Council reveals plans for community site at St Benildus Sports Grounds...
Plans for a new park and public space have been made for Sandyford. A report outlining intentions to create both next year as part of the Public Open Space plan for Sandyford was revealed by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council at a recent Area Committee meeting.
The report was compiled to update local representatives on how the council plans to provide adequate open space in order to meet the needs of residents, workers and visitors to the Sandyford Business District.
The open space provision is part of the Sandyford Urban Framework Plan and was adopted in September 2011 and involves some council-owned land beside St Benildus Sports Grounds and the sports grounds themselves.
The report outlines that: “It is proposed to phase the delivery of the park. The first phase will be the development of the council-owned land and will involve the reconfiguration of the existing two GAA pitches, one senior and one junior, in order to accommodate a pedestrian path around the perimeter of the park, for walkers and runners with access from the existing pedestrian gate on Drumartin Link Road and a new access at Blackthorn Drive". A playground is proposed in the linear area between the pitches and Blackthorn Drive.”
The report also contains proposals for outdoor gym equipment to be installed along the pathway throughout the open space and will also have park furniture, ground modelling and tree planting. It is proposed to start the improvement work in late 2015 following consultation with councillors.
The council will also negotiate with the De La Salle Order to either acquire St Benildus Sports Grounds by purchasing the land or by leasing it from the order on a long-term lease basis.If negotiations are successful, phase two of the Open Space plan will commence.
This will involve reconfiguring the layout of pitches, extending a circuitous pathway, landscaping and installing park furniture.
Richard Shakespeare, the council’s director of services, said: “It is an objective of the council to create a clear hierarchy of open spaces that addresses the needs of the different users and to do this in a manner that reinforces the [Sandyford Urban Framework] plan for the area. It is an objective of the council that no additional residential accommodation will be permitted until either the land at St Benildus or the Civic Park have been procured or made available for public use.”
Cllr Neale Richmond (FG) said: “This is very welcome news and will hopefully bring clarity for the future, especially for members of Naomh Olaf.
“There is huge potential for a good, working park in this area and it is desperately needed as we see huge growth in Sandyford both in terms of residential and commercial development.
“It is key that the needs of Naomh Olaf are accommodated with the reconfiguration of the pitches, and I look forward to the council working closely with the members of the club, who are mainly local residents themselves, in order to delivering a mutually positive park.”
Article Published: 05/01/2015