Council seeks plans for school’s new full-sized playing pitch

PLANS for a full-sized playing pitch for a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Clonburris have been requested to be submitted, as part of a planning application, by South Dublin County Council.

The Department of Education has applied for planning permission to construct a three-storey, 1,000 pupil post-primary school at Kishogue Cross, Griffeen Avenue in Lucan.

Also included in the proposed development are four Special Educational Needs Units with a gross floor area of 11,443 sq m overall and including a sports hall and ancillary teacher and pupil facilities.

Twenty-one vehicular drop-off spaces, 40 car-parking spaces and 540 bicycle-parking spaces are also included in the proposed development, along with hard and soft play areas.

This proposed development of the school ties in with the overall masterplan for the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) Planning Scheme – a plan to develop a new sustainable community in the county.

On July 27, the local planning authority requested additional information across 11 different points – with a chunk of them in relation to particulars of water drainage and systems.

In a letter to the Department, the council stated that the site in question was sized as part of the Planning Scheme preparation to provide a full-sized playing pitch – something which was omitted from the application.

The council requested that the applicant submitted a revised red-line boundary to include a playing pitch.

It is proposed to remove all of the existing trees and hedgerows located within the application site – which would include the removal of 38 trees and five groups of trees/hedgerows and part removal of three groups of threes/hedgerows.

The planning authority advised that “every effort should be made to retain existing trees and woodlands” as this existing network “provides corridors for biodiversity and habitats”.

In saying that, the council requested a revised layout to reduce the impact on existing flora and fauna and also demonstrate how sufficient compensation for the loss “will result on the foot of this development”.

The applicant has also been asked to submit a “fully detailed landscape masterplan”.

Part of the request for additional information was around submitting a revised plan showing provision of parking space for mobility-impaired users and constructing footpaths at 1.8m wide for said users.

In its entirety, the Clonburris SDZ is expected to deliver a target of 9,416 new homes, community space, retail space and employment space across 12 Development Areas.

The Planning Scheme is being delivered on a phased basis to ensure all necessary supports are put in place, with the 1,000 pupil post-primary school located in Development Area Seven Kishoge North West.

Under the Planning Scheme, which was set out in 2019, this phase identifies the requirement for the delivery of a school site to facilitate the construction and occupation of 1,001 to 2,000 units.