Red flags raised over plans for ‘high-density’ towers
By Maurice Garvey
A RESIDENTS’ committee recently met with councillors to outline their concerns regarding the Park West – Cherry Orchard Local Area Plan (LAP) – specifically proposals for two strategic sites at Cedarbrook and Barnville.
Cedar Brook Residents Committee invited local Ballyfermot councillors and representatives to the meeting at Aspect Hotel in Park West to discuss the LAP.
Residents may be affected by the Cherry Orchard Local Area Plan proposals
Residents at the meeting said they are not against development, but were alarmed at the high-density “tower block” plans for the two strategic sites, along with existing policing and transport issues in the community.
Site four is the largest of the eight sites within the LAP, an 11.5 hectare mixed-use Cedarbrook Avenue location, containing proposals for an estimated 650 to 750 units, up to eight storeys in height, with “opportunity for a landmark building of up to 60m.”
Site five in Barnville, contains an estimated 130 to 160 residential units, ranging in height up to eight storeys.
“There was no mention of parking facilities at the train station, it said they would investigate the possibility, which raises red flags,” said a resident.
“It was the ‘wow factor’, the size and scale of the plans, which took us by surprise,” said another resident, who doesn’t want to see a “repeat of previous planning problems”, nor see transportation put in as an “afterthought.”
A fellow resident noted an existing “20 per cent vacancy rate” in Park West, while questioning how more potential retailers would be enticed into the area.
Councillors at the meeting said a population base is required to entice in retailers into an area, and advised residents to prioritise what they would like to see via their submissions to Dublin City Council.
Residents subsequently delivered submissions to DCC by the July 21 deadline.
The next stage in September will see councillors put in motions and amendments, and they are due to vote on final LAP plans by November.
In total, the entire LAP has potential for up to 2,500 new residential units and new town centre, but would be carried out in phases.
