Tallaght Town centre apartments may surpass 3,000 with new plans

By Laura Lyne

STRONG objections from local residents and politicians were put forward this week as the deadline passed for submissions on two proposals for mixed housing and commercial developments as part of the Cookstown Regeneration, which would bring the number of town centre apartments to over 3,000.

As part of the plans, which are the first two phases of a three-phase project of housing and commercial developments, hundreds of apartments will be built within the Cookstown Industrial Estate.

The industrial estate was re-zoned as part of the 2016-2022 South County Dublin development plan, and now facilitates enterprise and residential-led regeneration.

On Tuesday, the deadline for submissions passed on the first application, which would see the development of 184 apartments at a site located beside the Cookstown Luas Stop.

The application has been met with 11 objections from local residents and politicians, with a number of concerns about the potential development cited.

Concerns raised include a lack of schooling available for the development, traffic congestion and on-street parking, the design of the proposal and the lack of gardaí available to deal with “the excess of people”.

A lack of engagement with local residents was also raised in a number of objections to the proposal, along with the potential for a rise in anti-social behaviour throughout the local area.

Other concerns raised in relation to the development proposal were the lack of privacy for residents of nearby estates due to the scale of the apartment blocks, and the removal of the lands within the Cookstown Industrial Estate to facilitate expansion of the nearby Tallaght Hospital.

Raising concerns about the development, Anti Austerity Alliance councillor Mick Murphy says: “If apartment living in Tallaght Town Centre were to develop into a long-term community there is no school planned for this area nor any other facilities to assist community living.

“Clearly that is not what is expected as the apartments in Tallaght Town Centre are overwhelmingly private rented which in the context of Ireland still means an average tenancy of less than 12 months.”

The second application, for a development at Cookstown’s fourth avenue is due to close to submissions this Thursday (September 1).

It is for the development of a further 246 apartments within two separate buildings at a site on Fourth Avenue near the rear entrance to Tallaght Hospital.

Fianna Fáil councillor Charlie O’Connor has called on council management to give careful consideration to the planning objections lodged by local associations, groups and individuals in respect of planning applications for 430 apartments and other works at 2 separate sites in Cookstown Industrial Estate.

He said the objections focused on the height of the buildings, the design, traffic issues, access, noise and density.

He added that a number of other issues were mentioned in the objections, including what was seen as the developer’s failure to consult with the local community, the pressure on local schools and other services and the fact that such developments would mean that Tallaght would then have over 3,000 apartments.

Mention was also made regarding the additional pressure on fire and ambulance services and the Gardaí.

According to Cllr O’Connor there would be particular concern at the suggestion that such new developments would lead to crime and anti-social behavior and he said such assertions are a challenge to the wider community.

A third application, which will be the largest of the three, is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks for a site located on Cookstown Road, to the rear of the Belgard Luas Stop and adjacent to the Aldi store located on the Belgard Road.

The decision on the first application is due from South Dublin County Council by September 20, with a decision on the second application due by September 22.