Local councillor welcomes works on Stillorgan’s gritty laneways

A LOCAL Stillorgan councillor has welcomed recently announced laneway improvements for Stillorgan.

In April, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) announced plans to carry out repair work and upgrade the laneways behind the group of businesses on the Old Dublin Road, that includes Baumann’s Hardware and Stillorgan Blood Donation Clinic.

The laneways behind this group of shops lead onto Beaufield Park and Woodlands Drive.

Independent Councillor, Deirdre Donnelly (pictured right) said she first became aware of the poor state of this area following her election in 2014.

“The pathways were in desperate need of repair and quite dangerous,” she said. “The surface of this area was badly neglected and posed a serious health and safety hazard. Following a number of requests from residents in the area I brought a motion forward at the Dundrum Local Area Committee meeting asking DLRCC to carry out repair work

“A formal taking-in-charge process commenced shortly after that. Since then I have requested regular updates from management on the progress of this upgrade.”

According to Cllr Donnelly, the council is currently in the process of procuring a contractor to carry out these works, and this is expected to be completed by the end of this month. It is envisaged that a contractor will be selected and contracts finalised in June with works commencing in July of this year following a taking-in-charge process at the July council meeting. 

“This will be of great benefit to the residents in Woodlands, Beaufield Park and Beaufield Manor,” Cllr Donnelly added. “It will also be used by the local primary school as well as pupils in the Montessori and their parents and students in the secondary school. It is over two years since I first put in the motion for the upgrade, but it will be worth it once it’s complete.”