As a local resident on St James' Road who will be directly impacted, I strongly oppose the development of a synthetic pitch in Greenhills Park.
Please note that I am a strong supporter of sport in the community and I am an advocate for the benefits participation in sports bring to our health and well-being, as well as the positive impact it has on our young people in the community. I oppose the development on the grounds the proposed site of Greenhills Park is simply not suitable.
The site of the proposed development is a park which is currently used by all members of the community for walking, exercise, sport and informal play. I use this area of the park at least twice a day for walking my dog and catching up with my neighbours. Converting this from open grassland used by all, to a single purpose, pay to play, fenced AstroTurf pitch will take this amenity away from a significant majority of local residents. This area of Greenhills Park directly contributes to the sense of community in the Greenhills area. By converting this cherished local amenity to a facility for one group, this sense of community will be irrevocably impacted and will degrade over time. This runs contrary to the stated objectives of Chapter 8 of the South Dublin County Council development plan 2022-2028.
The site of the proposed development is currently a very quiet and safe area after dark. The hours of operation of this facility are until 10pm Monday to Friday and 9pm Saturday to Sunday. There has been no noise impact assessment conducted for this development. Local residents concerned with potential impact have recorded noise levels at another nearby AstroTurf facility. During a 12 minute period, more than 30 instances of readings of over 70 decibels have been recorded. This SDCC facility would be directly responsible for unacceptable levels of noise pollution in this area. The proposed site of the facility is 22.5 meters from homes. If the development proceeds on this site, the mental health and well-being of local residents living next to it will be negatively impacted.
There is no mitigation proposed for protection of foraging bats adjacent to the site of the proposed development. Foraging bats have been recorded in significant numbers by local residents above the hedgerows. I walk my dog here every evening and enjoy watching the bats foraging just after dusk. While the site was assessed for bat roosts and deemed low probability, no night time or dusk survey has been conducted and there is no mitigation included for the protection of foraging bats at the site of the proposed development.
Greenhills Park, in particular the site of the proposed development, is used as an overflow feeding ground for Brent Geese from the nearby Special Protection Areas of Dublin Bay. While the appropriate assessment screening report sights anecdotal evidence from an undisclosed park user that Brent Geese have not used this site in 5 years, this is inaccurate. Brent Geese have used this site for grass feed every winter, with the exception of winter 2024/25 when they were chased off by a dog off lead in November. As a result, they were not recorded in the winter bird survey conducted for this development from December 2024 to March 2025. Best practice would deem it prudent that surveys for a protected species are conducted over more than one winter season. Brent Geese use this green space regularly as an overflow feeding ground and are very much loved visitors to Greenhills Park
No provision has been made to traffic management or parking for this proposed commercial facility. Illegal parking and blocking of my driveway, directly opposite the proposed entrance to this development will occur. While illegal parking will be a matter for An Gardai Siochana, South Dublin County Council have an obligation to understand the extent of the impact and to mitigate against its occurrence as the proposers and approving planning body for this proposed development.
I also bring to the attention of SDCC concerns regarding the manner in which this part 8 planning process has been initiated. It transpires that SDCC have engaged with a limited group of stakeholders to inform of and garner support from local sports clubs 11 months prior to publication of the part 8 planning notice. Local sports clubs were advised of preferential rates and booking arrangements for local teams in order to incentivise their support for the proposed development. This runs in stark contrast to local residents, those most impacted and most likely to raise objections, being informed on 17th September. Given the context of rejection by SDCC councillors of the Knocklyon part 8 planning in November 2023 for a similar synthetic pitch development due to a unified opposition from the local community, this is highly indicative to any layperson that this process has not been initiated in good faith.
I acknowledge that a limited number of residents were informed of the proposed development by leaflet drop two weeks prior to the publication of part 8 planning notice on 17th September. I live directly across the road from the development, I received no direct notification.
For the reasons listed above, I strongly oppose development of this facility on the proposed site in Greenhills Park.
Observations
As a local resident on St James' Road who will be directly impacted, I strongly oppose the development of a synthetic pitch in Greenhills Park.
Please note that I am a strong supporter of sport in the community and I am an advocate for the benefits participation in sports bring to our health and well-being, as well as the positive impact it has on our young people in the community. I oppose the development on the grounds the proposed site of Greenhills Park is simply not suitable.
The site of the proposed development is a park which is currently used by all members of the community for walking, exercise, sport and informal play. I use this area of the park at least twice a day for walking my dog and catching up with my neighbours. Converting this from open grassland used by all, to a single purpose, pay to play, fenced AstroTurf pitch will take this amenity away from a significant majority of local residents. This area of Greenhills Park directly contributes to the sense of community in the Greenhills area. By converting this cherished local amenity to a facility for one group, this sense of community will be irrevocably impacted and will degrade over time. This runs contrary to the stated objectives of Chapter 8 of the South Dublin County Council development plan 2022-2028.
The site of the proposed development is currently a very quiet and safe area after dark. The hours of operation of this facility are until 10pm Monday to Friday and 9pm Saturday to Sunday. There has been no noise impact assessment conducted for this development. Local residents concerned with potential impact have recorded noise levels at another nearby AstroTurf facility. During a 12 minute period, more than 30 instances of readings of over 70 decibels have been recorded. This SDCC facility would be directly responsible for unacceptable levels of noise pollution in this area. The proposed site of the facility is 22.5 meters from homes. If the development proceeds on this site, the mental health and well-being of local residents living next to it will be negatively impacted.
There is no mitigation proposed for protection of foraging bats adjacent to the site of the proposed development. Foraging bats have been recorded in significant numbers by local residents above the hedgerows. I walk my dog here every evening and enjoy watching the bats foraging just after dusk. While the site was assessed for bat roosts and deemed low probability, no night time or dusk survey has been conducted and there is no mitigation included for the protection of foraging bats at the site of the proposed development.
Greenhills Park, in particular the site of the proposed development, is used as an overflow feeding ground for Brent Geese from the nearby Special Protection Areas of Dublin Bay. While the appropriate assessment screening report sights anecdotal evidence from an undisclosed park user that Brent Geese have not used this site in 5 years, this is inaccurate. Brent Geese have used this site for grass feed every winter, with the exception of winter 2024/25 when they were chased off by a dog off lead in November. As a result, they were not recorded in the winter bird survey conducted for this development from December 2024 to March 2025. Best practice would deem it prudent that surveys for a protected species are conducted over more than one winter season. Brent Geese use this green space regularly as an overflow feeding ground and are very much loved visitors to Greenhills Park
No provision has been made to traffic management or parking for this proposed commercial facility. Illegal parking and blocking of my driveway, directly opposite the proposed entrance to this development will occur. While illegal parking will be a matter for An Gardai Siochana, South Dublin County Council have an obligation to understand the extent of the impact and to mitigate against its occurrence as the proposers and approving planning body for this proposed development.
I also bring to the attention of SDCC concerns regarding the manner in which this part 8 planning process has been initiated. It transpires that SDCC have engaged with a limited group of stakeholders to inform of and garner support from local sports clubs 11 months prior to publication of the part 8 planning notice. Local sports clubs were advised of preferential rates and booking arrangements for local teams in order to incentivise their support for the proposed development. This runs in stark contrast to local residents, those most impacted and most likely to raise objections, being informed on 17th September. Given the context of rejection by SDCC councillors of the Knocklyon part 8 planning in November 2023 for a similar synthetic pitch development due to a unified opposition from the local community, this is highly indicative to any layperson that this process has not been initiated in good faith.
I acknowledge that a limited number of residents were informed of the proposed development by leaflet drop two weeks prior to the publication of part 8 planning notice on 17th September. I live directly across the road from the development, I received no direct notification.
For the reasons listed above, I strongly oppose development of this facility on the proposed site in Greenhills Park.
Marc Mulcahy
Local resident
St James' Road