Phibsborough Update

14th May, 2010

phibsborough

Mater Hospital Redevelopment
Mater Hospital officials have been in discussions with Dublin City Council regarding plans for the new National Children’s Hospital on that site. Officials have also been liaising with local residents in relation to this project. Points raised include planning, traffic management plans for Eccles Street and local employment. I believe a planning application is due to be lodged with the City Council by the Autumn. An Environmental Impact Statement will accompany the planning application when it is submitted. Further information is due to provided to local Councillors in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated of developments in relation to this proposal.

Draft Dublin City Development Plan – Update
Councillors Mary O’Shea, Ray McAdam and I organised a public meeting two months ago to discuss the Draft Dublin City Development Plan. Various issues were raised including the potential increase in height of new buildings up to 16 stories, how the Phibsborough Local Area Plan would be incorporated into the draft plan and how the essential character of Phibsborough could be maintained. There is also a proposal in the plan to designate Great Western Square and District, Blessington Basin and surrounding streets and from St. Peter’s Church along the North Circular Road to the Berkeley Road junction as Architectural Conservation Areas.

The public consultation phase ended on March 12th and City Councillors will be provided with a report into the submissions received next week and will have an opportunity to amend the draft plan in July before the next round of public consultation takes place. If you have any questions about particular sections of the draft plan, please do not hesitate to contact either myself, Mary or Ray.

Grangegorman Development
The creation of a new campus for DIT on the Grangegorman site is a very exciting project and one of immense potential for our area. A decision on whether this plan will go ahead is ultimately one for Government. The Minister for Education has yet to agree with the Cabinet formal funding to move this full project forward. Meanwhile, planning permission was granted for the new mental health care facilities on site and work is expected to begin before the end of 2010. I will continue to question the Minister for Education at every opportunity on the progress of this project.

Quality Bus Corridors – Public Consultation
Many local residents expressed their opposition to the imposition of a Quality Bus Corridor on Berkeley Road prior to Christmas. Due to their opposition and the support of public representative this proposal was dropped. However, a number of concerned people spoke to me about the possibility of the new National Transport Authority (NTA) attempting to introduce such a plan in the future without any consultation with local residents.

I wrote to the NTA asking that whether local communities such as Phibsborough will have an opportunity to express their views on the necessity of such plans. The Chief Executive has informed me that responsibility will remain with Dublin City Council to ensure “appropriate public consultation” would take place prior to any decision to introduce a quality bus corridor in Phibsborough or any other part of the city. It is essential that local communities have an input into decisions that will affect them.

Anti-Social Behaviour
Problems occurred with anti-social behaviour along Royal Canal Bank and Blessington Street Basin where instances of drinking in public and harassing of local people have been taking place. There have also been difficulties in the Mount Bernard Park. The Gardai have been very active in dealing with this problem but it is important that a highly Garda presence is maintained in the area. I have raised these and other matters with our local station. If there are particular problems with anti-social behaviour in your area, please let me know and I will follow up on your behalf on local Community Gardai.