Residents want engagement with developer on Liam Cosgrave site
By Aimee Walsh
FRUSTRATED residents say they want engagement from developers over serious problems they are experiencing from a construction site.
Local residents in Knocklyon say they are unable to sleep due to noise or hang out washing because of dust that is coming from the Liam Cosgrave site on Scholarstown Road.
Residents are complaining about noise on the Liam Cosgrave site which was granted permission for 480 build-to-rent units
Planning permission was granted in March 2020 to Ardstone Homes for the development of 480 build-to-let units across eight apartment blocks and 110 build-to-sell units across nine duplex blocks with a height of three stories on the site of former Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave’s previous residence.
The plans for the €129m development on Scholarstown Road in Knocklyon have been a point of contention since they were first announced in 2019 with residents concerned about noise levels during the building stages and traffic due to the size of the development.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor for Firhouse-Bohernabreena, Deirdre O’Donovan says that these concerns have become a reality, with residents unable to sleep because of the noise from the on-site generators and unable to open windows or hang out washing due to dust from the site.
“This has been highly controversial with very little support from the developers giving the size and scale of the development in the area.
“There has been a number of issues and I have tried to work with the developers in terms of better community engagement. There is so much disruption for local residents in terms of dust and noise.
The standard working hours on the site are 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday and workers are permitted to work until lunchtime on Saturdays.
“The residents have one day when they don’t have construction going on at the back of their houses”, explained cllr O’Donovan.
According to cllr O’ Donovan, On Monday, June 14, South Dublin County Council granted two derogations allowing workers to work on the site until 12 midnight on June 16 and June 17.
“It is just outrageous -the protest is to send a very clear message to the developers that is not acceptable, and they are going to be here for another 18 months.
“This is one of the first strategic developments in the county and if this is the signal of what local communities are going to have to endure given the scale and density, we have to send a very clear message to these vulture fund developers that they have to engage and show consideration for the community and if not, we are in very serious trouble”, cllr O’Donovan concluded.
The development is expected to be completed in Summer 2023 and will also include a gym, creche and retail units on the ground floors. The 5.4-hectare site will also include large provisions of open greens and play areas.
The Echo contacted Ardstone Homes for a comment, but it was not received in time for print.
