I am a local resident writing to strongly object to Material Amendment No. 2(4).

The original masterplan included a dedicated, full-scale pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting Parkleigh / South Link Street directly across the canal to Parkleigh / Lockhouse Way. I believe that relocating and reducing the size of this bridge would be a significant step backwards for the local community for the following reasons:

The layout of Parkleigh was designed around the original bridge location:
The existing layout of Parkleigh, including the parks, green areas, pedestrian routes and green corridors, was specifically designed to connect towards the originally approved bridge landing point. Moving the bridge further east would undermine this existing design and leave the established green spaces and pedestrian routes disconnected from the intended crossing. It would also disrupt the natural flow of walking and cycling routes through the development.

Loss of direct access to Grand Canal Park:
South Dublin County Council recently granted planning permission for Grand Canal Park under Planning Reg. Ref. SDZ25A/0034W. The bridge in its original location would have provided a direct and convenient gateway from Parkleigh into the new park and onto the Grand Canal Greenway. Relocating the bridge east would remove this direct connection and require pedestrians and cyclists to take unnecessary detours.

Impact on my decision to purchase my home:
The planned location of this bridge was one of the factors I considered when deciding to purchase my home in Parkleigh. The original plans indicated that residents would have safe, convenient and direct walking and cycling access to the canal. Changing the location of the bridge after residents have purchased their homes effectively removes an important piece of infrastructure that people could reasonably have relied upon when making their purchasing decisions.

The proposed location does not make sense from a connectivity perspective:
The proposed new location near the 10th/11th Lock would place the crossing very close to the existing Fonthill Road (R113) vehicular bridge and the existing lock crossings. Concentrating several crossings in the same area does not appear to provide the best connectivity for the wider community, particularly when there is currently no bridge serving the area where the original bridge was planned. Instead of improving access across the canal for Parkleigh residents, the amendment would leave our section of the canal without the direct connection originally intended, while creating a concentration of crossings further east.

Conclusion:
For these reasons, I respectfully ask South Dublin County Council and An Coimisiún Pleanála to reject Material Amendment No. 24 and retain the bridge in its original approved location. The original location provides a much more direct, logical and accessible connection between Parkleigh, the canal, Grand Canal Park and the wider walking and cycling network.