An artist’s impression of the Rosemount plans
‘District Centre’ contributes to revitalising the Ballyroan area
A new ‘District Centre’ around Marian Road in Ballyroan “provides the services of a traditional village,” said South Dublin County Council.
Last month, SDCC completed the Rosemount District Centre Enhancement Scheme, with five main goals in mind – reducing car priority, providing greater social inclusion, supporting active travel and biodiversity and delivering facilities for all ages.
The scheme commenced in 2023 and has now “revitalised” the area through outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed beside local shops and community facilities, all located within a 15-minute walking distance.
The District Centre serves about 4,000 homes, explained SDCC Senior Engineer Gary Walsh in a recent online video presentation.
Twelve shops and the Ballyroan Community and Youth Centre are surrounded by a pedestrian walkway widened to 4 metres, with seating provided throughout.
‘Play on the Way’ features have been installed to serve the children enrolled in the four local schools, with the hope of encouraging them to walk to school daily.
Table tennis and chess tables are also available in the pedestrian area for kids of all ages.
One set of seating has been provided by an Irish start-up which uses old wind turbine blades to build repurposed community facilities.
Ballyroan Parish Church, with a dedicated pedestrian entrance for ceremonies, and Ballyroan Library, complete the lively centre.
The car-parking has been re-aligned to provide more space to pedestrians with a design that retained as many trees as possible.
Traffic-calming measures have been implemented on the Marian Road, the main road in the area.
“The place looks fantastic,” said a resident featured in the SDCC video presentation, while another added “it’s a real hub and walkable, people can come here to enjoy it and relax.”
“It brought the community spirit back,” said the local butcher being interviewed. “Local shops and community spaces – you just can’t beat it.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
