Cardy Rock residents concern over park development

Cardy Rock residents in Balbriggan have raised concerns about the development of a sports facility next to their homes, amid fears bright floodlights could shine into people’s houses.

Local residents Declan Costello and Sean Rooney have asserted that Fingal County Council have ignored residents’ requests to meet with them about the project, with the last meeting between residents and Fingal County Council taking place last November.

Fingal County Council sought planning permission for the Bremore Regional Park, which was done in conjunction with O’Dwyer’s GAA Club.

Costello states that the Bremore Regional Park project was presented to the public as a coastal walkway that reached from the Martello Tower to the top of North Beach to the Cardy Rocks.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Fingal County Council dropped leaflets through residents’ doors and there was tacit support for the project among locals, until, they claim, Fingal County Council changed the plans entirely and decided to develop a sports facility at Cardy Rocks.

According to Costello, the initial plan went “out the window.”

Rooney said that residents have been “tripped up” by the process, and said they “didn’t know” the planned sporting complex was what was being offered by Fingal County Council.

“What they’re trying to push through now is totally different to what we were told at the start of the process,” he said.

The plan is now in the “Part 8” process of the Irish planning system, meaning that the actual design itself has not yet been finalised and is still subject to change at this stage.

The crux of the local objections stems from planned 18 and 20-metre high floodlights, which would affect residents living in the estate.

“The planned opening hours of the complex are from 9 in the morning until 10 at night, so we could have a case of floodlights shining into people’s living rooms,” Costello said.

In addition, there has been controversy over the proposed planting of trees near the apartment complex, which Rooney said would obstruct residents’ views.

Residents have complained the planting of the trees would block out sunset views, as well as views of the nearby Mourne mountains.

Costello said that the proposed plan would cause homes and gardens to sit in a “permanent shade,” naming  Cardy Rock Road, Cardy Rock Walk, Cardy Rock and Cardy Rock Avenue as the areas that will be particularly affected.

Fingal County Council, for their part, stated they held an online consultation meeting with Cardy Rock Residents Group in June 2021, and that the planning process has not yet been finalised

Submissions by Cardy Rock Management Company, which manages the three affected apartment blocks in question, were not discussed at the online meeting.

The directors of Cardy Rock Management Company submitted a detailed submission to the Fingal County Council and asked to be involved in any decision-making process.

Over 3,000 submissions were lodged about the site, which will be taken into account when the final design is made. 

A public consultation was open between March and April 2021.

Balbriggan Councillor Tony Murphy said that at present, the planning situation is “in situ” and “when the time comes, we will have a full frank and honest discussion with residents about their concerns; they will be listened to.”

“We will look to accommodate the concerns of local residents when it comes to matters like this,” Murphy said. 

The independent Fingal County Council member said building a public project on this scale is “not like building a house,” and that there are a “lot of moving parts” with a process such as this. 

He said that the proposed floodlights are merely a proposal at this stage, and that the floodlights in question would not be like floodlights that are seen at major sports stadiums.

“The technology is there to make the floodlights less powerful, and certainly in this case they can be made smaller too.”

He said that the planned park is an “exciting” development, but the detailed design has yet to be finalised.

“I have no doubt that Fingal County Council and other elected reps will work with residents through this process,” he said.