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SOME LOCALS LIVING by the Letts Field area in Clondalkin say they fear the only nearby play area for their children is going to be built over.
A petition has been started against the proposed building by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) of in-fill housing at the field, which is located in Neilstown.
Around 100 signatures have been gathered so far.
A local councillor said that the council is limited in the space available to it to build new homes on.
Letts Field
The county architect’s report for the council says that it is proposed to build a 48-unit infill housing project on undeveloped lands at Letts Field.
It also includes landscaping works to boundaries and a new park/play area.
The housing provision includes two-storey houses in terraces, or semi-detached homes with four two-storey units at the end of the terrace.
Annemarie Halpin, who lives in the local area, has started a petition against the plan.
She said she was not informed about the plans and was not told about any meetings.
“The area that they’re thinking of building on, it’s basically an open space,” she said.
But it’s really, really well kept. The people of Clondalkin look after it because it is used. It is used by clubs, football clubs, used by local people of the community for walking dogs.
She said that there is “never any anti-social behaviour” on the site and that “it’s safe to let your children over there”.
The council describes the area as a “low-intensity recreation space” in its proposed plans.
The site is located between Neilstown Road and Ninth Lock Road or a triangular piece of land bounded at the rear by a school, and a the rear of a small section of Wood Avens estate. A corner section of the site is in private ownership. The land currently used as a low intensity recreation space. Goal posts are evident but the pitch is not in registered as a placing pitch, nor is it in frequent use by teams. There are no formalised walking areas and the land is generally in use as an ‘open field’.
The school grounds, and some houses, are exposed with no passive supervision. This condition is particularly noticeable at night as the boundaries are exposed to entry with no public lighting available. The site is served by public transport, schools, and local facilities.
Halpin said that the nearest park attracts anti-social behaviour and is also far away from the Neilstown residential areas.
“It’s putting a new housing estate in and taking away a green area. There will be nowhere for our children to play.”
“It’s really disappointing”
She said she is not opposed to the building of new houses, and realises there is a council housing list that needs to be attended to, but feels the homes shouldn’t be built on green areas used by the local community.
It’s really disappointing. I have nothing against them building a housing estate. This is about taking away space that is used by all the surrounding housing estates.
South Dublin County Council has been contacted for comment.
Plans are on view
Local Sinn Féin Councillor Eoin O’Bróin said that the planning application was published on Friday of last week.
“The dilemma is we desperately need more houses,” he said. “There are 4,500 people on the waiting list for housing in Clondalkin and Lucan.”
“The difficulty is the only lands we own are relatively small tracts of green space. We need more houses but we don’t want to use all of the green space.”
Sinn Fein is currently consulting on this plan with locals and when it has done its full consultation, will formally make a decision as a party on its stance, and then inform the residents.
It wants to see if it would be possible to have a development on the site which has some additional housing but maintains access to the football pitch and some access for the nearby school.
The current proposal wouldn’t allow for that.
“We want to see what the locals have to say,” said Ó Broin. “There are very mixed opinions.”
The plan is a Part 8 development, which means that the councillors have the final say on the process. “Any decision on a part 8 has to be all 40 members [in agreement],” said Ó Broin.
The plan is on view at the council’s county hall and civic buildings, and on the South Dublin City Council site until 18 June. Responses to the plan must be submitted by 2 July. Cllr O Bróin encouraged people to get involved in the process and “not make knee-jerk reactions”.
- All photos SDCC
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Some parks around Dublin the only thing using them are quad bikes and scramblers
There’s a huge green area 90 second walk from that field and it hasn’t been used for anything in years other than for lads to burn cars in. Surely they can build houses there.
@alanscott
I see were your comming from Alan, if you look at the mulhuddart area ( by Blanchardstown ) they’ve built a moto cross track on waste ground for the youth. Its a great facility to the area.
People complain about homelessness and lack of social housing. Here is a plan to develop 48 social houses and the locals are protesting about it.
It was never a designated green area. The nearest park “attracts anti-social behaviour” is up there with “the dog ate my homework”.
Why don’t the homeless go live in Cavan or Roscommon?? Beggars can’t be choosers!
Because Diarmuid, these people have lived in that area all their lives or all their supports are there blah blah blah etc. I don’t understand why it is ok for people to move from the likes of roscommon to Dublin for a job but some people on social housing refuse to move outside of Dublin city. Why are homeless/long term unemployed being given flats/houses in the most expensive part of the country?
Coming from a person that moved from Roscommon to Dublin for work I agree with everything you said there Catherine. I have moved further away from Dublin to get work too.
From looking at the overheard photo it would seem there are plenty of green areas for kids to play. Looks like a non issue to me.
You’re not from around there. It is the only park to play in for Moorfield, Woodavens and Ronanstown. The fields adjacent to that are not safe for childrens access. They should build on those but I don’t think the council own those lands. Every green space in that area is being taken up by houses. Where are kids meant to play? Government are always banging on about children getting out more, get away from the Xbox, play more active games. How can this be achieved when they’re building houses on every patch of grass? I spent years playing in that field, it’s a disgraceful decision. Nearest park is Collinstown but you can’t expect kids to travel that distance every time they want a game of football or to climb a tree. I hope this project is binned.
How the hell are these fields not safe for children’s access? Are they mined or something?
There is a massive need to extra council housing, where is it supposed to go except on council land? It seems they’ve made provisions for a playground in their plans which is a decent compromise.
You can’t expect children to walk 10 minutes (at the most as most houses are to the right of Letts Field) to Collinstown park? Or 10 mins to Ballyowen Park or 10 mins to Rowlagh park? Of course you can. To claim otherwise is nonsense.
Super! Three red thumbs for pointing out there are two parks within 10 min walk of the area in question.
Have you actually visited these fields Doc?? I spent 25 years in that area, trust me, you would not let your kids play out in those fields to the left on the map. One small playground provisioned for an entire community? Brilliant. That’s everything sorted.
Yeah, I have. And there are three parks within 10 min walking distance (less on a bike which most children have) of Letts Field and a huge need for additional housing in the area.
Also, define “entire community”… children over the age of 12 or so won’t be using the playground for it’s swings.
Any kids yourself Manford?
Let the Government take the waste land belonging to developers waiting for the price to hit the roof before they start to build
It’s the old story. Everyone wants more houses built but not on their doorstep. A hospital is not fit for purpose but try closing it n it’s Armageddon from the locals ?????
Goverment doing a bit , houses needed , people with houses objecting , stop moaning
Why not redo the delerict buildings inside the city?? (Chapelizod main st, Benurb st on the Red Luas, Poplar Row st in Fairview has council building and at least 3 of them have broken windows with pigeons flying in and out…). There is lots of empty buildings already in the city!
Take a good look at North Dublin, especially the areas close to and in the North Inner City and see huge brown field areas ready for redevelopment. A hundred thousand new houses could be built in North Dublin, once the run-down buildings littering the area are levelled.
There is no need whatsoever to develop any greenfield area of Dublin for housing, this land should preserved at all costs as once it is lost, it is never coming back.
Firstly SDCC is responsible for housing in their area, are any of the sites you mention in the area serviced by SDCC? Is it council owned land? If not then they’re going to have to buy the land from whoever owns it so along with the cost of building new units they’ll also have to shell out millions buying the land… money which they don’t have.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t
Ask Ms Halpin if part of corcaigh pk should be used instead?! Its a massive recreational space which is well maintained in Clondalkin. There are plenty of green areas nearby but maybe the kids would have to walk further to get to them!
It’s on the other side of Clondalkin so can’t see that being looked at either. Great park though.
I live in the area, build the houses. How do you expect to house people if you don’t build houses?
From looking at the aerial photo, seems that they join up the green areas and build the houses below the school as a sensible compromise.
The aerial photo is misleading. Until you’re actually in the area you can’t get a proper understanding of the layout. All that greenery to the left is privately owned and is not suitable for everyday use by kids. Trust me on that. The only patch is the one highlighted. There is absolutely nothing else is the immediate vicinity for kids. The big green patch lower down is Coolevin House. A private house with private land. The houses next to that were all thrown in there over the last 10 years. Another huge chunk of play area gone.
There are three parks (Collinstown, Rowlagh and Ballyowen) within 10 min walk of the land in question.
I know where the parks are. I’m talking about letting my child go out for a game of football. You think it’s ok for them to walk to Ballyowen and Rowlagh? Or walk to Collinstown through housing estates on their own? Get real. Why don’t they build houses on Rowlagh green then? Do away with all play areas sure. Think this housing crisis is going away? Think again.
Hysterical nonsense.
Firstly, If your children are too young to be outside unaccompanied then it doesn’t matter if they are 2 mins away or 10 mins away, you should be with them.
Secondly, nobody is suggesting the council ” do away with all play areas”, they have specifically provisioned for a playground on the site along with the new houses.
All people do is drink and light fires there anyway, may as well use the land for something useful
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