Sallynoggin calls for Local Area Plan and urges DLRCC to reject RedRock development

There is strong local opposition to a development on the site of the former Deerhunter pub at the Glenageary/Sallynoggin roundabout.

Over 1,600 people have signed a petition and so far, 52 official observations against the plans have been uploaded to the Council’s website.

The site is zoned NC ‘neighbourhood centre’ with a zoning objective to ‘To protect, provide for and/or improve mixed-use neighbourhood centre facilities, however campaigners say the latest plans from Keith Craddock and Ciaran McIntyre’s Red Rock Glenageary for blocks apartments up to 7 storeys does not chime with that objective.

Observations submitted to DLRCoCo detail concerns about density, facilities/infrastructure, traffic, inadequate parking, height, poor unit mix, sewage, environmental concerns and the overbearing nature of the proposals that is out of context with the local surroundings.

Many of the submissions highlight the zoning of the site as NC ‘neighbourhood centre’ and say that the developers proposals contravenes the zoning objective of the site which is to ‘protect, provide or improve facilities for neighbourhood’.

Local campaigner Nicola Coleman says that Sallynoggin does not yet have a Local Area Plan and that until one is developed in conjunction with the community and with a proper analysis of the needs of the people that it would be madness to grant permission for any development on a site zoned NC Neighbourhood Centre.

Among those who lodged an observation was former Environment Editor of the Irish Times,Frank McDonald who wrote –

‘The density of the proposed development would be more than double the upper limit of 80 dph specified for suburban areas in Sustainable andCompact Settlements: Guidelines for Planning Authorities, and three times its median of 60 dph.

He said claims by the developer that the scheme was “carefully conceived” to be “compatible with the existing grain of development in the wider area” is quite incredible and that the proposal is a classic example of “developer-led planning” that would pre-empt Specific Local Objective No.65 of the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan 2022-2028, which is “To prepare a Local Area Plan for Sallynoggin”.

Such an LAP would obviously include the largely vacant subject site, especially as it is zoned as a “Neighbourhood Centre” under the county plan.

This should be allowed to take its course.

Moira O’Malley said, ‘it is a considerably small site for what is proposed’ and ‘Developers should not be allowed to over populate this area simply for the means of profit when it is the community that has to live with the consequences and that she hopes ‘that the hundreds of local voices objecting to this development will be heard, considered and that the decision to refuse permission will be granted.

Older people living in the vicinity are worried about the plans.

Eamon Usher’s submission says that he has ‘very elderly mother-in-law who is in her eighties is terrified that these building works will go ahead.

One of the buildings will look directly into her bedroom.

Eamonn Usher and his mother in law Marie O’Shea

Douglas Barry’s submission took issue with visualizations put forward by the developer saying that ‘it appears to be sloppily prepared stuff, unless they possibly like confusion, chaos and cryptology.

Referring to a photomontage purporting to show ‘verified views’ of the development Mr Barry points out that ‘most of these elevations (24 to be exact) are done from the aspect of a 16mm lens which grossly distorts the projected reality for the ordinary viewer, making the proposed buildings seem much smaller than they actually are.

He says ‘ all of this distorts the true height perspective and context of these enormous buildings relative to low level historic housing close by.’

The site at the Glenageary/Sallynogginn roundabout

Arnaldo and Abril Macari say the applicants classification of the site as an ‘Intermediate Urban Location’” is wrong and that and that it does not meet any of the criteria for this classification ‘as it is 24 minute walking distance (1.9km) of principal town, 19 minutes walking distance (1.6km) to the nearest dart station and 14 minutes walking distance (1.1km) to the nearest reasonably frequent bus service as demonstrated from the independent source (google maps)’.

Jonathan Goulding wrote ‘The site is popular with local people, who have come to see the land as a small nature reserve, a place to walk dogs and for children to congregate and play.

“While a wildflower ecosystem cannot return the same level of capital as a huge private housing development, it can however have far reaching benefits to the local community and that access to biodiversity can positively affect mental and physical health, reducing demands on health services in the future.

“It was pointed out that while the developers plans included a childcare facility with a tiny play area of just 39 square meters, they do not account for older children who are of primary and secondary age who will need somewhere to go to school.

“The local schools are already under pressure, with Sallynoggin Educate Together National School having to build prefabs to accommodate increased demand from the local community.”

The Bellevue, Glenageary and Rochestown Residents Association said that their association welcomes all proposals for suitable and sustainable development of the site while pointing out serious concerns about size scale and mass..

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barret and Cllr Melisa Halpin weighed in and said that that there is serious overcrowding in family homes with multiple generations living in cramped houses and that it is social and affordable housing that is needed.

They said if this application were to comply with zoning (NC Neighbourhood Centre) it needs to actually provide the housing and community facilities that are needed by those currently living there.

A decision is due to be made by the Council by the end of July.