COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, April 24, 2023

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the CEO what contacts he has maintained to improve the image of Cookstown Industrial Estate and will he present an update?"

REPLY:

Cookstown is a designated neighbourhood in the Tallaght Local Area Plan (LAP), which provides a new urban structure and a series of specific policies and objectives to support the area in realising it’s full potential as an economic driver in the region. Within the LAP, ‘‘it is a policy of the Council to promote and support the consolidation or relocation of existing employment uses in Regeneration ‘REGEN’ zone areas, such as Cookstown and to upgrade these areas to create further opportunities for regeneration and employment’’. This will be achieved through investment in the delivery of new infrastructure and the regeneration of the area creating a mixed use environment home to more intensive forms of economic activity, innovation and public services.

This is already happening, with the private sector advancing the development of privately owned sites in the Cookstown area via the planning process, whilst SDCC has taken a lead role in helping to regenerate and improve the image of the Cookstown area. To date, a total of €14.58m of URDF funding is being invested in the Cookstown and central Tallaght area as SDCC is developing a significant public realm project, an innovation centre, a transport mobility hub and the Airton road extension, whilst the Belgard Road North link road is now fully constructed and is enhancing access and permeability to the area. With a further c.€15m URDF funding recently secured for development in the area, coupled with the fact that SDCC will commence construction of the affordable apartment scheme (133 apartments) at a cost of c.€30m in the Cookstown neighbourhood, it is very clear to see that the image of the Cookstown area is being actively improved and the objectives of the Tallaght LAP are being met.

Work is currently underway for the development of an inventory of vacant commercial and industrial premises in the county which will inform the business community of opportunities to locate in Cookstown Industrial Estate  

The Council Budget has continued to provide for the Business Support Funds (BSF) scheme and we continue to engage with the stakeholders in Cookstown Industrial Estate to create awareness of this scheme.

New business owners are encouraged to consider locating to vacant units in Cookstown Industrial Estate and others in the county to avail of the supports under BSF which includes Microenterprise/Start-up Support which encourages new micro enterprise owners who upgrade an existing vacant premises to avail of a graduated “rates holiday” for up to two years.

The development of a the new enterprise/innovation space  with associated enterprise support services in the County which was endorsed by the members of the County Council in 2018 has progressed through to Part 8 planning and construction is now in progress and on schedule to open for business clients in October 2023. The 3,000sq. metre enterprise/innovation facility building project is well advanced and is scheduled for completion in October 2023 next. This iconic building is located on the Tallaght Corridor, i.e., between TU Dublin, Tallaght Campus and Tallaght University Hospital which is adjacent to Cookstown neighbourhood. This facility will be a significant addition to the area and taken in conjunction with other proposed significant developments along the Corridor will ensure that employment opportunities will be attracted to the Cookstown Industrial Estate area.