Council urged to protect amenity site

DUN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has made a joint
bid with another local authority for an environmentally sensitive site with the
intention of developing it as a public amenity.

Local councillors are urging the council to protect
the land known as the Ashcastle site, which is adjacent to the Booterstown
Nature Reserve.

The 4.86-acre site is currently being sold with an
asking price of

?¬180,000 by receiver Farrell Grant Sparks, which is acting on
behalf of NAMA.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has confirmed
that it has put in a joint bid for the land located on the periphery of an EU
designated Special Protection Area for birds along with Dublin City Council.

The tract of land straddles the border between the
administrative areas of both local authorities.

County manager Owen Keegan said the council intends to
develop the site as a recreation/public amenity space.

Rebecca Jeffares of the Booterstown Nature Reserve
Management Committee of An Taisce has been persuading both local authorities to
purchase the land and preserve it for public use.

She met with the local authorities, as well as NAMA
and the receiver late last year in a bid for them to consider her proposals.

She believes that if the land is taken into public
ownership it would protect the nature reserve by acting as a

“buffer zone

?
against future development.

“If there was development on the site it would intrude
into the nature reserve in a whole range of ways from lighting to pollution to
water,

? she said.

“But if it was a nature park it would be a buffer against
development.

?

Local councillors Victor Boyhan (Ind) and Barry Ward
(FG) have called on the council to rule out building a car park on the site.

The council backed down recently on a proposal to
build a large car park at a site nearby known as the Circus Field, which was
zoned to provide open space and recreational amenities.

Cllr Ward is concerned that the council might attempt
to build another car park to serve commuters at the nearby DART station on the
Ashcastle site.

Cllr Ward said:

“This site is actually closer to the
Booterstown DART station than the Circus Field. If a car park is built there it
would take away a local amenity for people.

?

Cllr Boyhan also said there were concerns locally that
the site could be used as a route to the proposed Poolbeg incinerator.

“Local residents are seeking assurances that the site
will not be used as a park and ride pay and display car park or a substitute
route to the national incinerator project planned for Poolbeg,

? he said.

Southside People contacted the council but they
declined to specifically comment on the car park issue.