Locals urged to have their say on new Stillorgan plan

LOCALS have been urged to have their say on the Draft Stillorgan Local Area Plan 2018 – 2024 that is currently being prepared.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has invited interested parties and individuals to make submissions and observations in respect of the plan that is currently out on public consultation.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 23 and there is no charge for making a submission.

A series of free information events are being held in February where members of the public can view the plans. Two will take place at 1pm and 8pm in Glenalbyn House on Thursday, February 15.

A Local Area Plan (LAP) for Stillorgan was first adopted by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in October 2007.

The council is now preparing a new Local Area Plan for Stillorgan and this process affords the opportunity to review the policies and objectives of the original 2007 LAP, some 10 years after the initial publication.

 Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF) has encouraged all local residents and businesses to have their say on the new plan.

He, along with his Fianna Fail council colleagues that represent the Stillorgan area, including Cllr Liam Dockery and Cllr Donald Smith, along with Senator Gerry Horkan are encouragin locals to express their views on what they have described as “this important issue”.

The emphasis of the plan, according to planners, is to enhance the sense of place and community within Stillorgan, improving its vitality and viability as a ‘District Centre’.

The plan’s strategy is to seek a transformative improvement in the quality of the public realm where priority movement for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport will be ensured and the creation of a high-quality age friendly environment will be a prerequisite.

The influence and impact of the private car on the environs of the District Centre will be moderated. 

The high-quality regeneration and redevelopment of key sites in Stillorgan District Centre will be encouraged to provide a coherent and balanced urban environment in respect of scale, design and layout. 

It is envisaged that Stillorgan will successfully perform its role as a high-quality, accessible retail and commercial centre serving the needs of the wider community. 

It has been established that residential development in Stillorgan will assist in improving the diversity of the housing mix in the area and reverse the long-term trends of population decline.

The established residential areas on the fringes of the District Centre areto be protected and, where possible, enhanced.