City Edge regeneration; have your say in public consultation

MEMBERS of the public are encouraged to have their say on a significant urban regeneration project, which aims to increase the population in this area of  west Dublin from 5,000 to 75,000.

As reported in last week’s Echo, some 700 hectares of land in the Naas Road, Ballymount and Park West area is set to become one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, with the future potential to accommodate up to 75,000 jobs and 40,000 homes.

As part of a national strategy to regenerate the country’s towns and cities, South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council are working together on an urban regeneration effort called the City Edge Project.

The project, which is a 30-plus year vision, focuses on the western edge of Dublin city centre, and 700 hectares of land in the Naas Road, Ballymount and Park West areas.

Currently this area has a diverse mix of industrial, commercial and employment uses that sustains around 25,500 jobs across some 1,500 different businesses.

According to project documentation released, this accounts for four per cent of Dublin’s employment, contributing around €1.98bn annually to the economy.

Describing these businesses as the ‘cornerstone’ of the Dublin economy, the project team believes there are opportunities to intensify land use in this area, providing new employment space for a potential 75,000 jobs.

There are also just over 5,000 people and around 1,600 homes located across the area, with the future vision seeing a variety of homes for 75,000 to 85,000 people.

Plans also include promoting and integrating local focal points such as the Grand Canal and Camac River, with a target of 50 per cent green cover for the regeneration area.

City Edge steering committee member and Director of Planning and Transport at South Dublin County Council, Mick Mulhern said: “The City Edge project has the potential to become one of the most transformational regeneration programmes ever progressed in Ireland.

“Today the area is a vibrant and important piece of Dublin but at over 700 hectares there is scope to use this land more intensely to support an expansion of the city and to provide space for up 75,000 jobs and 40,000 homes.”

Commenting online, Echo readers raised concerns around traffic, amenities, affordable housing and ‘repeating the mistakes’ of the past when it comes to urban developments.

According to project documentation, City Edge aims to ‘create a new mixed use and climate resilient high density urban quarter in the city, where the citizens of the Greater Dublin Area will be able to access affordable homes, live close to where they work, in an area home to outstanding public amenities and public transport services’.

The plan also aims to focus on the 15-minute city concept, where residents can meet most of their needs within a short walk or bike ride from their homes.

Project steering committee member and City Planning Officer at Dublin City Council, John O’Hara, said: “The delivery of this goal is contingent upon maximising the potential of existing and planned state-of-the-art public transport; a robust placemaking strategy focused on the 15-minute city concept, and the active collaboration of all parties, public and private, to achieve the scale of urban regeneration required”.

An internal masterplan team has been selected to carry out a detailed study of the area and to produce a ‘vision for the future’ for the area.

To help shape this work, South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council are staging a public consultation until October 6.  Both councils will together host live online events, including the City Edge International Conference on September 29 and 30.

Specific online events focused on the City Edge Emerging Concept Plan will also be held on September 22 at 3pm and September 30 at 7pm.

Display information on City Edge, online events and how to make a submission are available on  www.cityedge.ie.