Deputy Joan Burton has made a submission to Fingal County Council in relation to the Draft Urban Design Framework Plan for Blanchardstown Village (full submission below), the deadline for which was today.
Noting that planning mistakes had been made in recent decades in the Blanchardstown area, she said that this plan presented ‘an opportunity for a new beginning for Blanchardstown village’ but that ‘it’s important they get things right’.
Chief among her proposals were the implementation in Blanchardstown of a public bicycle rental service similar to the ‘Dublin Bike’ scheme which has been operating successfully for a number of months in the city centre.
“Serious consideration should be given to the provision of a Fingal scheme in Dublin 15 similar to the “Dublin Bike” Scheme currently provided with great success in the city centre and more generally to encourage the use of non motorized traffic and pedestrian areas within the village.”
Deputy Burton also highlighted trenchant local opposition to the draft proposal to construct laneways or ‘linkages’ to connect the Summerfield and Springlawn estates with the Snugborough Road.
“While the Draft Framework Plan’s objective of enhanced ‘permeability’ may enhance certain aspects of village life, this must not come at the cost of compromising the quiet, secluded nature of housing estates by turning them into thoroughfares or rat-runs. In particular, there are several estates along the Clonsilla Road which back on to the Snugborough Road. The Draft Framework plan contains proposals to introduce such openings from both Summerfield and Springlawn to the Snugborough Road.”
“Residents of these estates have articulated their longstanding objections to the introduction of laneways or other openings between these estates and the Snugborough Road / Blanchardstown Town Centre. While such developments may enhance permeability in the Blanchardstown Village area, this would cause a severe deterioration in the quality of life of people living in these estates.”
“Such openings, as the Council is well aware, have been notorious points for anti-social behaviour, parking problems etc. Where such openings already exist it is critical that they should be well lit, highly visible with wide openings and adequately supervised. Much time has been devoted to closing many of these openings. Why the County Council should propose more of them given residents’ strong objections and the bad history of such openings is difficult to understand. ”
Full text of Submission:
Gilbert Power,
Director of Services for Planning
Fingal County Council
Grove Road, Blanchardstown
Dublin 15
15th January 20010
Re: Draft Urban Design Framework Plan for Blanchardstown Village
Dear Gilbert,
The Greater Blanchardstown Area has been one of the fastest growing population centres in Europe, with upwards of 90,000 people now living in the area. Blanchardstown village, including the Blanchardstown Town Centre, are at the hub of these rapid developments.
Over the course of the recent decades, critical planning mistakes have been made in the Dublin 15 area. Zoning and development had become to an unhealthy degree developer-led rather than community centered. In the wake of the property bust, and given the likely moderation in the trajectory of building and development in and around Blanchardstown over the coming years, the elaboration of the Urban Design Framework Plan for Blanchardstown Village presents an ideal opportunity to reassess development priorities and reassert basic principles for proper planning.
Maintaining Blanchardstown’s Attractiveness for Inward Investment
The Greater Blanchardstown Area has a wealth of big, multi-national employers who have contributed to the significant economic development of the area. Maintaining the attractiveness of Dublin 15 as a destination for inward investment is essential as competition from other European and worldwide locations increases. High on the list of priorities for companies, when deciding on where to locate or expand, is the attractiveness of the local area for workers to live. While Blanchardstown has become home to tens of thousands of new residents in recent decades, more must be done to ensure that it remains attractive to new and existing residents. There is no room for complacency in this regard. The most attractive and successful developments are family houses for owner occupation serviced by quality schools and public transport. High rise apartment developments have attracted too high a proportion of transient renters and have not been conducive to sustainable community building.
Integrity of Blanchardstown Village
The people of Blanchardstown still see Blanchardstown as a village. Consequently, to present Blanchardstown as simply an “urban centre” fails to take account of its historical context and the commitment of the community which it comprises.
Any plan for the future development of Blanchardstown Village should ensure that all new developments are of high quality, both in terms of sympathetic architecture and compatibility with the surrounding environment. Developments should, where possible, seek to maintain the physical, cultural and historical character of the old village.
Restoring & Enhancing the Blanchardstown Streetscape
In the recent past, developments have been permitted that have not been in keeping with the existing streetscape and have undermined the fabric of the Village. Houses and cottages have been turned into commercial premises along Main Street and Clonsilla Road in ad hoc manner with little thought given to the cohesion of the village streetscape.
The new strategy being proposed by the Council affords an opportunity to reverse this unfortunate trend. In particular, there is a need to ensure that any development in Blanchardstown Village should retain their characteristics in terms of their height and proportions.
This issue is of particular salience in relation to the clusters of cottages in terraces along Main Street and Church Avenue. For instance, the cottages on Main Street are already under threat from a number of inappropriate and over-sized planning applications seeking to significantly alter this unique streetscape. There is ample scope for the location of commercial buildings, including high rise developments, in other parts of Blanchardstown, notably the Blanchardstown Town Centre where high-rise developments have already been located.
These cottages reflect the charm of a nineteenth century village which retains a sense of community in the face of a rapidly changing environment. It is essential that these cottages and their layout should be conserved in any new development proposal. This can only be achieved by establishing an Architectural Conservation Area focused on Main Street and Church Avenue. Steps should be taken to ensure that all retail premises are in harmony with their immediate surroundings.
This entails ensuring that in addition to St Brigids Church (the only building now protected) the existing cottages in terraces be maintained, ideally, in residential use. Consideration should also be given to including the former RIC station and the old convent on Church Ave in the Architectural Conservation Area.
Zoning & Density
I fully support the proposal in the Plan for the creation of residential, commercial and retail zones within the village. The present recession offers an opportunity to review certain zoning decisions and to reconsider density and quality criteria. This is fundamental both to the built environment in which people live and to the cohesion of their communities. I do not see a dichotomy between maintaining the residential character of the village and facilitating the establishment of small retail and service enterprises alongside the traditional residential buildings.
The Council’s proposals show a number of locations along the Main Street, Clonsilla Road, Church Road, Herbert Road, Mill Lane etc. described as “opportunity sites” for which infill with often high-density commercial and residential development being proposed. It appears that every piece of ground is a potential building site or opportunity site. Rather than covering Blanchardstown Village with a sea of concrete, a balance should be struck between appropriate residential and commercial development on the one hand, and civic and recreational space on the other.
Thought must also be given to the provision of open space for the use and benefit of residents and visitors alike. This space could be allocated for sporting and other leisure activities which might well include open air films and music events suitable for the village centre as well as safe areas in which children may play under supervision.
There are a number of locations in Blanchardstown that would be suitable for passive recreation such as seating, planting, artwork etc. This would create an ambience favourable to small cafes in which people could socialise.
There appears to be an emphasis in the Draft Framework on “Landmark” building (often a euphemism for High Rise buildings). ‘The Bell’ could be considered to be such a building on the eastern approach to Blanchardstown, one whose height and proportions are in keeping with its surroundings. The western end of Blanchardstown could potentially accommodate a landmark building given its proximity to the Blanchardstown Town Centre with its high rise modern buildings. In any case, the quality of finish on any new buildings must be of the highest standard and the presence of any rendered finishes or similar poor quality finishes should be rejected as totally unsuitable.
On a more general note given the current circumstances any proposal to permit the assembly of large sites is totally inappropriate. Given the realities of our current economic situation it is most unlikely that such sites could be profitably developed in the near future and their assembly would consequently result in urban decay and unsightly gaps in the village streetscape.
Parking & Transport
As far as possible, Blanchardstown must be a ‘public transport friendly’ village. Existing train and bus linkages should be maintained and enhanced while adequate off street parking at a reasonable tariff be available both as an amenity in itself and to prevent overflow into residential estates. Provision should also be made for safe bicycle parking and cycling lanes in the village and the surrounding areas.
Fingal Bike Scheme
Serious consideration should be given to the provision of a Fingal scheme in Dublin 15 similar to the “Dublin Bike” Scheme currently provided with great success in the city centre and more generally to encourage the use of non motorized traffic and pedestrian areas within the village.
Inappropriate ‘Permeability’
While the Draft Framework Plan’s objective of enhanced ‘permeability’ may enhance certain aspects of village life, this must not come at the cost of compromising the quiet, secluded nature of housing estates by turning them into thoroughfares or rat-runs. In particular, there are several estates along the Clonsilla Road which back on to the Snugborough Road. The Draft Framework plan contains proposals to introduce such openings from both Summerfield and Springlawn to the Snugborough Road.
Residents of these estates have articulated their longstanding objections to the introduction of laneways or other openings between these estates and the Snugborough Road / Blanchardstown Town Centre. While such developments may enhance permeability in the Blanchardstown Village area, this would cause a severe deterioration in the quality of life of people living in these estates. Such openings, as the Council is well aware, have been notorious points for anti-social behaviour,
parking problems etc. Where such openings already exist it is critical that they should be well lit, highly visible with wide openings and adequately supervised. Much time has been devoted to closing many of these openings. Why the County Council should propose more of them given residents’ strong objections and the bad history of such openings is difficult to understand.
Tolka Valley
I welcome proposals for enhanced access to the Tolka by the creation of a walkway, presumably, alongside the development of “Justin’s site”.
Adding ‘After hours’ life to the Village
Several people have contacted me in recent times to articulate their disappointment at the relative decline in ‘after hours’ life in the village. Where once Blanchardstown was a vibrant village from early morning to late evening this has dissipated to a large extent in recent decades. This could be tackled by enhancing and introducing civic and public spaces in the Village and by encouraging activities in these areas. Moreover, consideration should also be given to the location of a concourse for social interaction in the Village, where cafes, restaurants and other amenities could be concentrated.
Yours sincerely,
Joan Burton T.D.
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party