Dear Councillors,

As a local resident, I strongly support the decision made by the elected members of South Dublin County Council not to proceed with the proposed residential rezoning of the lands at Finnstown Castle, Lucan, under Proposed Variation No. 2 to the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028.

I understand the importance of providing enough land to meet future housing needs, and I fully support the Council’s responsibility to do so. However, the Council’s own figures show that the revised National Planning Framework housing requirement has already been met. In fact, the overall package of proposed rezonings provides around 30% more residential capacity than the Government’s baseline requirement.

Given this, I do not believe there is any planning justification for rezoning the Finnstown Castle lands. Housing targets can be achieved without sacrificing this unique site.

Finnstown Castle is much more than an undeveloped piece of land. It is an important part of our local heritage and provides valuable green space, biodiversity, wildlife habitat and visual amenity for Lucan and Adamstown. Once this landscape is lost to development, it cannot be replaced.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask that the elected members’ decision be upheld and that Amendment Ref. No. 3 be removed from the Development Plan.

I would also like the Council to look beyond simply protecting these lands and instead consider their long-term future for the benefit of the wider community. I support the inclusion of a Specific Local Objective (SLO), either now or in the next County Development Plan, to allow South Dublin County Council to pursue public ownership of the Finnstown Castle lands.

In my view, these lands would make an exceptional public park, extending Tandy’s Lane Park and creating new recreational facilities for the growing communities of Lucan and Adamstown. This could include walking routes, sports facilities, biodiversity areas and spaces where families can enjoy nature, while protecting the historic character of Finnstown Castle.

I believe this is a far better legacy for future generations than unnecessary residential development on a site of such environmental and historical importance.

Thank you for considering my submission.

Yours faithfully,

Helen O’Shea and Noel Flynn

[Your Name]