‘Natural assets of our parks and gateway to the mountains’ not fully harnessed’

TALLAGHT lacks tourist attractions and events that should be in place as part of its status as the County Town of South Dublin County, according to Tallaght Community Council (TCC).

The voluntary community group stated this in one of several submissions they lodged this month during the latest public consultation period of the South Dublin County Draft Development Plan 2022-2028.

According to TCC, events such as weekly farmers markets, and events focused on heritage and recreation, should be a feature of Tallaght in its role as County Town.

“Spill of these events to [other] corners of the county is not creating a geographical focus as one would expect in the County Town,” stated TCC.

“The natural assets of our parks and gateway to the mountains position are not being fully harnessed.”

Other concerns the group had about the draft plan include the potential “overpopulation” of Cookstown and areas that are zoned for regeneration uses, and the need for a five-year plan detailing a “clear sectoral focus for employment creation and investment” in Tallaght.

There is also a need for a renewed focus on employment uses in Cookstown, according to TCC, who said the draft development plan contained “no clear proactive plan to attract intensive skilled employment to Cookstown”.

“The lassez faire market approach thus far has yielded residential SHDs only, no mix of intensive employment land uses or applications,” stated TCC.

“There needs to be a clear parallel intense employment campaign to attract in as well as low employment density out in this area.

“This is vital to avoid residents having to travel away from home for employment in the county and increasing carbon emissions as a consequence.”

They also claimed that the focus on highly skilled employment being mainly centred on Citywest and Greenogue is being done “at the expense” of regeneration areas in Tallaght.

The draft plan also calls for extension of the Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan (TTCLAP) by 1,000 metres, in order to facilitate “compact growth” of the locality.

TCC said this proposal “undermines the extensive work done on the TTCLAP and is excessive. It is also not justified in our view.

“The TTCLAP area and the REGEN lands should be sufficient to concentrate the compact growth in for the next five years.”

The council’s chief executive’s report on the submissions received during the public consultation period of the draft plan is currently being prepared.

This report will be considered by councillors at a council meeting in December, and next March councilors will vote on whether to adopt or amend the draft plan, before it goes back out to public consultation again later that month.