South Dublin County Council to invest €7M over the next three years on the Village Initiative

16/02/2015

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

South Dublin County Council to invest €7M over the next three years on the Village Initiative

9 traditional villages of South Dublin County have been identified for the Villages Initiative, a programme of design and works intended to improve the villages in social, economic and environmental performance.

The Village Initiative intends to encourage and grow community involvement and partnership, to complement and energise Council environmental and maintenance programmes and develop new projects. These new projects will help to develop the villages as the accessible focus of walking and amenity networks for their adjoining communities.

The village and town centres can become more open and accessible, facilitating walking and cycling, increasing footfall and encouraging social and community encounters and interaction in festivals, performances and open-air markets.

The promotion of quality, choice and diversity in goods, services and recreation in a lively, well-maintained setting, will attract more locals and visitors alike adding to the vibrancy and vitality of successful urban life.

Village surveys and a SWOT analysis of 9 Villages have identified a number of key areas requiring attention in order to build on the villages existing strengths. These include the need for improved landscaping, prioritisation of open spaces, greater legibility and ease of access.

Works contracts are being rolled out to address these short comings to aid in the revitalisation of the villages from the point of view of improving public realm and green infrastructure, removing clutter and improving accessibility and safety for pedestrians.

The environmental activity of landscape, public realm and quality of buildings and shopfronts will be improved through design, capital projects and grant-aid. Support is available for Tidy Towns, community projects and festivals, to grow community support.

The implementation of this programme will be led by the Architectural Services Department but will involve a multidisciplinary approach and a steering group involving all of the key staff covering public realm, planning, heritage and community has been established.

Funding summary:

€2m has been ring-fenced in the current public realm and roads budgets for ongoing operation and maintenance including street cleaning, grass cutting, road maintenance, public lighting, footpath improvements etc.
€5m has been set aside in the Capital Programme to support showcase projects in each of the villages.
A specific public realm improvements fund is being created with an initial budget of €1m targeted at civil works such as hard landscaping, other landscaping, street furniture and signage provision and the elimination of clutter.
€100,000 has been provided to support a shop front grant scheme and coordinated painting programmes involving multiple properties.
€75,000 has been provided for Heritage Tourism and Village identity signage.
€60,000 has been provided to support the Tidy Town groups in their efforts including the preparation of plans, study visits and direct support for raw materials. Their plans will be aligned to the overall village improvement plans.
€50,000 has been provided to complete the roll out of WIFI to all villages.
€50,000 is included to further develop a festivals and events programme.

The tender package is being prepared for the Clondalkin Round Tower visitor centre, which received Part VIII approval last year. Part VIII Planning Consultation has commenced for the showcase projects in Tallaght, Rathcoole and Rathfarnham described below.

Description of Proposal for Tallaght

There are two parts to the works proposed for Tallaght. The first part of the proposal aims to create a coherent pedestrian plaza in front of the commercial premises along the West side of the Old Blessington Road from the junction with Main Street to the junction with High Street, which will contain quality paving, bollards, lighting and trees. This will link up with the public realm improvement works in High Street and the existing plaza in the village centre. Improved separation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic will result in a safer more accessible environment for pedestrians.

The second part of the proposal along the old Greenhills Road from the junction with Main Street to the junction with the new Greenhills Roadwill link the Main Street with a new pedestrian plaza at the junction of the old and new Greenhills Road as a gateway feature to the village. The area around the Dancing Children sculpture will be upgraded and improved. A regular pattern of trees will be planted along a newly paved path with improved on street carparking.

Description of proposal for Rathcoole

The public realm will be enhanced in front of the Church of Ireland, the Health Centre and the Garda Station to include a new public plaza with good quality paving, stone kerbs and a regular pattern of trees and bollards building on the high quality environment and existing heritage. It is proposed to provide widened pavements in front of the School and Bank of Ireland complimented with trees to create a network of good quality public spaces and to improve the laneway link with the pedestrian crossing at the school

In addition to the creation of these plazas, repairs and improvements at various locations along the Main Street are planned to tie in with the existing paving and to increase the size of the pedestrian areas at the junctions by reducing the radii of these. This will improve accessibility and safety for pedestrians walking along Main Street.

At the village green in front of the Poitin Stil the proposal here is to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic by raising the level of the path from the laneway and providing a new tree lined walkway through the green to link with two new raised table crossings. The radius of the junction with Main Street will be reduced which will slow vehicular traffic in this area improving safety for all.

Description of proposal for Rathfarnham

Two new public plazas will be created in Rathfarnham. One will act as an extension and improvement of the approach to Rathfarnham Castle to enhance its accessibility, security and presentation. No works are proposed to Rathfarnham Castle itself which is owned by the State. Responsibility for its maintenance is devolved by the Minister of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht to the Office of Public Works who are currently improving the existing courtyard and upgrading access to the Castle.

This project has the potential to bring more life, interest, investment and visitors to Rathfarnham Castle and to its public park and to act as a link on the prposed Dodder cycle way - the “green route” which will link Dublin city centre to Tallaght and the Dublin mountains. The site is within walking distance of the river Dodder to the north and Rathfarnham village to the west.

The second part of the project proposes a new plaza at the castellated entrance to the old graveyard, as gateway project to Rathfarnham village from the North to improve its accessibility and presentation. No works are proposed to the old graveyard, the medieval church within the graveyard or the castellated entrance to the old graveyard.

Documents and drawings of the proposed projects are on display in County Hall, Tallaght, Community Centre Rathcoole, Ballyroan and Whitechurch Libraries. Drawings and images of the schemes can also be seen on the South Dublin County Council website in the public notices section. http://www.sdcc.ie/council

The Part VIII Display for showcase projects for Lucan, Saggart and Templeogue will follow shortly. Improvement works are well advanced in Palmerstown and the tender drawings for works to Newcastle are being prepared.

Images

Rathfarnham Castle
Rathfarnham Village
Tallaght 1
Tallaght Greenhills