Latest news with #AreaPlan
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘A long time coming' - Belmayne residents welcome €13m for community facilities
Senior management at the council presented a detailed report at the North Central Area Committee meeting this week, outlining a multi-million-euro plan to deliver long-promised facilities, including a new library, sports amenities, a primary healthcare centre, community spaces, and a garda station. A dedicated local team will oversee the rollout of these projects, marking a significant step in addressing long-standing gaps in essential services. Michelle McGoldrick, a member of Belmayne Community Group, described the announcement as a 'huge step forward'. However, she stressed the need for further investment, estimating that an additional €40m is needed from central government to fully meet the scale of local demand. 'It's a great start, and we're delighted to see this commitment from DCC,' she said. 'But you're talking about an area with nearly 10,000 residential units and barely any community facilities. We've been advocating for over 14 years – this is just the beginning.' Rapid residential growth over the past two decades has transformed Belmayne and Clongriffin into one of Dublin's fastest-growing areas, with a young and diverse population of over 13,000 residents, 30pc of whom are under 19. However, key amenities like youth services, mental health supports, and sports facilities are either inadequate or non-existent. Promised facilities dating back to the 2012 Local Area Plan were never delivered, with some projects stalled or left incomplete after developers went bust and sites changed hands. 'When Belmayne was first built, they were supposed to put in a library at the corner of Main Street and Belmayne Avenue,' Ms McGoldrick said. 'But the builder went into NAMA, the building was sold on, and the space is still lying idle today. It could have been an ideal community hub.' The report also addresses long-standing challenges with private housing developments that have not met Dublin City Council's standards and remain outside the formal 'taking-in-charge' process. This has left roads and services in limbo, complicating service delivery and community planning. 'Many estates here were fast-tracked through An Bord Pleanála with promises of crèche spaces and amenities that never materialized,' Ms McGoldrick said. According to the report presented to councillors, one small room in a local school currently serves as the only dedicated youth space Plans in the report include a Primary Care Centre and a new garda station at Belcamp Lane, developed in partnership with the HSE and OPW to address critical healthcare and policing needs. A flagship public library is also planned as part of a new urban square in Belmayne, with temporary library facilities proposed to serve the community in the interim. Sports and recreation amenities are also a priority, with DCC collaborating with Fingal County Council to develop new playing pitches and an indoor sports centre to meet the needs of the area's youthful population. Upgrades to Father Collins Park are planned, potentially including a café, market, and public art installations. Ms McGoldrick praised the increased engagement and responsiveness from the council's senior management in recent years. 'They've really taken what we've been saying on board. It's great to finally see this level of commitment," she said. 'Now we need central government to step up and put their hands in their pockets. This is 20 years of neglect we're trying to fix.' In a statement, Belmayne Community Group thanked local representatives for 'putting political differences aside' to advance the project and urged continued pressure on all stakeholders to secure the remaining funding. 'We have waited way too long already. This is a welcome official start, but we need to make sure it's not delayed, and that it delivers everything our growing community desperately needs,' they added.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council denies annexation request
GREENSBURG – The voluntary annexation of the property at 1200 S. 60 E., adjacent to St. Mary's School on Millhousen Road and owned by Christian and Karen Rust, was again the topic of a public hearing and a vote at Tuesday's meeting of the Greensburg City Council. Before the public statement portion of the hearing began, city attorney Christopher Stephen explained the nature of voluntary annexation of a territory and the legal ramifications of such a move. Stephen clarified that the hearing was to receive input on whether or not the approximately 12 acres owned by the Rusts should be annexed, and not on the requested rezoning of the property. After a question from Councilor Darrell Poling, Stephen recommended a vote be taken on first reading with the understanding that the proposed ordinance might change, depending on the proposed zoning recommendation determined next month at the March meeting of the Greensburg Area Plan Commission. Stephen asked the audience to limit their comments to points that were relevant to annexation only. The Rusts were represented by attorney Matt Giffin from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Indianapolis and he spoke first. Giffin explained that under the law the only real issues were if the property was contiguous to Greensburg and if the requested R4 zoning classification for the property was appropriate. He explained that the Rusts wanted to develop the property to be of value to the city of Greensburg, but to do that the property would have to be zoned in a way that would benefit the Rusts ideas for development. Giffin assured the assemblage that the Rusts do not intend to use the property for multi-family housing nor for manufactured housing, but for a senior housing community much like Crowne Point Senior Living Community, which is also zoned R4. Giffin addressed a few of the public concerns that arose from last week's Area Plan meeting, saying that the construction of such a facility would only result in a minor increase of traffic. He also said providing police and fire service and capital services like street construction would only result in a 'marginal cost' to the city. Giffin cited studies that indicated the proposed senior living facility did not promote an increase in crime nor have a negative effect on adjacent property values. He also said the facility was consistent with the city's comprehensive plan. 'We urge the council on the first reading tonight and eventually on the second reading to approve this annexation and zone the property that makes future development possible,' Giffin said. Eleven members of the public spoke against the annexation and zoning change, citing issues like increased traffic on Millhousen Road, safety for the children at St. Mary's, the changing of the area's aesthetics with the addition of such a facility, and lowered property values. It should be noted that additional seating was necessary to accommodate attendance for the meeting, with several city officials standing along the walls during the proceedings. The public hearing was closed after approximately 35 minutes of testimony. During the meeting portion of the gathering, Greensburg Building Commissioner Sarah Hamer addressed the irregular order of the proceeding, acknowledging that the annexation should have been confirmed before the zoning ordinance was voted on. Lengthy discussion ensued between council members and Stephen, clarifying the irregular order of the proceedings. Stephen again clarified that any vote was strictly regarding the annexation of the property in question, and that the zoning classification would not be known until the second reading at next month's council meeting. A roll call vote was eventually taken, with councilors Jamie Cain and Darrell Poling voting to annex the property and councilors Mark Carmen, Kevin Fleetwood, Dr. Rodney King, Darrell Tressler and McKenzie voting not to annex. The ordinance failed on the first reading by the city council.
