Big plan for Dundrum Hospital site welcomed

THERE has been a broad welcome across the Southside to the revelation last week that 1,500 new homes have been earmarked for the Dundrum hospital site.

The development in Windy Arbour village was approved by the cabinet last week as part of the new Land Development Agency (LDA) and will now proceed to the consultation, planning and procurement stage.

The Dundrum plan will form a central plank to the LDA that was initiated to open up State-owned sites for private development to facilitate the construction of thousands of affordable homes.

The Government has said the commercial body had already identified massive State-owned land sites for development, including the 35-acre Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum where 1,500 new homes could be built.

While the plan has received a generally warm welcome, local politicians have acknowledged issues surrounding traffic, public transport and disruption during and after construction which come as part of any significant development.

“This means new homes for local people,” Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, said. “We are going to build new homes and lots of them. That includes social and affordable housing, private housing and cost rental housing on publicly and privately-owned land.

“However, we need to ensure there are adequate public transport services in place for when people move in.

“Bus and Luas services are already under pressure in the area so we may need to look at increasing the frequency of local transport services.

“I am also concerned about parking and traffic congestion locally. Disruption must be kept to a minimum both during and after construction.

“Additional access to the site will be a concern to residents. I think it is very important that this new development does not become a gated community.”

Deputy Shane Ross said that, as Minister for Transport, he had already engaged with various agencies concerning possible land sites that could be developed for housing purposes.

“Last year I approved an Irish Rail sale of three sites, with two in Dublin, for residential and commercial purposes,” Minister Ross said. “Now, following the establishment of the Land Development Agency, other sites nationwide are being considered for housing development. One of these is the Dundrum Central Mental Hospital.

“This is good news for the area as it will mean more houses for our community – an absolute necessity. However, as with all developments, there may be some disturbances to the local area. As Minister for Transport I have been assured that there will be full local consultation and engagement to ensure this development delivers on the needs for the community. We must seek to minimise and avoid disturbances where possible.”

Minister Ross said he had already been in touch with the NTA to ensure they were aware of the development and that they were building it into their ongoing public consultation on the new BusConnects plan.

“Traffic management will be required along with an assessment of what social facilities are required,” Minister Ross added. “In the weeks and months ahead, we will need to hear locals’ views on how this site should best be developed to deliver more quality, affordable housing that the area desperately needs. I look forward to engaging with them all.” 

Locally-based Fine Gael Senator, Neale Richmond, also welcomed the launch of the new Land Development Agency and what he called their “big plans” for the Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum.

“For the past number of years, the local community in Dundrum has been waiting patiently to see what will happen to the lands at the Central Mental Hospital when the facility closes down, with concerns that this could drag on without any local input,” Senator Richmond said.

“The proposal to construct 1,500 homes on this site must be welcomed and the heavy focus on providing affordable homes will be of great relief to the many local residents who are looking to get on the property ladder or indeed whose children are in that position.

“Like any development, there are obvious concerns that must be resolved through meaningful consultation with the local community. Any development must include high spec community and parkland facilities.

“The surrounding transport links and, of course, the Luas, must be improved to meet the needs that this exciting new development will require.”