COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

MOTION NO.22

MOTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy

That the steps from Chapel Hill that lead to the Scouts Den in Lucan be examined as a public right of way in accordance with the relevant objective in the County Development Plan

REPORT:

The adopted South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028 includes the following objective:

EDE23 Objective 2:
To identify, in a logical and sequenced way, existing public rights of way in relevant areas of the County and to investigate the creation of new public rights of way by taking the following steps within two years of adoption of the Plan:
- Identify and map those areas within the County which have the potential to give access to mountain, lakeshore, riverbank or other places of natural beauty or recreational utility;
- Examine the identified areas for existing access routes;
- Investigate whether existing access routes are public rights of way and where there is an understanding that a public right of way may exist, undertake the necessary steps for consultation set out in the Planning Acts;
- Once verified, map and identify those public rights of way in the Development Plan;
- Where public rights of way do not exist and access would be appropriate, consider using public rights of way agreements available under section 206 of the Planning and Development Acts;
- Where public rights of way agreements are not possible, consider the use of compulsory purchase orders under section 207 of the Planning and Development Acts

The steps within the green at Sarsfield Park connect Chapel Hill to the Lucan Road and facilitate access to St. Mary’s school and the Scout Den. SDCC own the land referred to. Public Realm upgraded the steps a number of years ago and currently maintain them providing full public access to/from Chapel Hill.

The designation of the steps as a public right of way can be examined, including whether it meets the criteria set out in the Act, as part of the wider examination of public rights of way which is on the 2025 work program.