Survey reveals strong community support for Dundrum Central Project

The Land Development Agency (LDA) have published the findings of a survey carried out during the first phase of consultation for the Dundrum Central project and outlined a timeline for the next phase of public engagement.

The 11.3-hectare development is to be located on the site of the Dundrum Central Mental Hospital, which is moving location imminently.

A planning application for the project is expected to be submitted in mid-2021 with construction to start in 2022, subject to planning approval.

The first phase of public engagement included a survey of homes within a 1km radius, over 5,000 homes.

Community groups were contacted with support from Dun Laoghaire County Council, the Public Participation Network and the local area elected representatives in Dundrum.

A Community Liaison Team has engaged with many of the resident’s associations and local groups using online meetings.

The first phase of engagement saw significant feedback from the public with over 500 responses to a survey seeking views on the proposals, vision, needs and opportunities.

This represented a significant uplift to the pre-survey target.

The survey responses showed strong support in the community for opening up the site that has been closed off for 170 years.

Some of the key themes that were raised by local residents included; community amenities, housing types and tenures, linking the new and existing community, sustainability, community infrastructure and infrastructure for all age groups from young children to older people, housing types and tenures, connectivity – linking the new and existing community, sustainability, heritage, landscape and affordable housing.

Following the completion of this phase of consultation, the project design team is now progressing the Design Concept for the project.

This involves creating and assessing a range of ideas, plans, sketches and concepts which will demonstrate how the project might develop.

The feedback from the consultation is helping to shape this work.

A spokesperson from the LDA told Southside People:

“We would expect to commence the next phase of consultation, based on the Design Concept, early in 2021.

“As part of this phase we intend to make available a Virtual Project Consultation Room which will allow people to review the potential project from the comfort and safety of their homes or on their mobile devices.

“Further details of this and other consultation events will be published in the New Year.”

Barry Chambers, Project Lead with the Land Development Agency said:

“We would like to thank the people, community organisations and local representatives in the Dundrum area for their engagement with the consultation to date.

“It is clear, from the response rate to surveys and the direct engagements that we have had, that there is huge interest in this project.

“We have been given significant food for thought in these early engagements and we will soon be in a position to move to the next step of asking people to engage with us to review broad concepts for the project.

The COVID 19 pandemic is changing the way we communicate, but we are determined that this project will have significant community input from start through to final design.

“This will ensure a project which will enhance the Dundrum region for existing residents and for those seeking much needed new homes.”

A third phase of consultation will take place later in the first quarter of 2021.

This phase will examine the detailed Masterplan for the project.

Further details of the consultation and the project will be available online at – www.dundrumcentral.ie.

The LDA has also appointed a Community Liaison Team, who will act as a key contact point for stakeholders in the local community.