Dalkey Trust urges rejection of new Southside plan

A VOLUNTARY organisation that campaigns to raise awareness of heritage issues has strongly urged councillors to reject proposals for a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) on the Southside.

The Draft Planning Scheme for the Cherrywood SDZ, put forward by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, involves the mixed-use residential, retail and commercial development of a 360-hectare area.

The ambitious scheme consists of proposals for three new villages, served by a town centre in Cherrywood, with capacity for five schools.

An SDZ zoning allows developers to fast track the planning process and prevents third parties from appealing their proposals to An Bord Pleanála.

The Dalkey Civic Trust works to raise awareness of local heritage issues and campaigns for better access to important national monuments.

In its submission on the SDZ the civic trust states it is convinced that the council’s draft plan is neither

“deliverable nor sustainable

?.

It has called on county councillors to reject the proposals in their entirety.

The submission questions the economics of the scheme in terms of its funding and the availability of finance to bring it forward.

The county council owns some 24 acres of the lands that form part of the SDZ proposals. They include the Cherrywood Science and Technology Park where the council is engaged in a joint venture with a separate development company.

The council has established a company called DLR Properties to manage and potentially sell some of the land it owns on the site.

The civic trust also states that

“protections

? for key local heritage sites such as Tully Church and the Brennanstown Dolmen as set out in the draft plan are

“grossly inadequate

?.

In its own submission on the SDZ scheme, Swedish retail giant IKEA noted that it is currently seeking a suitable location for a second store in Ireland and has identified Cherrywood as its preferred location.

“It is IKEA’s belief that this location meets their needs in terms of public transport requirements and a suitable road network, whilst locating here is also an opportunity for a significant international retailer to act as a catalyst for developing this new area,

? it stated.

In its submission NAMA noted that the draft scheme records an average of over 71 residential units per hectare across all residential lands with an additional minimum of 1,350 apartments at the planned town centre in Cherrywood.

“We believe that these density levels will be difficult to achieve in cost terms and in any case may not deliver the intention of the County Development Plan,

? its submission states.

“To avoid both economic non viability and an over predominance of the apartment typology in future residential development at Cherrywood, we recommend that the development agency undertakes comparisons with other recent designated sites.

?

It is expected that councillors will vote on the draft proposals for the SDZ later this year.

A spokesperson for the council said it could not comment on any submissions on the draft plan at this stage.

“All valid submissions received will be considered during the preparation of a manager’s report, which will be presented to a county council meeting later in the year,

? the spokesperson said.