Hell Fire Club’s €19m flagship tourism development project
By Mary Dennehy
A SERIES of public consultations and workshops on the proposed Dublin Mountains development have commenced, in an attempt to engage with local people and gather opinions that will help shape the planning application due to be submitted with An Bord Pleanála (ABP) this May.
South Dublin County Council is proposing to develop a €19 million flagship tourism project in the Dublin Mountains and, after examining a number of locations, the Hellfire Club and Massy’s Estate were chosen – which, if passed, could attract up to 300,000 visitors a year.
The proposed plans, which were talked through in the first workshop with elected representatives on Tuesday, will incorporate, over two buildings, a visitor centre with exhibition space, panoramic café, toilets, changing facilities, walkers’ lounge, education centre and retail.
The emerging proposal also includes a tree-top walk between the Hell Fire and Massy’s, car and coach park facilities, improved trail network with signage and minimal conservation works both at the Hell Fire Club and Massy’s Estate.
The Echo has learned that the council is currently working on its planning application for the development, which management hopes will be ready for submission to ABP by May.
As part of the planning application, the council is also planning on commissioning a 3D model of the proposed development, which would cost in the region of €30,000.
Before the planning application is submitted to ABP, the council will be holding public consultations and workshops later this month and in March, and this week also launched a dedicated section on its website that provides background to the project, what it proposes and details on how members of the public can get involved.
Colm Ward, of South Dublin County Council, told The Echo: “We have started the workshops this week with local councillors, who were presented with the proposed plans on Tuesday.
“We will now be consulting with local people and interested groups on the project and asking members of the public for their ideas and opinions – we want the local community to help shape the planning application for ABP”.
To date, a number of people have queried “access” to the scenic site and the potential for the project to generate traffic in the area.
According to Mr Ward: “We are trying to come up with a proposal that looks at all of the issues, and while we want to showcase what we have in the Dublin Mountains, we need to ensure that people can access it appropriately.”
The council has taken traffic count surveys in the area, proposed additional car-park facilities on Montpelier Hill, which would cater for 300 vehicles at peak time, recommended the introduction of a new footpath along Kilakee Road to Stocking Avenue for pedestrians, and incorporated a review of the Dublin Bus service.
The proposed cable car from Tallaght to the Hell Fire Club, which was raised by elected representatives, is not included in the proposals as it is currently undergoing a feasibility study.
Visit www.sdcc.ie/services/parks-and-recreation/dublin-mountains-project for information on the project and how you can be a part of the consultation stage.
