Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to make this submission in support of the elected members' decision not to proceed with the proposed material alterations relating to the lands at St. Edmundsbury, Lucan, under Proposed Variation No. 2 to the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028.

I strongly oppose the proposed rezoning of the St. Edmundsbury lands, which are currently zoned High Amenity and perform a critical role in maintaining the character, biodiversity, heritage, and environmental quality of the area, especially given that it is directly adjacent to the Special Amenity Area of the Liffey Valley.

Residential or other non-High Amenity rezoning here would fragment habitat irrevocably (that has already been driven off adjacent land parcels due to development), erode heritage, and risk groundwater impacts with potential harm to the River Liffey. This is precisely the type of environmental degradation the NPF and Project Ireland 2040 seek to avoid.  

Lucan’s public transport system is already at capacity. Buses routinely pass stops at peak times due to overcrowding, rail services are inadequate, and reliability issues persist across all routes.

Transport‑corridor emphasis vs. local reality: The revised NPF places a stronger emphasis on transport‑oriented development along high‑capacity corridors. However, DART+ South West (Hazelhatch–Heuston/City via Phoenix Park Tunnel has been pushed out to “2030+” to start construction under the current programme.

Meanwhile, the Luas Lucan line has no committed delivery timeline: the project is still in route‑selection/feasibility, with an emerging preferred route not due until 2026 and the NTA’s Transport Strategy placing delivery in the 2031–2036 window. This means there is no near‑term rail capacity uplift for Lucan to support additional rezonings.

There is still no direct public transport link to Dublin Airport for a community of Lucan’s scale, despite hosting two SDZs. Adding substantial housing without first addressing structural transport deficits contradicts the NPF’s compact, infrastructure‑led approach.

Across critical services, Lucan is struggling with existing demand:

• School place shortages
• Insufficient childcare capacity
• Insufficient and overburdened GP and healthcare facilities
• Severe road congestion
• Insufficient community, Arts, youth, sports, and recreational amenities (indoor and outdoor) for a population its size
• Under‑resourced green and quality recreational spaces in certain parts of Lucan
• Major pressure on utilities, drainage systems and other infrastructure.

Project Ireland 2040 identifies “Access to quality childcare, healthcare and education” (NSO 10) as a core objective. Proceeding with additional rezoning, without prior delivery of these key infrastructural elements to deliver those services, undermines that objective and will diminish quality of life for residents.

I fully support the decision of the elected members not to proceed with the proposed material alterations affecting St. Edmundsbury. This decision reflects a responsible and forward-looking approach to planning by recognising the importance of green infrastructure, biodiversity protection, community amenities and critical services. 

I respectfully request that South Dublin County Council maintain this position and ensure that the lands at St. Edmundsbury remain protected.