Category Archives: Baldoyle / Baile Dubh Ghaill

Draft Bus Connects submission

Iarnród Éireann’s new timetable breaks some of the connections in our integrated public transport network

Iarnród Éireann have announced new timetables to take effect on 9th September. This follows a public consultation in December 2015.

I responded to the consultation then pointing out the disimprovements which would result from having trains run through stations without stopping and a lack of timetabling for connections. Unfortunately, those changes are still proposed. I have followed up with IÉ today as follows:

Many people responded to the public consultation in 2015. Unfortunately, it seems as if those responses weren’t taken into account. Is there a document summarising the content of the input received to the consultation and IÉ’s responses to the submissions?

You seem to have reduced services to some areas more than in the proposal you put to consultation. It is simply not correct to say that “Howth Junction, Clongriffin and Portmarnock will be served by fewer weekday Northern Commuter services”. The timetable which has been put online shows no diesel services stopping at these stations. There’s a considerable amount of irritation at the fact that so many trains will now be passing through Portmarnock, Clongriffin and Howth Junction without stopping and that the travel patterns people have developed in reliance on the services will not be disrupted.

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Portmarnock to Baldoyle Greenway gets go-ahead

An Bord Pleanála has approved the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway. Here’s the decision.

Provision of this important link for people walking and cycling in the Baldoyle and Portmarnock areas has been a priority for local residents and Councillors. This is an important part of a wider network. The use of segregated routes to link the suburban towns in the area is an approach I hope will be followed. This is also an amenity route similar to the coastal promenade from Sutton to Sandycove and gives access to the new parkland between Baldoyle and Portmarnock.

I particular welcome the scaling down of the lighting proposed for the route, which I called for in my submission. It is very positive to see An Bord Pleanála take proper account of the impact on bats and on the visual character of the Green Belt by requiring that the lighting be by bollards rather than the 6m poles originally proposed.

Further info:

My submission to An Bord Pleanála

Information on the application and submissions

Wider context of work on Greenways in Fingal (Report to Planning and Strategic Infrastructure SPC 23rd July)

Fingal to work on improving cycling access to Howth/Malahide Secondary Schools

Following discussions with teachers in two of the local secondary schools, I proposed the following motion to the Area Committee last week:

“That the Council consults with students and teachers in the secondary schools in the Howth / Malahide Area in relation to the improvements needed in order to improve the safety of the access routes to the schools and in order to facilitate an increase in the numbers of students travelling to and from school by foot or by bicycle and a reduction in the numbers travelling to school by car.”

The motion was agreed at the meeting. I think there is a mixture of approaches needed, varying between schools. Two important aspects of this are the Green Schools Committees, one of whose targets for getting Green Flags is transport, and the potential to get students involved in solving the problems they experience cycling to school

Make your observation in relation to the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway by Friday

Friday is the deadline for observations on the proposed greenway from Baldoyle to Portmarnock. Observations should be made to An Bord Pleanála in relation to application 300840. My submission strongly supports the route which has been one of my main goals as a Councillor. The changes I propose to the application are that a) the lighting needs to be minimal to protect both the wildlife and the landscape and b) the path structure and surface need to be designed and built to a high standard.

Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway is before An Bord Pleanála

Fingal County Council has applied to An Bord Pleanála for permission for a greenway between Baldoyle and Portmarnock. Details of the application are online here as well as in Baldoyle Library and the Council’s offices in Swords and Blanchardstown. Observations on the proposal can be made to An Bord Pleanála until 23rd March.

The cycling and walking route between Baldoyle and Portmarnock will provide for a high quality transport link and amenity route through the Green Belt between these towns. It responds to the demand from local residents for improved green transport opportunities along what is now a hostile stretch of road. It is part of the Bray to Balbriggan coastal greenway which the Green Party has been working for over many years.

The application is for a high quality route with pedestrians and cyclists separated. This recognises the importance of the route for transport cyclists as well as its role as an amenity for the public walking along the nature conservation area at Baldoyle Estuary and the Mayne River.

However, I am concerned about the proposal for 6m high lighting columns along the route. I will be proposing to An Bord Pleanála that these be replaced with low level lighting or path markings instead.

An Bord Pleanála deletes Grange Road Junction from planning permission

In response to my observation, An Bord Pleanála has deleted the Grange Road junction redesign from the planning permission.

These are the relevant findings in the inspector’s report:
“The proposed development includes works to increase the capacity of the signalised junction between Grange Road and Longfield Road. They would provide an extra lane on the Longfield Road approaching that junction, removing one that heads north away from the junction. They would also provide a left turning lane on the Grange Road approaching the junction from the east and move the signals there forward, removing an existing advance stop line for right-turning cyclists. The proposed works have been justified by the applicant and the Roads Division of the council by reference to modelling of vehicular movements, but an elected member has objected to them as they fail to provide a sufficient level of service for cyclists on a route identified for such in the development plan. The proposed works to the junction would diminish the level of service for cyclists travelling east on Grange Road by removing an advanced stop line and introducing another slip lane, but only to a limited extent. However the local area plan sets out a comprehensive set of proposals regarding roads and access that do not include the works to this junction. The details submitted in the course of the application do not address the potential impact of the proposed works on pedestrians and cyclists, nor do they address the role of Grange Road as an main route serving an area much wider than that covered by the LAP, or the implications of the designation of a school site beside the junction. In these circumstances it would not be prudent to authorise the works to the junction as part of the proposed development. If works are required to this junction, their effects would need to be properly considered by the council before the design was finalised. It would therefore be appropriate that the applicant’s contribution to such works was in the form of a special contribution under section 48(c) of the planning act.”

The full report is online at: http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/248970.htm

I have included the issue of redesigning the junction for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the agenda of the January area committee meeting.

Water Framework Directive Areas for Action

I have made the following submission in support of improved catchment management in the Mayne and Santry Rivers, and suggested the addition of the Howth streams to the catchment areas:

There is considerable interest in the area in both freshwater and coastal water. It should be possible to get good public engagement in the RBMP actions in the area.

I welcome the inclusion of the Mayne and Santry rivers. They cover a signficant area and significant population; it should be possible to get considerable public involvement in relation to them. Given the extent of development planned in the Mayne catchment, an objective of ensuring that the development does not lead to a degradation in the status of the river and engagement accordingly with planning and building control could make a significant difference. I mentioned the Northside Partnership who have developed a proposal for a Greenway along the Santry River. They may be interested in cooperating on the River itself as well.

I suggest that it makes sense to also include the streams in Howth. (Full list at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_of_County_Dublin but of greatest importance are Balsaggart Stream, Whitewater Brook, Gray’s Brook, Offington Stream and (because it discharges onto Claremont Beach) the Bloody Stream) The Howth streams are all part of the Special Amenity Area and the Management Committee for that Area would be in a position to participate in and assist the measures to be taken to achieve good status for them.

It also makes sense to include the coastal waters between where the Santry meets Dublin Bay and Baldoyle Estuary. These Mayne and Santry rivers are both included in the catchment of the Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve; as the Dublin Bay analysis is looking upstream, it makes sense for the RBMP analysis to also look downstream.

Consultation information at www.watersandcommunities.ie and https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/draft-river-basin-management-plan-%E2%80%93-areas-action

Have your say on community services and facilities in Baldoyle

The sales building (“Marketing Suite”) for the new housing development beside the Racecourse Park was originally intended to be repurposed as a community facility. Fingal is now undertaking a consultation in relation to the overall community needs in the area and the feasibility of using the now damaged building.

The Community Development Office of Fingal County Council aims to strengthen communities by helping to establish and support local community groups and activities across Fingal. We would like to hear the views of residents and community groups in Baldoyle to assist us in establishing needs in the area in terms of community and social activities, leisure and sporting facilities.
We are also interested in your views on the potential development of the Menolly Marketing Suite Building at Red Arches as a community facility.
You can give your views by completing an online survey and/or by attending a public meeting.
Online survey: Visit https://consult.fingal.ie/en/surveys and complete the online survey between 16 October and 16 November 2017. The online survey can also be completed at Baldoyle Community Hall, Main Street, Baldoyle.
Public consultation meeting: A meeting will be held at 8.15 pm on Wednesday, 1 November in Baldoyle Community Hall, Baldoyle Forum, Main Street, Baldoyle.
If you have queries contact the research team at sinead@begley.ie or 8573111

Public information evenings and consultation about Sutton to Malahide Greenway

Design work is starting on the section of the coastal greenway beteen Sutton and Malahide. The consultants have been given a brief to produce a high quality amenity greenway along the coast. It will be part of the Fingal Coastal Way, leading on from the Sutton to Sandycove route around Dublin Bay, and connecting to the route across Broadmeadow Estuary from Malahide to Donabate.

The Baldoyle to Portmarnock section was taken first and is ready to go to An Bord Pleanála and formal public consultation, probably in October.

This informal consultation will look at the sections south and north of that stretch:
-from Sutton Creek and Sutton Cross to the Green belt north of Baldoyle and
-from the Sluice River south of Portmarnock to the railway line at Malahide Estuary.

The purpose of the information meetings is to set out the scope of the project and to start the discussion with local people and visitors of the issues, challenges and opportunities in designing the Greenway. All are welcome.

The dates and venues are:

Tuesday 17th October 1530 to 1930 – Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links
Wednesday 18th October 1530 to 1930 – Malahide Library
Thursday 19th October 1615 to 1930 – Baldoyle Library

David Healy

Green Party / Comhaontas Glas, Howth / Beann Éadair – Malahide / Mullach Íde