Chapter 2

Knocklyon Network supports much of the Aspirations within the Draft Development plan.  It is clear that there are plans there to build a much better,more inclusive, socially conscience and sustainable Community.  We are hopeful that the investment in all of these plans will be proportionate to the populations within each area.  There is a feeling in Knocklyon Firhouse  that as a community we are neglected when it comes to community infrastructure.

Chapter 3 Natural Heritage,

We would like to see more enhancement of our natural green areas.  With Covid the use of parks, pleasant walks, our Mountains and forests have been most important for our physical and mental health.  With an aging population particularly in some parts of our county ,access is so important.  We think that the proposed Interpretive centre on Montpelier Hill is a waste of too much Taxpayers money. The opportunity was lost to purchase a much more suitable building and site when SDCC passed up Orlagh Demesne. A historical building and parkland comparable with Cabinteely or Marley House or even Fernhill could have been acquired,even if in addition to the Interpretive centre would have been a wonderful asset.  Other areas have Corkagh and St. Catherines south Dublin lacks  a Demesne.  We propose that the Council work with Coillte Nature to make the forests and mountains in our Countty more accessible for walks . This will have to include increased parking for cars and bicycles. It is unfair if families wish to use these facilities on a weekend that they risk parking fines.  We would like to see the areas in each community being targeted for improved tree and shrub planting.  This should be done in conjunction with local interests.  The use of mixed trees, ideally native and including Conifers(better for Climate Change) Fruit and Deciduous trees.  The use of wildflowers and Biodiversity to break up some of the larger green areas in our parks and road perimeters should be supported. Local communities should be encouraged to suitable planting of neglected areas that are too small for Public Realm attention.  Again the pathways have been very important during Covid ,so overhanging hedges, briars ,branches etc . need to be controlled. As well as public sections much of this inconvenience is due to private houses overgrown hedges. A public notice should be served on these or it should be possible to report them through FixMy Street.   We welcome all efforts to maintain our Build Heritage. We would like there to be much more effort with regard to the City Waterway.  This structure at Balrothery Weir and the Arch in front of Templeogue House should be places of Special Interest. There should be a plan to move water again through the visible part of the Waterway and sluices reconnecting back into the Dodder.   Other areas like Carthy’s Castle, Mount Venus Cemetery should also receive attention .

Chapter 4 Green Infrastructure.

The Dodder Valley Park and Greenway is an important part of the County Green Infrastructure.  It has been a great development to see the Greenway and the improvements it is bring to Kilvere, Cherryfield, Mount Carmel and Old Bawn parts of the Greenway.  We think that it will be very important to enhance this by considerable planting of trees to enhance the area.   This should not interfere with playing fields but enhance the area by Colonades of well spaced trees and mixed tree planting.  It is so important that these be planted at the right time. We have seen the Oghham trail planted in Firhouse losing quite a few of its trees because of the drought a few years ago in the summer. We fear some of the Greenway planting may suffer a similar fate because of the current dry summer.  Many of the Green areas throughout the County in Estates or roadsides could benefit from planned intelligent planting of trees or shrubs.  We would also hope to see some ponds in Dodder Valley Park, these could exploit some of the streams that feed into it along it’s journey through our county.  We particularly would like to see one in Cherryfield or Mount Carmel section.

Chapter 5 Quality Design & Placemaking

The planning stage is the first stage of the development of any community.  We have to be critical of the planning authorities be they our Council or An Bord Pleanala in the way our area has developed.  We understand the need for housing and support the development of housing and apartments and increased density. However,we do not agree with the lack of infrastructural planning that should go in tandem with increased population. There has been a serious lacking and lagging behind of infrastructural projects to support the very rapid development of houses and apartments in the Knocklyon Firhouse corridor. Thus there is a serious problem with traffic congestion , this has not been helped by the Orlagh Roundabout that contributes daily to the drive time for most people in the area. The benefits of this roundabout have been negligible. The purpose of the build was safety,yet there have been more accidents there now than before. Furthermore the bike/walk way from the roundabout is both confusing and dangerous.  It is very important that public bodies like Council or NTA listen to local communities. The development of some of the large blocks of 100-600 homes needs to be closely monitored to make sure that developers are complying with the terms of the Planning approval. We also hope that compliance with current fire regulations are being inspected ,to avoid costly public bail outs at a later date. We agree with the addition of one off houses where there are gaps in estates , but think that these should always fit aesthetically with the Architecture of the Estate and not be standout designs.  We agree with the idea of a 10-15 minute community. However,this needs a joining up and linking of estates at least by pedestrian walk throughs and open areas. 

Chapter 6 Housing

While the County may need 2000 houses per annum for the duration of the Plan, the feeling is Knocklyon-Firhouse has got more than it’s share over a short time. There is now a major shortage of amenities in the area.  We need a health Centre, Library, more schools, more public transport, more shops, more playing fields, a Swimming pool complex, Community Centre and most of all a playground. With the biggest primary school in the country and over 1800 primary school children in Knocklyon and no playground. We again refer to the lack of public transport and the necessity of car travel ,yet roads have not been improved. Another bridge across the Dodder or another exit on the M50 between Knocklyon and Dundrum would be an infrastructure help.

Chapter 7 Sustainable Mobility

We strongly support the call for a Metro from City Centre to South West Dublin ,maybe even connecting with the Red Luas in Tallaght. We are members of the MSWG of 39 Residents Associations calling for Metro South West.  We think that the Council should support this in the plan and consider plans to facilitate this long term benefit to our County.We have attached a document around our case for Metro South West to the Council. The move to facilitate more cycle ways is to be welcomed .  However this has often been very patchy. How can you encourage a child to cycle to school if the bike path is not protected from the motorised traffic,or that the path just ends and doesn’t start for another 50 metres!!   The cycleways should be where possible separated from the motorised roadway.  Cycle parking areas needs to be increased.  Plans for E scooters needs to be included.  Pathways as already mentioned need to be suitable for walkers with buggys, mobility chairs, zimmer frames, blind,etc.  All should be able to use them without being endangered.  We need to look at facilitating more electrical cars and as such public charging points. We also need to look at maybe a county plan for shared cars.  This should apply especially to Apartment blocks where a number of electric public cars maybe the answer to their requirements without individual ownership. Similarly a bus route along the M50 would increase connectivity and alternatives to Car transport.

Chapter 8 Community Infrastructure.

We have already touched on this in our submission. We again come back to the importance of equal investment in communities. There is a bias in the Council towards the so called 8 villages.  This brings  a bias towards the Village when it comes to development. Templeogue village with probably a throughput and community only half the size of Knocklyon or Firhouse has seen multiple redevelopment and yet Knocklyon and Firhouse not being a village does not warrant this attention. WE would like to see the encouragement of a sense of identity with a community and this needs to be supported by the Council so people take pride in their area and their identity .  We would like to see the area around the Knocklyon Shopping Centre, Church, School being enhanced and improved to give it a more central role and one of pride for our community.  We would like to see an enhanced Community Centre. We would like to see more signage ,a sli slainte , a bit of Sculpture, Some Artistic endeavour being recognised.  All of these are small matters but give a community pride of place.

Other areas

We would like to see increased usage especially on large commercial and public buildings of Solar panels on roofs, green planting of roof tops. The consideration of Wind turbines where appropriate, the Council working with Industry to reduce energy, waste, and encourage a more sustainable circular economy. We would like to see the Waste disposal companies advising customers of the better use of their bins. We were shocked during covid to see the amount of recyclable coffee cups going into black bins to be incinerated rather than recycled.  We think that the County must work with Repak to encourage the retailers to reduce packaging, to use only recyclable packaging and to make identification easier for the consumer. I think that the Council should work with the government bodies to ensure that where internet shopping is involved there is a contribution towards the recycling of that packaging. We think there should be an annual WEE collection in all estates.  Similarly this might apply to mattresses and Furniture.  We encourage the Council to get involved in the Retrofitting Energy wise of all Council properties,to bring them to at least B level BER.  

We wish the Council and Councillors every success with delivering on the ambitious Development Plan and we are available to work with them.