchange with a route by-pass function around Rathcoole and Saggart and the potential for a further extension of this route from the N7 to the N81. The function of this route would be primarily to provide resilience to the M50, recognising that this may also provide additional resilience to peripheral roads within the county, in particular between the N7 and N4. Further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA's GDA Strategy and in consultation with TII and relevant local authorities.  In any such route a primary objective of South Dublin County Council shall be to protect environmentally sensitive areas including the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole, the scenic Liffey Valley parklands, and amenities at Lucan Demesne and St Catherine's Park and Lucan Village and no proposals to continue a road over these lands will be considered.

The subject of the motion is the following minor modifications shown in bold and strikethrough, recommended in the CE report on the Material Alterations submitted to Councillors on 23rd May:

‘Description: New road from the N7 to the N4 Leixlip Interchange with a potential extension to the N81.

Function: New Road to link between the N7 and the N4 Leixlip Interchange to include provision for sustainable transport modes along its length, the function of this route would be primarily to provide resilience to the M50. There is further potential for a further the extension of this route from the N7 to the N81 with a route by-pass function around Rathcoole and Saggart, recognising that this may also provide additional resilience to peripheral roads within the county in particular between the N7 and N4. Further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA's GDA Strategy and in consultation with TII and relevant local authorities. Development of these routes will be aligned with the NTAs GDA Transport Strategy. Delivery will be in consultation with TII and relevant Local Authorities. In any such route a primary objective of South Dublin County Council shall be to protect environmentally sensitive areas including the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole, the scenic Liffey Valley parklands, and amenities at Lucan Demesne and St Catherine's Park and Lucan Village and no proposals to continue a road over these lands will be considered’.

The CE Recommendation includes the minor modifications shown above for the following reasons:

  1. The inclusion of the word ‘potential’ in the description simply reflects what was already agreed for the text on function where it is stated in the Material Amendment which went out on public display ‘Function: New Road to link between the N7 and the N4 Leixlip Interchange with a route by-pass function around Rathcoole and Saggart and the potential for a further extension of this route from the N7 to the N81. [emphasis added].

Therefore, there is nothing new being added by the word ‘potential’ in the description, it is simply aligning with the wording already agreed for the function.

  1. Observation 3 of the OPRs submission to the Material Amendments noted the changes to the description and function of the Western Orbital Route in Material Amendment 7.21. They were found to be generally acceptable subject to a minor modification to state that the proposed road would include provision for sustainable transport modes along its length. This was considered reasonable and has been recommended to be inserted by the CE. It reflects the NTA Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) Measure ROAD 9 – Regional and Local Roads Policy, which puts an emphasis on the integration of sustainable transport in conjunction with any roads intending to provide for enhanced orbital movement.
  2. The third modification was recommended because the wording of the Amendment will be outdated by the time the Plan is adopted or shortly thereafter because it references that ‘Further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA's GDA Strategy’ [emphasis added]. The review, as indicated above, will be completed at or shortly after the adoption of the Plan and the modified wording references the NTA GDA Transport Strategy rather than the review of the strategy, noting that development of the routes will be aligned with it and that delivery will be in consultation with the TII and relevant Local Authorities, a rewording of the essence of what was already in the Amendment as follows:

Further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA's GDA Strategy and in consultation with TII and relevant local authorities. Development of these routes will be aligned with the NTAs GDA Transport Strategy. Delivery will be in consultation with TII and relevant Local Authorities.

Having regard to the above, it is considered that the minor modifications do not change the commitment, as set out in the Amendment that went on display, to the linking of Orbital route to the N81. It is therefore recommended that the Plan is made with the minor modifications to the Material Amendment.

CE Recommendation:  Make the Plan with the minor modifications to Material Amendment 7.21 indicated in bold and strikethrough as follows:

Description: New road from the N7 to the N4 Leixlip Interchange with a potential extension to the N81.

Function: New Road to link between the N7 and the N4 Leixlip Interchange to include provision for sustainable transport modes along its length, the function of this route would be primarily to provide resilience to the M50. There is further potential for a further the extension of this route from the N7 to the N81 with a route by-pass function around Rathcoole and Saggart, recognising that this may also provide additional resilience to peripheral roads within the county in particular between the N7 and N4. Further connections and possible alternative routes will be determined through the review of the NTA's GDA Strategy and in consultation with TII and relevant local authorities. Development of these routes will be aligned with the NTAs GDA Transport Strategy. Delivery will be in consultation with TII and relevant Local Authorities. In any such route a primary objective of South Dublin County Council shall be to protect environmentally sensitive areas including the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole, the scenic Liffey Valley parklands, and amenities at Lucan Demesne and St Catherine's Park and Lucan Village and no proposals to continue a road over these lands will be considered.