SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL LAUNCHES PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON TWO PROPOSED PLANS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CLONBURRIS AREA AND LIFFEY VALLEY CENTRE

On 20th August 2007, South Dublin County Council launched a public consultation exercise in respect of two new draft plans it has prepared for the Clonburris area and the Liffey Valley Centre. The Plans set out planning frameworks for the future development of both areas.

The Clonburris area covers 265 hectares, and part of it was designated as a Strategic Development Zone in July 2006. The proposed SDZ Planning Scheme and Local Area Plan for the Clonburris area sets out the Councils vision for a highly sustainable new urban district that will build on the environmental and public transport assets of the area such as the Grand Canal, the new rail stations to be built as part of the improvements to Kildare rail line, and in the longer term, the new orbital Metro West line that will run through the site.

The new district could accommodate substantial new development that will be delivered in tandem with improvements to the public transport accessibility of the site. Based around a new Main Street adjacent to the rail and metro station at Fonthill Road and eight new neighbourhoods, Clonburris urban district could include significant shopping and employment floorspace, between 11,800 and 16,000 new homes, and a range of community and other facilities such as schools and parks to support the new community. New bridges across the canal and railway will provide good links across the area. To ensure the development of a sustainable new district, the Plan includes a Sustainability Toolkit that sets out standards that new development will need to meet, for example, A rated energy efficient new homes, and the use of renewable energy sources.

The proposed Local Area Plan for the Liffey Valley Centre sets out a framework for the upgrading of the existing shopping centre and surrounding area to provide a high quality mixed use urban centre based on upgraded public transport and urban design. The new town centre will incorporate a range of people intensive land uses, including retail, commercial, residential, recreational, community and cultural activities. The urban form of the town centre will be upgraded through the provision of innovative buildings and a network of urban squares and streets. A new bus/taxi interchange, with possible future Luas, will be provided at the heart of the new town centre. The proposed Plan area covers 64 hectares.

The public consultation period on both plans runs from 20 August to 1 October 2007 inclusive. Written submissions and comments made during the consultation period will be taken into consideration in making decisions on the proposed Plans.

The proposed plans can be inspected at the Council offices in Tallaght and Clondalkin and at Lucan library. The Clonburris Plan can be viewed on www.clonburris.ie and the Liffey Valley Centre plan can be viewed on www.southdublin.ie An exhibition on both plans will be available at the Mill Centre, Clondalkin and Liffey Valley Shopping Centre between 23 August and 15 September 2007.

ENDS

Date of release: 22 August 2007

Contact: Fionnuala Lennon

South Dublin County Council

Tel: 01 4149000 Ext 3714

Email: flennon@sdublincoco.ie