Council offers updates on new community centres

SOUTH Dublin County Council has offered an update on new community centres which are proposed for Citywest, Newcastle and Clondalkin.

A planning application is set to be filed with the local planning authority ‘imminently’ for the Citywest area at Cúil Dúin Avenue.

The Fortunestown LAP requires small community spaces, but the council outlined at the June monthly meeting of South Dublin County Council (SDCC) that the potential for a community facility of scale is limited by the lack of suitable sites in the area.

Site assessments and protracted discussions with landowners have taken place and the council is looking at the former crèche site at Cúil Dúin Avenue.

The council is proposing to combine a crèche and community facility in a three-storey development scaling to around 2,000 m2 with an outline plan submitted to the community team.

All plans are subject to planning, formal agreement with developer, and consultation with the community department. However, the council has a post-planning construction timeline of 18-months.

Proposals are being finalised for the upgrade and 200m2 extension of Newcastle Community Centre at St Finian’s Community Hall.

The works are for the existing privately owned centre and the council stated that the preferred option is to build on the established use to meet the LAP requirements for additional community space.

There has been extensive engagement with the Board of Management, adjacent landowner and planning department.

Plans include a café/kitchen area, accessible toilet, office space, additional multi-functional space and reception area.

All proposals are subject to the Board of Management agreeing on the final design and the landowner consent to a Part 8 application.

Part 8 is to be advertised this summer while funding is in place in a three-year capital programme.

The legal transfer of the Orchard Lane Age Friendly Centre in Clondalkin was completed in January 2022 for the establishment of a community facility.

There is ongoing engagement taking place with local community representatives to explore the preferred option for centre management and establish a management company.

The final design of the centre fit-out is dependent on the management, although there is a framework in place for the procurement of fit-out works.

A contractor is expected to be appointed in July with works set to commence around August/ September, according to the council.