An artist's impression of the proposed Dublin Mountains Visitor Centre at Hellfire Hill where questions have been raised over works carried out on the site
Fresh query over Hellfire Visitor Centre site works
BALLYBODEN Tidy Towns have submitted an application to SDCC to determine whether works undertaken at Hellfire/Montpelier Hill and Massy’s Wood constitute exempted development, res.
The request from the Tidy Towns committee concerns “actual physical operations, not activities merely contemplated or announced.”
The statutory classification is sought by reference to the nature and substance of the operations rather than the descriptions given to them by the project promoters or contractors.
The works relate to the development of the Dublin Mountains Visitor Centre and related site works which began in 2024, following much contention from community groups, including the Hellfire Massey Residents’ Association, who launched legal action against the council about the plans.
The €22m tourism project was proposed by South Dublin County Council in 2017, with hopes that the development could attract up to 300,000 visitors a year.
The planned development would see the construction of two buildings, consisting of a visitor centre with an exhibition space, a panoramic café, toilets, changing facilities and a walkers’ lounge.
The request concerns several categories insofar as undertaken on the identified lands in connection with the project and related works relating to physical site operations demonstrably undertaken within the identified project lands in connection with the described investigation, archaeological, conservation, forestry-related or trail works.
Boundary treatment, drainage, tree felling, woodland and vegetation clearance, invasive-species removal, alteration to tracks and trails, excavation, and placement of surfacing material are listed in the report tied to the application as operations identified as part of the development.
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