Locals urged to have their say on Ballyogan plan

LOCALS are being urged to have their say on the future of a wide swathe of the Southside.

A six-week pre-draft public consultation process on a new Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ballyogan and surrounding areas including Stepaside, Carrickmines and Leopardstown, was launched by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council last week.

After this consultation period, a draft LAP will be produced to help frame development in the area over the coming six years.

An LAP is a land use planning tool that guides the development of an area by way of policies and objectives.

A Local Area Plan for Ballyogan and Environs is an objective of the 2016-2022 County Development Plan.

The plan sets out Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s policies for the continuing sustainable development of the county for the period 2016 to 2022.

 It has been prepared following a period of intensive consultation over two years which took the form of public displays and open days, meetings with stakeholders and service providers and written submissions.

The area covered by the plan covers 420 hectares, which equate to seven per cent of the zoned lands in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and 76 hectares of undeveloped residentially zoned land.

Located between the M50 and the Dublin Mountains, this part of the county has seen significant population increases in recent years.

And with undeveloped zoned lands within its boundaries, is likely to see more development in the years to come.

The council says that the LAP to be drafted following this public consultation will guide this development.

“In advance of preparing a draft LAP, we are engaging in public consultation, to help determine the planning issues the LAP should address,” the council has stated.

“We are seeking views of individuals and organisations with an interest in the area.

“To help inform this consultation, the Planning Department has prepared a ‘Story Map’, which provides a context for the area by way of online interactive maps and images, and an Issues Paper, which pulls together baseline information by way of a study of various planning themes relevant to the area.

“Interested parties are invited to consider these in advance of making observations, as they may help in framing submissions.”

Printed copies of the Issues Paper are available for inspection at the County Council offices in Dun Laoghaire and Dundrum, and at all DLR libraries.

The consultation period ends on Thursday, May 24.