COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
MOTION NO.11
MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons
That this Area Committee requests that the Land Use, Planning and Transportation director issues a report on the Newcastle LAP and comes to this area meeting and discuss the issues that residents are experiencing including over development without proper infrastructure including transport,roads,schools,park etc.
REPORT:
A Local Area Plan was adopted for Newcastle South in November 2012. The LAP was extended and only recently expired on 7th April 2023. In the knowledge that the LAP would expire during the lifetime of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028, a number of phasing and delivery objectives were included in the County Development Plan to ensure that the requirements of the LAP would be met.
A phased sequential approach to development from the village core to the north and south recognises the ongoing construction activity and the delivery of key infrastructure identified in the Newcastle Local Area Plan.
In terms of transport, improvements will be made as BusConnects brings new services and overall accessibility to Dublin City Centre, Grange Castle, Tallaght-Maynooth including Hazelhatch /Celbridge train station and Saggart and Red Cow Luas Stops. The electrification and upgrading of the Kildare line to a high-frequency Dart service as far as Hazelhatch station will provide enhanced services which will benefit residents of Newcastle.
In addition, the LAP lands will include a street network with a new access point on to the Athgoe Road in addition to the existing connections to the Newcastle Road from the LAP lands, alongside new walking and cycling connections to Main Street.
Cycle South Dublin also provides for a new cycle route, route 20, between Newcastle and Rathcoole as a ‘later’ phase scheme.
The Development Plan includes an objective to carry out a traffic and transport study for Rathcoole, Saggart and Newcastle as follows:
SM6 SLO 1:
To carry out a traffic and transport study for Rathcoole, Saggart and Newcastle and the surrounding areas following the publication of the GDA Strategy review to 2042 which will clarify the context within which the road network in the area will function and to include a review of HGV movement.
The review of HGV movements will be delivered by the end of this year. The traffic study is a major piece of work and will require input from the NTA, this has not commenced.
The adopted Development Plan contains a number of objectives specific to Newcastle and to the phasing of development in line with the necessary infrastructure. These are set out below and continue to inform the assessment of planning applications. Included in the objectives is the need for a new school to be delivered on the reserved lands to the south of the LAP beside Taobh Cnoc Park (the large park to the south of the LAP lands). The park itself, which is under construction, is also subject to phasing requiring its full delivery as part of any further development.
In addition to the reserved school site, the Development Plan contains an objective to identify a site for a post primary school to serve the wider catchment area. The Council will continue to liaise with the Department of Education on the need for and timing of delivery of this school.
CS9 Objective 1:
To ensure that development proposals provide for infrastructure including community buildings, sports pitches and service provision in line with population growth as set out in the Newcastle LAP (2012 extended to December 2022) or any succeeding plan.
CS9 Objective 2:
To support well designed infill and brownfield development on zoned lands along the main street, in particular where it provides for improved services, commercial, retail or mixed use provision to meet the needs of the growing population.
CS9 Objective 3:
To proactively support and promote the highest appropriate levels of services, social infrastructure, facilities, retail, open space amenity and economic activity to meet the needs of current and future growth in line with the scale and function of Newcastle within the settlement hierarchy.
CS9 Objective 4:
To facilitate and commit to the delivery of new residential development in a coordinated manner, ensuring alignment with investment infrastructure and supporting amenities and services. Such measures shall be delivered through appropriate phasing in line with CS9 SLO1, SLO2, SLO3 and SLO4.
CS9 SLO1:
To facilitate and commit to the delivery of Phase 1 residential lands at Burgage North in tandem with the delivery of 2 new street connections to main street and the provision of a new local park c. 0.3ha.
CS9 SLO2:
To facilitate and commit to the delivery of Phase 1 residential lands at Burgage North to the north of St. Finian’s Community Centre which reserve suitable lands to facilitate the extension of the existing community centre.
CS9 SLO3:
A sequentially phased programme to be submitted alongside any planning application on the subject lands which provides for the delivery of the following in tandem with development or as described 1) No more than 200 units to be permitted before the commencement of the remaining lands of c. 1.4ha to provide for the full Taobh Chnoic Park to the south 2) Urban Park / Square c. 1ha in size (Burgage South Park) to the satisfaction of the planning authority, 3) East-West Link Street, 4) Sean Feirm Park c. 0.2ha in size, 5) a portion of Tower House Park c.0.1ha.
All applications shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority how they are supporting the delivery of North South Street connections to the Main Street.
With regards delivery of a new primary school at Taobh Chnoic, the timing of this will be subject to educational needs in consultation with the Department of Education. Prior to completion of 200 units confirmation to be provided from the Department of Education on the transfer of lands to provide for the school, subject to their confirmation of need.
Delivery to Date:
Open Space
Burgage Green: This playspace was initially postponed on safety grounds as construction commenced immediately to the south. This building site has just completed and agreement has been reached with Cairn on detailed design for the playspace. Equipment has been ordered and it is expected that this will be installed later this year.
Taobh Cnoic: This large park in the south of the LAP is currently under construction. It will provide for a large playspace, grass pitch, multi-use games area, shared pedestrian and cycle routes and seating areas.
There are also a number of small playspaces integrated into the open space of several developments around the LAP area, including the play trail at Newcastle Boulevard, these are working quite successfully.
Schools – In 2014 permission was granted for the new St. Finian’s National School established within the LAP lands. This has been operational for a number of years.
A second school site is reserved to the south of the LAP beside Taobh Cnoic Park. The delivery of this school is linked to phasing and to the identification of need by the Department.
Community Centre – It is intended to progress the extension to St. Finian’s Community Centre and upgrade works subject to the outcome on an active planning application SD22A/0286. A decision is due in May 2023.
The permitted Supervalu also includes a café and community centre building.
Creche Facilities: There are a number of creche facilities in the wider area of Newcastle. These include Cocoon in Newcastle Glebe, Sticky Fingers Hazelhatch Road, Choice childcare in the Old School House. A creche has been provided within the new development at Graydon, for which an extension is currently on appeal.
Retail Development – Supervalu is due to open this month, April 2023.
Rail – Dart+ South West, which will provide a new electrified Dart service from Heuston Station to Hazelhatch/Celbridge with an increased service of 23 trains per hour per direction on the line. A Railway Order was lodged by CIE to An Bord Pleanala in March 2023.
Busconnects – Route W6, will run from Tallaght to Maynooth. The section from Tallaght to Newcastle will come into service by July 2023. The Newcastle to Maynooth section requires road widening before it can come into service and will serve the Hazelhatch/Celbridge train station once operational. The design contract for the southern approach to the canal bridge has been awarded and will take a number of years to deliver. Once delivered the route will run straight through from Tallaght to Maynooth.
The 68 service runs from Newcastle to Red Cow Luas with several onward directions. The L56 will run from Greenogue to Red Cow.
Roads – The new street network within the LAP lands currently connects to the Newcastle Road. The next phase of development will provide a new connection to the Athgoe Road and additional cycle and pedestrian connections to the village and within the LAP lands will be provided.