Grass reinstatement is very weather dependant. The weather over the past few weeks and months has hampered grass reinstatement right across the entire 40km pipeline route. If the weather can hold up, the Contractor has assured me that every effort will be made to progress seeding and grassing in about 2 weeks time.

The trees which were removed will be reinstated or replaced, as appropriate, in conjunction with Parks Dept. This has already been agreed and the Residents Association is fully aware of this.

The concrete square is an access cover to an underground chamber. SDCC have a contract with Pierse Contracting to undertake the Boherboy Water Supply Scheme contract works. As part of that, a variety of chambers are to be constructed along the entire 40km pipeline route which stretches from Newcastle to Rathfarnham. When the entire scheme is handed over to SDCC, these chambers will require immediate access by SDCC Maintenance personnel in the future to deal with routine
maintenance and indeed emergencies as and when they arise.
If this access cover were to be grassed, it would then have to be reinstated on each occasion it was removed to allow for remedial works. Maintenance costs would significantly increase and potentially fail to provide value for money, which is of paramount concern to all in the current economic climate.

The size of the particular chamber, in the context of the whole green space is extremely small.

Furthermore, its location was chosen to accommodate the amended pipeline route which was altered in order to maximize the number of retained trees adjacent to Stocking Lane at the specific request of the Residents Association and retain the screen effect so provided by the tree cover to residents and also to minimize
recreational impact in the green space itself.

Road reinstatement will comply with the requirements of SDCC Roads Maintenance Specification. This work will commence within the next few weeks upon completion of other extensive road reinstatement elsewhere along the project route.

Work on the pipe laying in the estate was continuous throughout without any time gap or site absence. Following pipe laying, chamber construction progressed. Perhaps, residents may consider the time gap between the main works and the reinstatement as a delay. As already stated, the weather has disrupted grass reinstatement and road reinstatement is only carried out after the pipe has been tested successfully and an adequate period of time has elapsed to allow for
pipe trench backfill material to settle. Premature reinstatement will only necessitate further road repairs later and residents would surely preferthis work be done just once.

Signage stating the contractors name has always been affixed to the fencing. This should be visible. However, the Contractor will be asked again to erect additional such signage.

Finally and separately, whilst the work in most of the estate is now substantially complete, further works will be required at the Ownedoher end of the estate in the green space adjacent to the river where the pipeline crosses it before continuing along part of Edmonstown Rd. The timing of this work is such as to comply with the time constraints imposed by the Eastern Fisheries Board for working in salmomoid waters – May to September. We have no discretion on this time-frame. The
Contractor has 2 other river crossings to undertake before tackling the Owendoher river crossing

I have received numerous complaints from residents about a pothole in the middle of the road at prospect Avenue/Prospect Meadows.  I am delighted to be able to tell you that this pothole will be repaired by Pierce Contractors immediately.
I hope that I have covered all of the issues that residents raised with me in recent times.  Should you have any further matters that you wish raised please contact me by email or phone; contact details below.

I was informed that this request for tree planting along the green area beside the boundary wall to the M50, and to the side of 12 Orlagh Rise, will be considered for inclusion in the 2010 tree planting programme. It will be subject to the completion of the works associated with the Boherboy Water Supply Scheme and reinstatement of the area in order to avoid damage or disturbance to newly planted trees.

I also asked the Manager if the wall between the M50 and Orlagh Rise at the green area at side of house 12 Orlagh Rise could be rebuilt? The wall has a major crack and is a danger to the public and children playing there if it collapses

REPLY:

The wall will be examined and repaired as necessary.  This wall is a noise barrier and must be retained.  If cracks have appeared in it, it is undoubtedly a risk to children so I will continue to monitor this situation closely and ensure that the Council carries out remedial works to this wall as a matter of urgency.

I have followed up with the Council on several complaints received about the noise and disruption caused to residents due to construction works on the M50.

It was necessary (according to the Council) to remove the trees adjacent to 25 Orlagh Avenue and Orlagh Way to facilitate the construction of three new additional lanes (two westbound traffic lanes and the new M50 Southbound on ramp) at this location.

New landscaping will be provided for this area and will be Shrub Edge Planting in accordance with the contract requirements. The remaining trees, which are behind the existing noise barrier at the top of the existing slip road, will be retained.

Detailed design for the replacement noise barrier is in the process of completion and will consist of steel post and timber panelling construction and run approximately 1.5m from the face of the existing wall. It would start at the location of the original barrier, run west and tie back into the existing noise barrier, which is located in front of the trees to be retained. The top of the new barrier will be set at the same height at the original barrier and its two ends will be secured back to the block wall to prevent anti-social behaviour.  I hope that these changes will meet with the approval of residents and I am available at any time for discussion on this matter.

REPORT:
Following a recommendation from the Council’s Architectural Services Department that the Pearse Brothers Park and Palmer Park Estates be included in a refurbishment programme, the residents were consulted by way of survey carried out in 2006 to ascertain their views on how any refurbishment programme would proceed.  The residents indicated that their preference was to be rehoused locally when the existing units are being refurbished and accommodation within the proposed Glendoher and Kingston developments was identified for this purpose.

Due to the current financial situation, the Council is not in a position to progress the building of these units at this time. As a result, the refurbishment process has not moved forward.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government by way of Circular Letter N11/2008 requested that any submission for funding under the Remedial Works Scheme 2009 be submitted to the Department by the 31st October 2008. Because of the scarcity of funding available nationally under the Remedial Works Programme for 2009 and the uncertainity of when the proposed developments at Glendoher and Kingston would be finished, South Dublin County Council’s application focused on the continuation of existing refurbishment works in Cushlawn in Tallaght and in Shancastle and Greenfort in Clondalkin. The Council was informed by way of letter from the Department dated 10th February 2009, that approval in principle has been granted to the proposed refurbishment works in Cushlawn, Shancasstle and Greenfort.

The Council is still fully committed to refurbishing these flats and will prioritise it as soon as a funding source has been identified.  There are no plans to re-survey the residents in Pearse Brothers Park or Palmer Park about their preferences for any proposed refurbishment scheme at this time. It is considered that only when funding for such a refurbishment programme is available  would it be appropriate  to re-survey the residents.

REPORT:

Planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanala under reference PL06S.218839, Reg. Ref. SD06A/0360 on 05/02/07 for Permanent retention of a 20 metre high telecommunications support structure with 6 no. 0.3 metre diameter link dishes, 3 no. 0.6 metre diameter link dishes, 3 no. 1.9 metre high panel antenna and 6 no. 1.3 metre high pane antenna, erected on the structure; a 2.4 metre high security fence with access gate; 3 no. associated equipment shelters measuring approx. 0.8m2 each, 1 no. associated equipment shelter measuring approx 1.2m2, 4 no. associated equipment shelters measuring approx. 1m2 and 2 no. associated equipment shelters measuring 0.6m2 each and all associated site development works.  This development had temporary permission under Reg. Ref. S95A/0520, An Bord Pleanala Ref. PL 06S.098068 which lapsed on 15th May 2001.  

Chapter 12.10.1.iii  of the Development Plan 2004 -2010 states:-

A minimum distance of approximately 100 metres shall be provided between mobile communication masts/ antennae and residential areas/ schools/hospitals. This requirement shall not apply in the case of planning applications relating to sites where planning permission for such development has previously been granted.

The 100 metre limit therefore does not apply in this case.

“The provision of access facilities for the disabled -and the wheelchair bound in particular – to the upper floor of RSC was to have been included in a revised redevelopment scheme for the Shopping Centre by way of new lifts and possibly travelators .These have been included in our drawings and costings, but it would be unfair of me to hold out any prospect of an early implementation in the current economic climate.

We realise that this is disappointing news, particularly for our disabled and elderly customers and we share that disappointment.”

In the light of this unsatisfactory response, it would seem that there will be no improved access for the immediate future.  I will look into whether the owners can be pursued  from a planning perspective, on grounds of access and health and safety.             

REPLY:
The drainage maintenance crews will topsoil and reseed this green area beside 1C Glenvara Park within the next month.  The Parks Department will be asked to use the centre of the road when accessing and leaving the green area when cutting the grass.

The reply was as follows:

Following two surface water flooding incidents in August and September 2008 in Glenvara and Castlefield Estates, South Dublin County Council’s Drainage Maintenance Section carried out a thorough investigation of the 1,050mm culvert that carries the Ballycullen stream through both estates down to the Dodder River at the rear of Mount Carmel Park and into which all surface water from both estates drains.  Two buried and damaged manholes found in the green parkland area at the bottom of Glenvara Park were repaired, unblocked, and cleaned out and the inlet and outlet sewers were also cleaned out.  Additional gulleys were installed at the bottom of the cul de sac in Glenvara Park beside the green area to drain into the culvert.  Since this work was carried out, there have been no problems with the surface water system in either Glenvara or Castlefield Estates.

The flooding incident in early February 2009 related to the foul sewerage system.  In Glenvara and Castlefield Estates the main sewer comes from Hunterswood, Dal Riada, Woodstown Estates etc. through both Castlefield and Glenvara Estates and into the big trunk sewer, Dodder Valley Sewer, near the Dodder River.  Due to misconnections and infiltration of surface water into the foul sewerage system the foul system was at full capacity during the snowy weather in early February 2009 resulting in the sewerage backing up and blocking some of the smaller sewers which overflowed into gardens and roads.  Ongoing investigations are continuing to try and identify areas where surface water may be getting into the foul sewerage system upstream of both estates.