Category: Council, Planning and Utilities

In January 2022, Balally Residents submitted an observation to An Bord Pleanala regarding Marmalade Lane Strategic Housing Development. This was mentioned in the Irish Times on 04 February along with the objections of other residents associations in the local area. Here’s the details of our submission.

• The scale and size of this proposed 10 storey development of 531 buy to rent flats (which is taller and of greater density than previously proposed) will without question have a negative impact on the value of all homes in the surrounding area due to issues relating to overlooking, overbearing height, and lack of facilities to cater for significant additional traffic volumes (including parking which is already an issue in the wider Dundrum area).
• The proposed no. of 531 units in this new application is an increase of 85 units to the existing permission of 446 units.
• The area is dominated by one/ two storey residential properties. 10 storey apartment blocks are not in keeping with the landscape of the area. The development will dominate all of the surrounding area.
• DLR sets a max height of 4 Storeys in suburban locations with an extra 2 being allowed given site-specific considerations: at 10 Storeys the height of the buildings exceed DLR County Development Plan by up to 4 storeys.
• The INST designation sets a maximum density of 50 units per hectare – this proposal is 152 units per hectare (net density of 179 uph per the developer). This density level is out keeping with other developments in the area.
• The INST designation requires that the open character of the land is preserved but the amount of land allocated to public open space by ABP decision 308157 is being reduced in this application, the proposal also requires building on land rezoned “F – to preserve and provide for open space” in the draft DLR County Development Plan. The plan proposes that Ballawley Park which is a PUBLIC park will one section subsumed into the development with existing mature trees and hedgerows removed. Any proposed new trees would take between 20 and 30 years to mature and provide camouflage. We strongly object to any portion of this public park being interfered with for a development such as this.
• Provision for cars spaces is completely inadequate: with only 171 allowed for (down from 278 in the previous proposal), this represents a ratio of 0.22 while the ratio required in the DLR County Development Plan for this development is an average ratio of 1.1 car spaces per apartment; this will most definitely lead to nuisance parking in surrounding estates. The road infrastructure in the area is already at capacity.
• 61% of the proposed apartments are 1 bedroom or studio and only 2% are 3 bedroom apartments. This contravenes both the current and draft DLR County Development Plans. The former only allows a max of 20% of one bed apartments in large developments while the latter requires that 20% of apartments have 3 bedrooms.
• In addition to all of the above we note that the placement of the planning notice in relation to this application WAS NOT adequate – see pictures below – the notice was placed strategically behind a tree – as opposed to being placed in a conspicuous place where it would be visible and legible.
• Balally Residents Association were very shocked to see the approval of the previous Marmalade Lane scheme (to which they also lodged an observation).
• Balally Residents Association consider this revised proposal is an even poorer scheme than previously granted and it continues to contravene DLRCC County Development Plan 2016-2022. It is also contrary to the draft DLR Development Plan 2022 – 2028 as it stands and should NOT be permitted for all of the reasons outlined above.

A message from Richard Nolan Civil Engineering about road works for ESB Networks from 4-15 March2019:

Dear Resident,

Please be advised that Richard Nolan Civil Engineering will be carrying out concrete reinstatement Works for the ESBN on Balally Drive commencing on the day of the 04/03/2019 for the 2 weeks. Works will resume outside the temporary reinstated patch. Works will be carried out between 9:30AM and 5PM. While these works are taking place some carparking spaces on the road will be taken up.

We would greatly appreciate your co-operation and patience during these essential works. Access and egress will be accommodated at all times. We would like to apologize for the inconvenience caused by our works and are eager to finish these works and leave the resident community in peace. 

Richard Nolan Civil Engineering intends to complete these works with minimum disruption to residents and road users. Arrangements can be made with on-site crew to facilitate and assist residents.  

Richard Nolan Civil Engineering would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused as a result of the works. If we may be of any assistance or you have any queries regarding the works, please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time either on site or by contacting the number below.

Richard Nolan Civil Engineering Ltd

01 4528850

RNCE Head Office

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are developing a Local Area Plan for Dundrum. It is currently at the pre-draft stage and some of the potential issues to be addressed are covered in the Issues Paper.

The Council are looking for interested groups or individuals to make suggestions or forward ideas to them in advance of the preparation of the draft plan. This must be done by 5pm on 14 December 2018, and can be done on their website.

The residents association will review the material and make a submission as appropriate, but we also encourage residents to submit individual submissions for any concerns that they may have.

You can find out more information about the plan and how you can influence the council at their information sessions in the Council Offices (Dundrum Office Park) on Tuesday 11 December from 3pm to 8pm.

Imagine Dundrum, a local group interested in ensuring the community-focused development of Dundrum, will also be making a submission on behalf of local residents. They are hosting an information session and looking for ideas for their submission on Wed Dec 5th in Holy Cross School at 7.30pm.

We have had a number of recent reports of inconsiderate parking in the estate.

How you can help

• Please think of your neighbours before you park and remind your visitors to park sensibly.
• Park so that there is space for other motorists to pass easily, and allow enough room for ambulances, fire brigades and bin trucks to get through.
• Avoid parking near corners or on double yellow lines which could impair visibility and lead to an accidents or injury.
• Report instances of illegal parking — contact the Council’s Parking Section on 01-2054884 or email parkingcontrol@dlrcoco.ie. Report driving hazards to Garda Traffic Watch on LoCall 1890-205805.
• Contact your local councillors directly to express concerns about parking, as the more voices they hear, the more likely they will do something about it. Contact details are available on our County Council and Utilities page.

What we are doing

• We are contacting all local councillors to request a review of traffic and parking in the estate to help alleviate some of the problems.

As you may have noticed there were water main repairs and upgrades taking place within the estate over recent months. While the majority of the repairs are now complete, the reinstatement of paths and verges still requires a lot of work, and have been like this for a considerable amount of time.

We have been in touch with both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and GMC, the contractors, to express our concern with the delays and quality of the work. DLRCC have given us assurances that they will work with their crews over the coming weeks to make all repairs necessary. We are especially aware of the need to do this right, as only last year the council had done a great job in upgrade works throughout the estate.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is introducing a special speed limit of a 30km/h in identified residential housing estates and local residential roads. Balally estate is on the list of roads that will have this change, and the council will introduce the new limits and alert signs in the coming weeks. See the Council’s page for more information. Gardai distributed this information leaflet during the week.

The Council have informed us that Irish Water will be performing upgrade works on a section of the water main on Balally Drive, from St. Olaf’s school up to the top of the road past Balally Hill, as shown in the image. If we hear any further details we will let you know.

An Bord Pleanála have advised of an order by their board to refuse planning permission for Stockwell on Sandyford Road.

An Bord Pleanála’s reasons and considerations this time mention having regard for the form, scale and layout of the development, the location next to lower scale detached dwellings, the loss of privacy for existing residents. and the fact that the proposed layout was planning for expansive parking and access roadways, with limited substandard qualitative functional open space . Their view was that this would give rise to a poor standard of development and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Here is Balally Residents Association’s recent correspondence about planning permission for the Stockwell site on Sandyford Road:

1. Letter to Residents on Sandyford Road re. Stockwell Application status along with instuctions on how to lodge an Observation with An Bord Pleanala
2. Letter to An Bord Pleanala from Balally Residents Association
3. Acknowledgement received from An Bord Pleanala

For a number of years the residents association have been negotiating with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to get single yellow lines on Balally Park to reduce congestion and dangerous parking. However, this has been unsuccessful based on the council’s policies.

This topic arose at the recent AGM and we would like to share a document that outlines the council’s response which continues to be their view. Also linked is our letter to nearby residents.

DLRCC Parking Response

Parking Letter to Residents