COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

MOTIONS NO. 13

MOTIONS: Councillor F. Timmons

That this Area Committee request SDCC creates Satellite Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) around our other local heritage buildings (e.g. Fairview Oil Mills, St Cuthbert's Church, Moat and Graveyard, Mount St. Joseph's Graveyard, St Brigid's Well). Satellite ACAs were suggested by SDCC's previous Director of Planning for these buildings during public discussions preparing for the current County Development Plan. The 'conservation of built heritage' would help to promote 'employment, economic development, and tourism'.

REPORT:

As outlined in the response to a question on satellite ACAs at the May Council Meeting in 2024, the concept of ‘satellite’ ACAs does not exist. Each ACA exists in its own right, and the policy and objectives outlined in the County Development Plan apply to each equally.

Criteria for assessment of ACAs is set out within the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities. The Guidelines indicate in section 3.1.1:

‘A planning authority recognises, by making provision in the development plan for the protection of these areas, that in many cases, the protection of the architectural heritage is best achieved by controlling and guiding change on a wider scale than the individual structure, in order to retain the overall architectural or historic character of an area.’

Fairview Mill is on the Record of Protected Structure (RPS) listed in Appendix 3A of the County Development Plan, RPS reference 165. It is also listed on the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) as DU021-008. In addition, the County Development Plan already contains an objective relating to Fairview Oil Mills as follows:

NCBH16 Objective 5: To preserve and develop the Fairview Oil Mills at Cherrywood Crescent in Clondalkin as the remains of the mill are a good example of functional industrial architecture and are an important reminder of the industrial heritage of the Clondalkin area.

The church moat and graveyard in Kilmahuddrick known as St. Cuthbert’s is on the Record of Monument and Places, identified as references DU017-038001 to 03 and has statutory protection under the relevant legislation. It is also record 133 in the RPS.

Mount St. Joseph’s Graveyard on Monastery Road is also on the Record of Protected Structures as identified in Appendix 3A of the County Development Plan reference 427.

St. Brigid’s Well is recorded on the Record of Protected Structures and has, therefore, statutory protection under the relevant legislation. It is also on the RMP. As a stand-alone structure it being on both the RPS and RMP is the most appropriate conservation protection.

It is considered that the structures identified in the submission have significant statutory protection as outlined above and their inclusion in a new ACA would not meet the criteria for being in an ACA and would neither be necessary nor an appropriate mechanism for their protection.