Pool plan for Sandyford site voted down by council

Plans to include a public swimming pool and gym as part of a major development at the Via Verde site in Sandyford have been rejected by councillors.

At a special meeting of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council earlier this month, the proposal, brought forward by Green Party councillors, was defeated by 22 votes to 18.

The vote came during ongoing discussions to vary the county’s Development Plan 2022 to 2028, following a Government directive to zone additional land for housing.

The site in question is located on Blackthorn Avenue, directly opposite the Sandyford Luas stop, and was recently rezoned from office use to residential, significantly increasing its development potential.

Green Party councillor Oisín O’Connor (pictured above at the Via Verde Site, Sandyford) who proposed the motion, argued that any future housing on the site should be matched with proper community infrastructure.

“I’ve brought a proposal to the council to require a public swimming pool on this land if it’s developed in future,” he said.

“The land had just been rezoned by councillors from office use to residential, a move that instantly increased the value of the land.

“The Sandyford swimming pool would be built on the ground floor of high density apartment buildings that were going to have commercial premises on the ground floor anyway.”

He said the area has already seen significant housing growth over the past decade and warned that infrastructure has not kept pace.

“It’s simple: if we approve more lands for homes, we need to secure the amenities and infrastructure to match.

“Official figures show that 4,730 homes were built in Glencullen-Sandyford in the past 10 years, the most of any area in Ireland. Are Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil so out of touch that they think we can keep building thousands of more homes without the local infrastructure?”

Cllr O’Connor also said funding could have been secured through existing allocations and development levies.

“Funds that had been set earmarked for the now-abandoned Glenalbyn site and development levies from all the new land we’ve zoned will be enough to fund this public swimming pool that I’ve proposed for Sandyford,” he said.

“It’s hugely disappointing that we as councillors had the power in our hands to secure this pool, and two parties blocked it by voting against it.

“I will keep doing everything I can to secure this swimming pool and other amenities in Sandyford, despite the opposition from every single Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil councillor.”

Green Party councillor Eva Dowling also expressed frustration at the outcome, saying local communities have long been waiting for a replacement swimming facility following the loss of Glenalbyn.

“I’m very disappointed that our Green Party motion for a public pool, so close to the Glenalbyn site, was defeated,” she said.

“The people of Stillorgan, Kilmacud, Sandyford, Mount Merrion, Clonkeagh, Goatstown, and surrounding areas have waited patiently for a pool in the locality.”

She said the area has seen a steady loss of amenities in recent years.

“As the population of our area grows, we keep losing local amenities. We’ve lost our bowling alleys, our climbing wall, local dance venues, in addition to Glenalbyn swimming pool.

“But a swimming pool is more than an amenity, it is an essential piece of community infrastructure.

“It serves members of the community who are not served by other amenities due to it being a low impact and very accessible sport, particularly: babies, children, women, older people, and people with disabilities.”

“This was a fantastic opportunity to attempt to deliver this essential piece of community infrastructure by making it a requirement for a public pool on this site.”

The rejection comes on the same day Swim Ireland issued renewed calls for greater investment in swimming facilities nationwide, highlighting ongoing concerns about a lack of pool provision as populations continue to grow.