I Áine Gallagher wish to express my support for the elected members' decision to retain the existing High Amenity zoning at St. Edmundsbury by rejecting the proposed residential rezoning of these lands.

While I currently reside in Phibsboro, Dublin 7, I grew up in Lucan Village and spent, and still spend, much of my time walking in and exploring the land around the River Liffey. Not only has it has been an area of immeasurable value to myself and my friends and family who reside in Lucan, more importantly it provides rare and wonderful environmental qualities for wildlife and flora that is under threat. The St. Edmundsbury lands form part of the wider Liffey Valley landscape and make an important contribution to rich biodiversity, visual amenity and the County's Green Infrastructure network. They help maintain the distinctive character & ecology of the valley and provide an important green setting, between existing developed areas. This quality of biodiversity requires many decades to develop and is unique in the geological landscape of County Dublin. 

Retaining the existing zoning will help to protect this rich biodiversity of the Liffey Valley. Its value has already been recognized by NPWS by its designation as a pNHA, hosting, as it does, threatened species listed in the Protected Species: Flora Protection Order and Annex IV species such as otter and numerous bat species. There are also several established badger sets on the St Edmundsbury lands. Bird species such as Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Jay and Treecreeper are thriving in the relative peace of the riparian woodlands. Recent sightings suggest that Pine Marten and Woodpecker may now be resident in the woodlands of St. Edmundsbury and Luttrellstown. In addition to the adverse impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation, the light and noise pollution and human disturbance which would inevitably follow residential development on these lands will have a negative impact on all these species and on biodiversity in general. It is very sad and demoralising to think that an area of proposed National Heritage can so easily come under such a severe threat such as this proposed rezoning. 

The Council's own figures show that the revised National Planning Framework (NPF) baseline housing requirement has already been met. The overall package of proposed rezonings provides approximately 30% more residential capacity than the Government's baseline requirement. As a result, there is no planning necessity to remove the existing High Amenity (HA-LV) zoning from the St. Edmundsbury lands in order to comply with national housing policy.

Retaining these lands also avoids the cumulative loss of green space in the Lucan area and protects an important environmental asset for future generations. The gradual erosion of High Amenity land through individual rezoning decisions can have significant long-term consequences for landscape character and ecological connectivity. The Liffey Valley itself is home to ancient woodlands and ancient ecosystems dependent on them, and the more buffer we can give around these areas, the better.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask that the elected members' decision be upheld and that the existing High Amenity zoning at St. Edmundsbury be retained.

Signed:  Áine Gallagher

Address: Personal Information