COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
MOTION NO. 7
MOTION: Councillor T. Costello
3.17 To retain TJ Burns cottages as per the draft plan
REPORT:
The motion seeks to retain reference to TJ Burns cottages in the list of Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) which includes a brief description of the architectural character of the area under Section 3.5.3 of the Plan, as follows:
- TJ Burns Cottages Semi-detached cottages on west side of Old Bawn Road. Requires assessment to derive further description.
Reference to TJ Byrnes cottages, numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11 Old Bawn Road in section 3.5.3 of the Development Plan was inserted by way of motion 71162 ‘Create a new ACA to the South to include Goose Park and TJ Burns cottages on the Old Bawn Road’ at the pre-draft stage of the Plan.
Having regard to its inclusion in the Draft Plan, to the need for assessment and the fact that no assessment had been carried out prior to inclusion, a consultant was commissioned to advance the assessment of the cottages and Goose Park and other ACA objectives in the Draft Plan. Amendment 3.17 to delete reference to the cottages under Section 3.5.3 was taken in response to the assessment and investigation of TJ Burns Cottages at Old Bawn Road that was carried out by John Cronin, an independent expert, on behalf of South Dublin County council. The assessment, which was provided to the Members at the same time as the CE Report in May, concluded:
‘Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we would recommend that South Dublin County Council do not include these buildings within a defined ACA as it is hard to justify same in the context of (a) national architectural heritage guidance and (b) the basis of the much altered and poor condition of the subject buildings.’.
The assessment of Goose Park, 1-6 Old Bawn Road also known as Saint Maelruan’s Terrace, was carried out by the same consultant and it was identified as ‘a site of special architectural and social interest which contributes to understanding of the historical development of the wider southern part of Tallaght’ and remains included in the Plan.
Amendment 3.17 which deleted the reference to TJ Burns cottages in the list of ACAs under Section 3.5.3 from the Draft Plan, was not subject to a motion at that stage and was agreed at the Development Plan meetings in March 2022. It was the subject of a submission at the Material Amendment public consultation stage in April 2022. The CE Response to the submission is contained in the CE Report submitted to Councillors on 23rd May. The CE recommended no change to Amendment 3.17 having due regard to the expert consultant’s assessment and recommendation.
It should be noted that the separate Amendment 3.15 deleted TJ Byrnes cottages from Section 3.5.3 where it was included in a simple list of ACAs identified within South Dublin County. The reference to the cottages at this location within the Plan comes before the more detailed listing the subject of Amendment 3.17 in this instance. To include 14. TJ Burns Cottage description, as proposed here, without having it identified on the earlier list of ACAs would be confusing.
ACAs cannot be inserted without a proper assessment process into a Development Plan, the methodology for which is set out in the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities. This assessment process was followed by the commissioned consultant, and the findings from the independent research carried out indicate the buildings at this location do not warrant being defined as an ACA while those at Goose Park do.
CE Recommendation: Make the Plan with Amendment 3.17 by deleting the following from Section 3.5.3 Architectural Conservation Areas:
- TJ Burns Cottages Semi-detached cottages on west side of Old Bawn Road. Requires assessment to derive further description.
And amend the relevant County Development Map accordingly.