A Chara,
Thank you for your recent consultation. daa (head office, Dublin Airport) would have no comment to make.
Kind regards,
Louise Byrne
Planner, Infrastructure, Dublin Airport
A Chara,
Thank you for your recent consultation. daa (head office, Dublin Airport) would have no comment to make.
Kind regards,
Louise Byrne
Planner, Infrastructure, Dublin Airport
Please see a submission from Geological Survey Ireland.
I welcome the broad level thinking that this development plan is seeking. The proposed NIRR has been rejected - as per the Naas Municpal District Council Meeting in 2019, and subseqently confirmed in Dail proceedings by Bernard Durkan as well as confirmed in subsequent NMD council meetings (see council meeting minutes 2021). It is now time for future development plans to incorporate an outer orbital route for Naas to support sustainable mobility. A proper outer orbital route will significantly address community mobility needs in the Naas environment.
There are currently proposals and consultations going on to put wind turbines on the bogs. There needs to be a county wide strategy for wind energy so that we don't end up with too dense a wind farm and have reduced biodiversity in these areas. Please consider the balance that is needed between creating wind power and biodiversity. I'm in favour of wind power and the use of these rewetted peatlands being used for them, however there needs to be a balanced approach and wider county and or national strategy around this.
I would like to propose a bus stop at North Kildare Sports Club. This could facilitate those coming from Maynooth and Kilcock in particular as well as further afield from visiting teams.
People travelling for sport often have kit bags which often mean it makes it very difficult for them to walk or cycle with them.
I think all sports clubs in Kildare should be looked at plans put in plans to increase modes of transport to them. These are incredible local amenities that often don't have good parking. We should encourage people walking, cycling and taking buses or trains to their sports club. Visiting teams as well as local members.
The Curragh is an area of historical and ecological importance, and it is an important amenity for people in Kildare town, Newbridge, Kilcullen, Athgarvan etc. Populations in all these towns are rising and the Curragh is being used more than ever.
Can consideration be provided in the Development plan for
- preservation of the Curragh and having its designation changed so that it is afforded protections in law
- management and maintenance plan for this important public amenity - Curragh ranger/ litter wardens
- planning for population growth and increased usage - ie provision of dedicated hard standing parking areas
- maintenance of fencing and building in the Curragh camp area which are currently falling into a very bad state of repair
A public consultation process have started regarding the location of a new Liffey bridge to solve the Celbridge traffic congestion. However, is the proper question not how to solve the Celbridge traffic congestion? What about better public transport, eg a regular, free and reliable shuttle bus to Louisa Bridge and Hazelhatch stations through Celbridge? This should expand the existing free shuttle bus and Intel services, and also provide a shortcut between the Irish Rail services Cork to Sligo. This option should be quicker, cheaper, easier and more sustainable, than the proposed new bridge that would encourage more private car use. And it is available straight away.
Dear KCC,
We would grately appreciate that when the Health Check etc of Sallins Village is underway, that Residents Car Parking & Sewerage Issues (pipework) are placed on the agenda, and that we as residents who live in the heart of the village or our local representative Councillor Carmel Kelly are notified regarding all proposals prior to implementation. We aren't sure how the process works as this is our first submission so any guidance would be welcomed. While we (SRA) are all very excited by new projects such as the greenway, motorway & new proposals and while we embrace and welcome change, because of the impact certain proposed projects may have on us directly as residents, we would certainly like to be involved directly to have our say regarding the village centre. The residents association is made up of locals living & breathing in the immediate area so we definitely do not wish to miss out on having our say and our ideas put forward. Kind regards from Sallins Residents Association
Submission on the Issues Paper on behalf of the members of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly
I would like to see KCC develop a plan for the provision of public parks in the county, particularly to service the large towns in our county. Covid has put into focus what outdoor amenities are on our doorstep and I have found my local area to be quite lacking in this regard. The only spaces are narrow canal paths or a running track. I previously lived in an area in Dublin where there were 2 regional parks and a neighbourhood park within my 5km. The towns in North Kildare are growing particularly fast with not enough suitable outdoor space within 5km of peoples homes. Even after covid, to have these amenities within or closer to towns means less cars on the road as people would be more likely to walk to and from them. Thank you.
With all due respect, but it is totally unacceptable, that 80 years after the Liffey Reservoir Act1936 and the harnessing of the Liffey at Poulaphouca and Golden Falls, Ballymore Eustace, Kildare County Council cannot provide an up to date inteactive map showing the changes due to the Liffey Scheme. The proposed County Development 2023- 2029, to be effective, has to be based, at least, on accurate information.
As may be seen from my submission below this lack of awareness of the changes due to the Liffey Scheme 80 years ago has had serious consequences for health and the water quality in Golden Falls Lake, Co. Kildare.
“How can we protect and enhance the quality of our built and natural environment to enable a more active, healthier lifestyle?”
"How can we effectively address the Climate Change Crisis and the Biodiversity Crisis, through the Development Plan process?"
Upper_Liffey_Report_Final_Rev1_Final_09122009
"Kildare County Council investigated the water quality of the Lower Liffey River and its tributaries (Figure 6.9). The stream flowing through Blessington was also sampled at one location (Figure 6.12 & 6.14). All samples taken by Kildare County Council were analysed by Bord Na Mona laboratory. Samples were analysed for phosphorus and ammonia and did not indicate nutrient pollution.
In order to assess the effect of the discharge coming from Blessington WwTP, the Lower Liffey River was sampled at three locations (Figure 6.9).
At the Pollaphuca Dam, upstream of the discharge (point 621);
Two times, at different locations, downstream of the discharge just before the River Liffey enters the Golden falls Reservoir (point 619 & 620);" (My underlining and bold) [See attachment 'Upper Liffey Report' and photo attachment of Poulaphouca Dam, Poulaphouca Power Station and Golden Falls Lake]
Comment: Totally inaccurate, there is normally no river flowing into Golden Falls Lake.
"What are the main environmental issues that currently face the county"
The Plans and POMs of the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) were finalised in October 2009.
Comment: The aluminium concentration no longer stays under 0.2mg Al/L
Comment: Not true. As stated above approx. 3.7 tonnes of the sludge per month are washed down the slipway discharge to the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace.
Dublin City Council/Irish Water obtained planning permission for a new sludge treatment plant at the WTP from Kildare County Council and An Bord Pleanala (Reg. Ref. 08/520, ABP decision PL09.229575).
“PL 09.229575 - Condition No 8
a) Comprehensive monitoring arrangements relating to the volume and quality of the treated filtrate and supernatant wastewater discharges to the River Liffey shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the planning authority prior to the commencement of development. In this regard, the process wastewater shall be treated to ensure compliance with the parameter limits which shall be specified by the planning authority having regard to the River Liffey Catchment Management Plan under the Water Framework Directive.
b) The agreed monitoring regime shall provide for sampling, at regular, specified, intervals of the following:
i. Supernatant from the sludge thickening tanks
ii. Spillway contents, including the combined filtrate, supernatant, washwater and surface water from the plant, prior to discharge.
iii. Water in the Golden Falls Reservoir, upstream of the spillway discharge from the plant.
iv. Water in the River Liffey, downstream of the spillway discharge from the plant.
c) The physic/chemical parameters to be monitored shall include the following: Colour, Turbidity, Aluminium, Suspended Solids and pH
d) The data generated from this sampling/monitoring regime shall be forwarded to the planning authority at regular, specified intervals and shall be made available for public inspection
Reason: In order to protect the quality of the water in the River Liffey in the interest of public health and recreational amenity, including angling.”
The “maximum discharge through the spillway from process” was set at "3697m3/day." (See attached photo of screenshot from planning file)
Yet Irish Water are now discharging up to 4 times that amount through the spillway to the Liffey. (See attached screenshot for spillway discharge August 2020, from planning file.)
“Filamentous algae such as Cladophora and mat-forming Phormidium were apparent in moderate abundance but perhaps not as abundant as in previous years when the ESB were not releasing as much water as in 2017. The abundance of Filamentous algae in rivers is controlled to a certain extent by flow velocities. Long periods of low flow velocities will tend to allow for relatively abundant growths to occur, assuming that there are sufficient nutrients to drive production.
Cladophora is normally regarded as indicative of nutrient enrichment. Phormidium, on the other hand is commonly seen growing as a surface layer on organic ‘mats’. In the authors experience, these organic mats with accompanying Phormidium are associated with two main impacts
1. Forestry operations – where disturbance of the iron pan gives rise to coagulation/flocculation of organic matter into mats, often accompanied by musty smelling ‘geosmin’ compounds
2. Water treatment plant discharges containing coagulation/flocculation chemicals.”
(My underlining and bold) {See photos of filamentous algae pollution upstream of Ballymore Eustace Bridge}
Another Extract from Limnos Report:”At each of these discharge points, cloudy whitish-coloured deposits were noted on the substratum of the Liffey immediately downstream of the confluence of these tributaries. Significant turbidity was also noted streaming along the right-hand side of the channel. The largest tributary observed during the survey (Discharge A in Fig. 2, closest to Golden Falls) is approximately 750 m upstream of Ballymore Bridge. At the discharge points of each of these streams a significant floc was observed and the substratum was coated in a white silty deposit. In the case of the largest Discharge A, the floc was some 10 to 15 cm in depth. The photographs shown in Fig. 3 illustrate the siltation observed near the right bank of the River Liffey at these discharge points.” (My underlining and bold)
Comment:The largest Discharge A is the discharge from the WTP/Sludge Treatment Plant.
Extract from “Biodiversity assessment of the River Liffey, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare” Triturus Environmental Services for Ballymore Eustace Trout and Salmon Anglers’ Association December 2018
“Numbers of brown trout were unusually low throughout the study area (just 12 overall across four sites) with a lack of intermediate sizes and age classes – fish were either small juveniles or large adults. This unusual age class assemblage may point to issues regarding water quality (poor survival, reduced egg hatching etc.) but also the difficulty trout have in comparison to salmon in navigating faster flows (Armstrong et al., 2003), such as those typically experienced in the Liffey. Incidentally, a similar pattern of fish distribution (i.e. more salmon than trout) was noted by Inland Fisheries Ireland during an electro-fishing survey of the Liffey near Ballymore Eustace in 2015 (IFI unpublished data). ”
Comment: Very few spawning salmon now return to the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace, so the fact that more juvenile salmon than trout are present, points to something seriously wrong with the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace. (Angling for salmon on the Liffey is now prohibited by bye-law, due to the low number of salmon returning to the Liffey.)
Extract from the EPA "EPA STRIVE Programme 2007–2013 Environmental Technology:
Development of an Alum Sludge-Based Constructed Wetland System for Improving Organic Matter and Nutrients Removal in High-Strength Wastewater (2005-ET-MS-38-M3)"
A couple of extracts from Strive Report
8.2.1 Aluminium Concentration in Regulations
"Several regulations have been promulgated in relation to Al concentrations in drinking waters and effluents for discharge. In Ireland and the UK, the prescribed limit for Al discharge into all waters is 0.2 mg/L (Council Directive 98/83/EC, 1998)".
Comment: The limit for Al discharge from the Ballymore Eustace WTP to the Liffey is set at 6 mg/l, 30 times the prescribed limit.
Also:
"8.4 Polymer Monitoring and its Possible Release from the Alum Sludge
Polymers or polyelectrolytes consist of simple monomers that are polymerised into high-molecular weight substances with molecular weights varying from 104 to 106 Daltons. Although such organic polymers are specifically manufactured for the water industry, the monomers used in the manufacture of many polyelectrolytes are toxic. Their global usage, particularly as a flocculant aid in conjunction with a metal salt coagulant during drinking water treatment processes, and also in sludge conditioning/flocculation, has raised increased concerns about the impacts of the polymer residuals in the surrounding environment when the dewatered sludge is recycled/reused or landfilled. Specific long-term effects of the polymer residual on aquatic organisms, human health and the biota when the sludge is disposed of are still relatively unknown.”
(My underlining)
8.4.1 Concerns of Organic Polymers: Mini Review
"A review of polymers used in the water industry was given by Bolto and Gregory (2007). Unfortunately, techniques for appropriate monitoring of the polymer residual are lacking (Zhao et al., 2008b). This implies that the polymer residual in the water treatment and sludge conditioning processes is substantially unknown although the amount of the polymer addition is accurately known. Furthermore, information on the fate of the added polymers in water and sludge treatment is lacking. It has been noted that the use of polyelectrolytes in Japan and Switzerland is not permitted in the treatment of drinking water, while Germany and France have set a strict limit for such use (Bolto and Gregory, 2007). Therefore, new concepts and principles for sludge conditioning/ treatment in line with sustainable development remain a significant challenge to engineers and scientists." --- (My underlining)
Since the old sludge holding lagoons at the WTP were never cleaned out, we now have an unauthorised sludge holding landfill on the bank of the Liffey, Ballymore Eustace.
If the proposed Kildare County Development Plan 2023 -2029 is to be serious about water quality it must address the discharge from Irish Water’s WTP into the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace.
Again, what a shame, as soon as the Liffey enters County Kildare it is allowed become polluted destroying its aesthetic, recreational, biodiversity and fishery value to the people of County Kildare.
"How can natural heritage and biodiversity be enhanced?"
By ensuring that all staff are familiar with how the Liffey Scheme of the 1940's operates and by ensuring that all maps are upgraded to take effect of the Liffey Scheme.
By ensuring that Lakes and Rivers in County Kildare are not allowed become polluted by strictly enforcing all anti pollution laws and planning permission conditions.
By ensuring that planning permissions involving discharges to waters are based on facts.
Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
"What can the Plan do to support tourism in Co Kildare? Are there areas that have the potential to be developed for tourism and recreational purposes?"
The Kildare County Development Plan 2023 -2029 must take urgent action to prevent the aesthetic value, tourism and recreational potential of Golden Falls Lake and the River Liffey flowing through County Kildare, being wiped out by Irish Water discharges.
P.S. The interactive map wouldn't allow me put in Poulaphouca Hydro Stn, Golden Falls Lake or get rid of a river flowing out of Poulaphouca Dam
best of luck with new plan.........hope some real work will happen in north kildare, real soon...........celbridge, traffic is a joke for 20 years, due to poor planning from kcc and bord pleanala..............liffey crossings badly needed.........real bridge at present location, go from 2 narrow lanes to four lanes, with proper footpaths/boardwalks......cycle lanes and new pedestrian crossings at better locations with proper sightlines....................plus new ring road required for large town asap..........from lucan road all the way to clane road and on to galway road..............town of 25,000 plus deserves this............ambulance and fire brigade station badly needed for huge town........swimming pool needed for north kildare asap................no theatre in celbridge...........new modern gym with all proper facilities badly required...............schools at least 3 new schools now required. hearing they may go on old lucan road, near tesco lite or near supervalu......................too many plans and investigations seem to arrive in north kildare.but we are low on real action............jaw jaw.............but no diggers....................some public car parks required in celbridge close to main st.........inside castletown gates if serious about tourism..............rear of parish priests house, rear of st brigids school, near church.........? maybe footbridges into donaghcumper estate and some car parks over there, linking into main st..........asap............town not doing well in last 5 to 10 years...do kcc care?? must be losing lots of commercial rates.............too many houses/apts. but not enough infrastructure.............................. water problems. wastewater problems...............sewage flowing along main st ,from mill complex area, all the way down to bank of ireland,.and on to river liffey, not a good look in recent years.............must be sorted asap................confey needs new bridge at railway station plus large car park and possible link road towards intel and galway road..........asap.................ardclough needs serious works on all narrow bridges in the area.......and car parks for persons using canal for walks/................too many traffic lights in maynooth town and area. replace with roundabouts.........get ring roads done and dusted in maynooth asap............ maynooth is as bad as celbridge to try and get tro...........wonder why??? just outside county boundaries some brutal and dangerous junctions, on newcastle road as u go to peamount.very dangerous junction, close to concast factory...........needs work and possible roundabout.................similar where confey road meets lucan clonee road..very ugly and dangerous...........need to talk to county county councils in both areas to sort out...............asap.......................north kildare needs emergency fund of around 500 million to do all these works and more to bring noth kildare up to standards of around 2000...........even if 20 years late would be welcome.............need to base serious team of engineers and planners in north kildare for 5 years and most impotantly do the works, we have all the plans and studies.now need some action................more public parks required all over north kildare..............love the park in alymer park in naas.please copy all over north kildare...........thank you and good luck..............
Please refer to attached submission letter relating to a range of themes.
LOOKING TO GET LAND ZONED FOR HOUSES AND ALSO LAND FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR PITCH FOR SCHOOL
OPW Observations attached in submission.
The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) welcomes the opportunity to input into this consultation on the Pre-Draft Stage of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029. The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) promotes policy changes that reduce premature death and disability from cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Under the Government’s 2013 health and wellbeing framework – Healthy Ireland – planning authorities have a responsibility to promote healthy communities and, as such, the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 should focus strongly on this.
The Irish Heart Foundation’s submission will focus on how the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 could be used to improve the public health of people living in the county and, in particular, to ensure that the entire population are healthy and active.
Demographic trends show that County Kildare has the 5th highest population in the State and the highest percentage rate of 0–24-year-olds. The fact that Kildare has a young population, and that the County's population is increasing at a rate higher than the national average indicates the importance of this plan going forward.
Closely related to this point is the recognition that these demographic pressures will require a planning response to ensure positive health outcomes for older people, for children, families and young people and to support the integration of migrants and address social exclusion and inclusion. Indeed, prioritising design that enables all people, regardless of socioeconomic status, age, or other characteristics, to be routinely active in their daily lives is therefore of vital importance for their health.
The Irish Heart Foundation acknowledges the statement on page 3 that “the County Development Plan seeks to promote a series of policies and objectives throughout that will ameliorate the effects of climate change and introduce resilience to its effects.” We are in the middle of a climate emergency that is affecting our health. Climate Action, and associated moves to become a low carbon society, are inextricably linked with health outcomes. We cannot divorce the two and, without decisive action, climate change will have profound impacts on the health and well-being of our people, and on our critical infrastructure. We must take advantage of this suitable moment and act to further strengthen the links between planning and health to enable more healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities.
In this submission, we advocate strongly that the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 has at its core the concept of Upstream intervention; the idea of taking preventive actions that would steer away from potential detrimental health effects such as chronic diseases, injuries, and premature death. In terms of planning, this facilitates people staying physically active, eating healthy foods, drinking clean water and breathing clean air.
This submission firstly discusses why the IHF supports specific public health objectives within County Development Plans. Using the themes and questions, outlined in the issues paper, it looks at how health objectives are critical for the strategic objectives. Secondly, it makes 6 specific thematic recommendations for inclusion in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029.
County Development Plan as it pertains to TII Infrastructure
straffan afc is looking to have a permanent home for its sporting facilities in the area of Straffan.our club currently has 200 members but this will expand significantly with the introduction of 2 new large housing developments.The area has been subject to continous development over the past numbers of years.This has been a positve step for the community of straffan.However there has been no funding or allocated space for recreational facilities for clubs such as straffan afc.we are requesting to be included in the planning phase for the next development plan for straffan, as we are an integral part of the community since 1978.our requirement is for a space for a community facility of 5 acres to encorporate a community playgorund/recreational facility and our soccer club.This would greatly enhance the area and provide much needed facilities for all residents in straffan.We have a development committe within the club that are both organised and prepared to work with closely our local council to bring this project to fruition.
kind regards
Maurice Friel
Chairman on behalf of Straffan AFC
The science is clear: the biodiversity crisis, the climate crisis and the health crisis areinterdependent. Never has this been more apparent for all citizens than the past 12 months. But just as crisis are linked so are the solutions. Nature based solutions bring multipe benefits. They empower people and communities and increase resilience, the can imrove human physical and mental health, they can also provide job opportunities and business opportunities. The pandemic has changed the way that people work, the commute into Dublin is not so necessary anymore making Kildare town even more attractive place to leave. We cannot upset the balance between nature and people by squeezing nature to allow for more houseing development. Nature is an ally in the struggle with climate change. The transformative change needed to protect our planet must have local communities at its centre. Nature and the ecosystems they provide are known to postively impace people's health and we require innovative strategies to support healthy, sustainable towns now and into the future. I was delighted to see that Kildare had signed up to the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. Now is the time to build upon this which is why I think using the land from Wavertree to M7 as a flowering meadow, with insect hotels and ponds for pollinators makes sense. If space allowed there could also be community gardens for growing fruit and vegetables. Mobilsing citizens of Kildare to engage in citizen science projects linked to the meadow provides a great platform to engage with citizens of all ages. They can see for themselves the difference a pollinator meadow can make to pollinator numbers. Local schools can visit the meadow as part of science projects. There are numerous possibilites with a bit of creative planning.
The Environment Health Submission is attached.
To who it concerns
Kildare is the next county border to the biggest population area on this island – Dublin
One of the busiest roads in the country is the M7 / N7 that goes through the center of Kildare country
The Logistic Centre in Ireland is Dublin based and is M50 / N7 Centric in Country Dublin
Kildare is in the position to help / get some of the benefit from this by its proximity to these centers that are economic heart of Dublin and Ireland
Kildare County Council has upgraded the N7/M7 over the last few years to help manage the traffic that comes about because of these industries/ areas of excellence but should be doing more to have some of these industries - Note the traffic is going through county Kildare anyway so the county can get a bigger economic benefit from it without the need of doing a lot to capture it as it is passing by every day.
Kildare County Council needs to get more benefit from these arterial roadways for the economic benefit of the county
Where these logistic centers go others business will follow as one attracts the other. With this you will also get organic growth from these industries as they are a heartbeat of the country. - This has happened and is happening on the N7 in Co Dublin just 5km to 10km further up the road towards Dublin city
With Brexit all is changed –Before Brexit companies services their customers in Ireland from Logistic / Distribution similar centers in the UK – this model no longer works because of all the changes Brexit brings to the Industry. This now has to be done from logistic/ distribution centers in Ireland. With COVID and the new world we are now living in this process has got another boost.
With these centers come jobs in the form of Warehouse personnel, truck drivers, van drivers, office personnel, maintenance personnel, customs clearance agents, junior and senior management etc.
From and IT point of view these industries bring world class systems and equipment to the county and the investment is huge per employee
Naas is the center of the county but servicing the economic areas of Dublin from a logistics point of view is a little bit too far with regards to time and distance but areas of the county Kildare that border Dublin on the main arterial roads to Dublin should be used to develop these “Logistic areas of excellence hence why the area around Junction 6 N7 should be looked at. There are some industries in this area but it needs to be “encouraged” to develop better for everyone’s needs
Yes, you also have “Tougher Industrial Estate” but again for a work time and tachograph point (driving time) of view is “too far away” from the economic heat of Dublin to get this benefit
Regards
Please see attached.
We request that Kildare County Council adopt a policy that allows for serviced sites in appropriate locations in towns and villages be granted planning permission for one off houses, regardless of the zoning of the land. This would allow for one off houses to be built on land within town and village boundaries that is currently zoned agricultural and compensate for the lack of one-off houses being granted in rural Kildare.
Department of Transport Submission
Dear Sir / Madam,
Please find attached Roadstone Ltd.’s submission in relation to the Kildare County Development Plan Issues Paper.
SLR Consulting Ireland acts as planning and environmental advisors to Roadstone Ltd., Fortunestown, Tallaght, Dublin 24. This submission relating to the Kildare County Development Plan Issues Paper has been prepared on their behalf.
An acknowledgment of receipt would be very much appreciated.
Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to revert back to me.
Regards,
Ciarán O’Sullivan
Dementia can be a hidden disability. Upgrading signage and future planning for dementia friendly signage to allow people with dementia to find their way around. This includes using contrasting colours, natural light and the use of pictures as well as words. An example see link https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementia-professionals/resources-professionals/resources-gps/dementia-friendly-signage
Finding solutions to the challenges faced by decision makers in Kildare
I am making this submission from the viewpoint of a tourist and a boater who spends considerable time every year on the Grand Canal and its environs in Kildare.
1. OVERVIEW √
The most challenging issues facing all of us in Ireland in the 2020s are:
• lack of housing of a suitable cost and size, for everyone
• people compelled to commute daily or move to cities for work
• climate change and its impact on every aspect of our lives
These three issues are intermingled and cannot be solved in isolation. The infrastructure required to allow people to live, work and play in and around small towns and villages, needs to be improved, to avoid the physical and mental problems of over-crowding and mass commuting, that in turn create the carbon we urgently need to quell.
Innovation and ‘joined up thinking’ is required, to look at things that are already there and put them to better use, in ways that are different to how we viewed them in the past. Creative answers to our problems that can provide housing, recreational areas, and at the same time attract money into rural economies, ought to be examined. At the same time, all our decisions and development plans must consider our environment, heritage and promote healthy lifestyles for everyone.
The submission continues in the document attached
The Kings Court Residents' Association (KCRA) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission at this, the early stage of the development of the Kildare County Council Development Plan. It is with dismay however that recent studies published by the council have seemingly ressurected the Naas Inner Relief Road (albeit with a different name - The Gallops Avenue). This route has been overwhelmingly rejected by the democratically elected leaders of our town and despite this democratic process having been concluded the route is still being planned for.
The KCRA submission in relation to this is attached.
Teach Tearmainn currently provide Refuge accomodation in County Kildare. Teach Tearmainn have capcaity for four families in our refuge service. The purpose of our Refuge is to provide emerncy crisis care accomodation to women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Accessing accomodation for women and children leaving abusive relationships can be extremly difficult. This can lead to women returning to their abusers or entering into homeless services in order to escape abuse in their homes.
To ensure that women who are fleeing domestic abuse can access supported accomodation for longer periods of time (following the crisis event for which they entered refuge for) Step Down Supported Accomodation is required. Step Down Supported accomodation will meet the needs of women and children experiencing domestic violence and anuse who require longer term accomodation but still require ongoing support from Teach Tearmainn (domestic violence support service). The Step Down Supported Accomodation will provide women and children with a safe space to live while healing from their expereiences of domestic violence and abuse. Having this Step Down Accomodation available will minimise the number of families entering and remaining in homeless services through Kildare County Council and ensure that families have safe move on options following their experiences of violence and abuse in their homes.
It is proposed that an outer Orbital Road Linking The Ball roundabout to Blessington Rd,should take the route between the Cemex site and Donnellys around the rear of Naas Industrial Estate and then around the back of Naas Racecourse to join with the Blessington Rd.
A one way system is proposed for Naas as per attached graphic.It is aimed at providing a solution to the severe congestion in Naas and to providing a larger open space in Poplar Sq. along with returning some parking spaces to the the square to facillitate persons who are not necessarily disabled but may not be in a position to walk from the car parks to access the doctor,chemist and other shops in the Poplar sq,Area.
The following list of Derelict Buildings should be rectified by KCC
Cemex site,Donnellys site,Jigginstown Castle(either refurbish or demolish) Market House,Potatoe Market,Rag Castle.
The rectification of these sites should enhance the Town and perhaps allow it to win a Majo Tidy Towns Award and also attract some tourists to Naas as Naas currently does NOT have a Tourist Attraction.
See attached Report
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30-year-old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
I think kildare co co, need a real swift roads and bridge policy for celbridge and north kildare, the population of all north kildare has jumped to new high figures over last 30 years but only minimium infrastructure came with large increase in population...this is a disgrace and reflects badly on executive of kcc in naas......all relevant tds and councillors who sat in control for all these years of neglect, we in celbridge have been on the receiving end of numerous reports, studies, traffic counts, feasibility studies, various promises, but very very little action. we need new wider bridges over liffey on main st, and a new ring road and new outer bridge on clane road, running to train station and onwards to old lucan rd, possibly parallel to existing loughlinstown rd,,,,,,running tro new ,or close to, new to housing developments as proposed under new lap as advertised, at other end we need new ring road section from st wolstans school over to salesians college on maynooth rd.........this would be a great help to main st celbridge and to all residents of celbridge as they go about their daily business, am aware plans in place for start of ring road ,,hazelhatch to clane road as we speak, 5 proposed routes, i think killadoon option is the best , away from st wolstans school by about 300 m, and not running to close to primary school and running track, this option runs all the way to train station and would be great start to real genuine ring road for the growing town, i am aware of 3000 proposed new units on maynooth rd, old lucan road, and ardclough rd.......we need 3 new schools asap on lucan rd, talked about for ten years, not fair on students, teachers or parents to be dealing in prefab schools in 2021,,,,,even if schools start this summer it would take two to three years to finish off. not good enough, old narrow bridge on main st is a joke amongst all residents now for 20 to 30 years,,,,,, rps did present nice working plan some years ago 2016 which would build a new parallel bridge to existing old bridge, giving all residents two lanes out of town and two new lanes into town......should work real well.......plus new footpaths, new cycle lanes, new mini roundabouts, new positioning for pedestrian crossings, better sightlines, plus close off newcastle road to reduce number of junctions at this dangerous point, know there is plan for footbridge from bank of ireland to abbey lodge pub, most welcome. to see large buses and trucks struggle on liffey bridge for years is a scandal and a new engineering solution has to be found urgently, some public car parks along main st celbridge would be nice, posible to place some in donaghcumper estate near new public park ? if one or two new pedestrain bridges were built would enhance public realm and should increase life back on main st , and new areas proposed close to graveyard, and help new schools in the area....celbridge needs ambulance service and fire brigade in the town, maybe on new ring road??......a new theatre is badly needed for music, for drama, for art exhibitions, again maybe on new ring road, with real car and bus parking facilities....castlteown house, front entrance has no car park, not fair on castletown residents, and shows scant regard for real tourism efforts in north kildare, back entrance too far away, and it too, is unkempt, and no tarmac ,and no proper lighting or security. maynooth college, connollys folly, carton house, castletown, should be grouped and promoted as grand houses of north kildare. traffic movements would have to improve along maynooth road celbridge, set to go from bad to brutal ,when ballymun towers, arrive on history tour, on both sides of maynooth road, close to crodaun forest park. water, waste water and public parks all need serious works now, all footpaths needs upgrade in celbridge asap. If kildare kcc are serious about improving life in north kildare for all residents and tax payers. more buses and more trains needed now and in the future, small local buses to and from train stations would be great help, make them a bright colour with well publicised times and check monthly how flows are working.ardclough area needs wider and safer bridges and car parks, for the many thousands, now using the canal walks as a fine amenity........kildare co co did fine job improving canal walks, it is a super success but now car parks, must be provided and some shopping amenities, tea and coffee, better public lights all around celbridge, better wider footpaths, more bus lanes, more cycle lanes, 24 hour garda station is needed for big big town. old rock bridge in abbey should come for sale real soon,,,,,,,,kildare co co should buy, and put in public park, on both sides of liffey at this point...........................would make lovely new public park in historic area and close to many developments. good luck with plans , hope some plans get to real action stage asap............guinness trail, guinness statue, guinness graveyard, all neeed more publicity, i would wait until traffic problems,are sorted out firstly, then invite more persons to come and enjoy without the risk of being stuck in traffic, at our many black spots........bus tours will not come due to poor roads, narrow roads, bad bends,crazy bridge, and lack of public car parks and bus parks,
Wild Kildare Dev Plan 2023-30 Submission
We at Wildkildare wish to make a submission under the following headings
Peatlands: Work undertaken by Wildkildare and other environmental NGOs has shown that our remaining Peatlands (both intact and recovering) are the most biodiverse and important habitats for many rare and declining species within the county eg. they hold the last remaining Breeding populations of Curlew, Lapwing,Redshank (All Red Listed) as well as many habitat restricted Moth/Buttererfly, Orchid species etc.. They also act as important climate, flooding and water quality buffers via carbon storage, heavy rainfall retention/soakage and water purifying abilities.
With the above in mind it is of growing concern that these same areas are being increasingly targeted for large industrial wind farm developments. As highlighted by experts in their Ecology and restoration such as Florence Renou-Wilson, peatlands specialist at UCD,such developments are not compatible with the biodiversity and climate buffering functions as we outlined earlier. Given recent flawed deceisions made by ABP in allowing large industrial wind farms on bogs that subsequently led to issues like landslips, pollution, flooding and court actions against the state by the EU and others eg Derrybrien and Keeperhill cases, we believe that it is imperative that the new Kildare Devlopement plan enshrines the highest protections possible for these areas
Other Wetlands: Wild Kildare have been recently notified of highly inappropriate zonings of wetlands in a number of locations in the county. Some example would include a site opposite the entrance to Craddocktown GC on the southern outskirts of Naas. An obvious floodplain were several streams meet before becoming the Castle stream that flows through the centre of Naas. This site holds open areas of water for much of the year as well as much permanent wetland vegetation. Despite these facts it is currently zoned for residential/retail development. Wildkildare calls on KCC to urgently review this zoning to avoid another potentially damaging and expensive planning mistake of the type requiring costly remediation works similar to what was prompted by flooding in nearby Johnstown 10 years ago.
Protection of Habitats on Rezoned lands: WildKildare welcomes efforts by some developers in the county to retain natural features like riparian habitats, hedgerows, mature trees etc. as much as possible within developement and to replace lost habitat as far as possible. WildKildare seeks that such an approach be standardised within the new county developement plan for new developement zonings and planning applications. This should include a setback of at least 5 meters from any streams and other wetlands to protect habitat, water quality and provide natural flood buffers. Also we have noted that many new developments are now voluntarily encorporating natural overflow areas for the purpose of flood buffering and WildKildare beleves these should be incorporated in the the New county developement plan for new developments and zonened land in the same way the NRA provides such areas adjacent to new road developements
This submission outlines observations from the National Historic Properties unit of the OPW on the review of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 and preparation of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029.
The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland are listed as a prescribed authority for the purposes of Section 11 (Preparation of draft development plan) and Section 12 (Making of a development plan) of the Planning and Development Act 2001 (as amended). In this regard, the OPW would welcome the opportunity to engage in more detailed discussions with Kildare County Council on the observations contained in this submission.
Please see attached submission.
Avison Young have prepared this submission on behalf of our client, Value Retail Dublin Ltd., the owner and operator of the Kildare Tourist Outlet Village in Kildare Town, which plays a significant role in the retail, economic and tourism profile of County Kildare. In this context, our client welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the preparation of a new Development Plan for County Kildare which will provide the basis for the sustainable development of the County over the plan period, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly.
The Strategic Issues Paper focuses on 7 no. strategic themes in order to start a discussion about the development of County Kildare to the year 2029 and beyond. This submission responds to the issues raised within the Strategic Issues Paper with a particular focus on matters related to Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment; and Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport.
Please refer to the attached report for the full submission
Please see attached
Belmont Data Centres Ltd. (14 Herbert Street, Dublin 2) have retained Tom Phillips + Associates (Town Planning Consultants), to make this submission to the Pre Draft Issues Paper Consultation of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029, which is currently on public display until 8th March, 2021. This submission is in relation to proposed Data Centre policy to be provided in the Draft Plan upon publication.
The provision of appropriate Data Centre policy should be considered under two of the seven Strategic Themes of the recently published Issues Paper:
We note that the current Development Plan (Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023) does not have a specific Data Centre policy to base a new policy from. We recommend that adjoining Development Plans, particularly those who have recently undergone a development plan review process, be examined when deciding on the formulation of such a policy. In particular the adjoining Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which is due to take effect in the Summer of 2021, should be referred to. Both County Kildare and County Meath fall within the Mid-East portion of the Eastern and Midland Region identified in the National Planning Framework (2018).
We submit that any proposed Data Centre policy should be refined to allow for suitable, unzoned sites, to be brought forward for delivery. This is rationalised due to the existing provision of a confluence of the required infrastructure in certain locations within the County, which may not be explicitly identified in the Draft Plan through site-specific zoning provision.
The principles outlined in this submission have been assessed in accordance with the policies of the National Planning Framework-Project Ireland 2040 (2018) and the Regional Spatial Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region (2019). In addition, this submission demonstrates that the proposed policy will have a tangible economic benefit for the local area and wider region. This is outlined in greater detail below.
2.0 POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF DATA CENTRE INVESTMENT IN IRELAND
The positive economic impacts of Data Centre Development and investment in Ireland are already well known. The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy outlines the direct and indirect jobs that can be created from the development of data centres with an estimated 1,800 no. people employed directly on an ongoing annual basis through the operation of data centres and a further 1,900 no. people employed annually in construction jobs.
In support of this, we refer to a Report prepared by Grant Thornton entitled A Study of the Economic Benefits of Data Centre Investment in Ireland. The Report states that since 2010, €2.96 billion has been directly accrued as a result of the construction of data centres with a further €1.59 billion generated through operation expenditure.
In relation to employment, Data Centre investment in Ireland creates and supports an estimated 5,700 no. full time equivalent roles on an average annual basis over the study period since 2010. Furthermore, the Report states that;
“A large number of ancillary services and roles not directly related to data centre operation have been attracted following initial data centre investments. These include finance, operations, sales, customer support and software engineers.
Survey responses strongly confirmed that many Irish based data centre operators see the physical location of their data centre operations as closely strategically linked to their overall activity and operations in Ireland i.e. the presence of data centres opens up the opportunity, and in some instances necessity, to locate other ancillary services in Ireland”.
According to the study, there are also wide-ranging economic benefits to be accrued from Data Centres. These include enhancement of the digital infrastructure, attraction for related industries to locate in Ireland in order to service and interact with data centres and clustering of interconnected entities such as business suppliers and associated organisations such as educational institutions.
The Report also identifies key spill over effects of data centres with benefits for local suppliers’ skills, productivity and competitiveness;
“Enterprise Ireland confirmed that when a global data centre operator was looking to set up operations in Ireland the company was keen to meet with local suppliers ranging from construction and engineering to food and drink and training providers.
The use of local suppliers provides a direct benefit financially to the economy but also allows those suppliers to develop experience, innovate, become more productive and grow.”
A key focus of the new Kildare County Development Plan will be to ensure that the conditions for the creation of enterprise and innovation are embraced and developed. Appropriate policy support for Data Centres and associated infrastructure provision will be critical in facilitating this.
3.0 POLICY ASSESSMENT
The National Planning Framework (NPF) is the Government’s high-level strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of Ireland to the year 2040, released in tandem with the National Development Plan which sets out the budget for national infrastructure investment for the next 10 years. The NPF emphasizes shared goals for the country, including:
County Kildare falls within the Mid-East portion of the Eastern and Midland Region identified in the National Planning Framework, where;
“The strategic location of counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, proximate to the Capital, has in part, resulted in significant development in a region characterised by the dominance of Dublin. The Mid-East has experienced high levels of population growth in recent decades, at more than twice the national growth rate.
Managing the challenges of future growth is critical to this regional area. A more balanced and sustainable pattern of development, with a greater focus on addressing employment creation, local infrastructure needs and addressing the legacy of rapid growth, must be prioritised.” [Our Emphasis]
In addition, it is worth noting the following Policy, which has been included in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region (2019), under the heading of Communications Network and Digital Infrastructure;
“RPO 8.25 - Local authorities shall:
Appropriate Data Centre policy would support the shared aims of the NPF by contributing to the stability of the Eastern and Midland Region and development of the local Mid-East economy through employment diversification and related infrastructure enhancements.
4.0 DATA CENTRE POLICY TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE DRAFT PLAN
Kildare is strategically positioned to benefit from local, national and international markets owing to its location, excellent transport links, access to a highly educated population and its unique natural and built heritage assets. A key focus of the plan will be to ensure that the conditions for the creation of enterprise and innovation are embraced and developed. The NPF together with the RSES for the region place a strong emphasis on smart and sustainable economic growth.
We note the recent Government Statement on Data Centres[1], which states;
"A plan-led approach will develop a range of measures to promote regional options for data centre investment, minimising the need for additional grid infrastructure. A balance will be maintained between the distributional impacts of higher energy costs on the economy and the longer term economic impacts of utility intensive enterprise investment."
We welcome the recognition by Kildare County Council that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will play a critical role in the development of the County into the future in the Issues Paper, that;
“Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have transformed the way we interact and do business. Kildare County Council will endeavour to promote and facilitate the sustainable delivery of a high quality ICT infrastructure network throughout the County, taking account of the need to protect the rural and the urban environment, together with seeking to achieve balanced social and economic development.”
We note that in recent years there has been a marked increase in the number of new data centres constructed worldwide and this trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. The demand has been fuelled by a dramatic surge in data management requirements caused by, amongst other factors, the growth of ICT requirements, web-based services and emerging technologies.
Data centres by nature, are land intensive developments and can have differing locational requirements depending on the type of data accessibility speeds they cater for. All data centres have common infrastructure requirements such as:
We note the following from the recently published EirGrid Forecast Plan
“It is advised that any potential new demand consumers contact EirGrid early so that we can work jointly to achieve a connection solution. This facilitates the optimisation of transmission reinforcements so that the requested capacity can be delivered. It is also recommended to locate any new large scale data centres in close proximity to existing 220 kV stations or circuits as this may help expedite the provision of a suitable connection.
As a prudent system operator, EirGrid ensures that adequate spare capacity for regional and national demand growth is available, while avoiding unnecessary over investment in grid capability. Therefore, a balance is maintained between the reasonable expectations placed on the network and the cost of grid development and maintenance. Delivering an efficient transmission grid requires that this balance of investment is maintained”[2] [Our Emphasis]
Data Centre development can realistically only be enabled within a certain proximity of these infrastructure confluence areas, as outlined above. While we note that it may be the policy of Kildare County Council to formally identify specific suitable sites through land use zoning objectives in the forthcoming Draft Plan, there will naturally be a number of alternative areas in the County that could support Data Centre development, due to their relative proximity of these infrastructure confluence areas. Many of these sites may not been formally identified in the Draft Plan, as they will fall on unzoned land and be outside of settlement boundaries.
It is worth noting that the existing, enabling infrastructure confluence at these alternative sites could make them more suitable or deliverable for development, than some of the locations that may be explicitly identified in the Draft Plan. Given the infrastructural requirements for data centres, we recommend that the Council’s Planning and Economic team liaise with industry leaders and stakeholders to assist in the identification of specific suitable sites for data centres within the County, as well as infrastructure confluence areas that may fall outside of settlement boundaries.
Due to the known positive economic impact that Data Centre developments can enable, as outlined in Section 2.0 above, a supportive policy for the delivery of Data Centres on sites that may not be formally identified, should be considered.
A supportive policy of this nature could include the following;
It should be the policy of Kildare County Council to support the development of Data Centres, in these locations, subject to the usual criteria of assessment expected for this form of Development, such as an assessment of;
This policy would effectively enable a small number of these additional sites to be brought forward for delivery, without formal identification in the Plan.
We note similar supportive policy has been included in the adjoining Draft Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, where it is stated that it is the policy of the Council;
“ED POL 13 – To support and facilitate the development of data centres on suitable sites with supporting infrastructure subject to obtaining the relevant consents;
ED OBJ 67 – To continue to identify suitable sites for the development of data centres and ICT related development within the County;
ED OBJ 68 – To promote and support the development of lands within the Metropolitan Area for the provision of data centre and ICT related development.”
This is particularly relevant, as the Draft Meath Plan has recognition of recent national and regional policy guidelines and objectives announced by the Irish Government.
5.0 CONCLUSION
Tom Phillips + Associates have reviewed the Pre Draft Issues Paper Consultation of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 and, request that appropriate Data Centre policy be considered to support this form of development in the County and to allow for suitable, unzoned sites, to be brought forward for delivery, as outlined above.
We welcome the opportunity to work with Kildare County Council in the identification of suitable sites for Data Centre development. In addition, we hope that consideration will be afforded to additional supportive policy to assist in the delivery of Data Centres on sites that may not be formally identified, but have the required infrastructure for delivery. This supportive policy will have a tangible economic benefit for the local area and wider region.
In closing, it is respectfully requested that the Planning Authority consider this submission for the reasons outlined above.
Kind regards,
______________________
Órla Casey
Senior Planner
Tom Phillips + Associates
[1] https://www.enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/Government-Statement-Data-Centres-Enterprise-Strategy.pdf
[2] http://www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/All-Island-Ten-Year-Transmission-Forecast-Statement-2019.pdf
Please see attached
Local Link Kildare South Dublin wish to make a submission under the Theme of Sustainable Mobility
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
From Pat Breen
Sustainable and highly positive rural communities are created when a planned approach is taken to develop clusters and villages in locations that either strengthen existing communities or create positive new communities in well connected locations with transport linkages including rail and bus connections. Existing village streets are supported and institutions including the GAA, schools, local healthcare and public transport are all better supported by the cluster model than by the once-off housing model.
The initial input is to support the Healthy Placemaking and other themes of the development plan, including sustainable transport, creative places and climate action through a continued and increased emphasis on clusters and well-planned villages with amenities such as
A focus on active transport will make these centres more sustainable and contribute towards addressing the climate crisis. Quality segregated cycleways as a part of every cluster, village and town plan, together with plans for appropriate park and ride locations on the quality rail corridor. These points are further outlined in the active transport section below.
Villages including Carragh, Straffan, Sallins and the growing Rathcoffey are positive examples of this type of cluster and village creating higher quality of life together with a more sustainable way of living with planned public transport and active transport links.
The quality transport corridor provided by the DART+ expansion creates opportunities to look at locations suitable for new development and new train stations. Examples include the area between Clane and Kill on the Kildare line, or south-west of Hazelhatch Celbridge adjacent to the Dublin commercial areas planned. These specific ideas are too early but may be positive indications of the possibilities. Extension of the commuter rail network beyond the current DART+ plans and planning for an employment, industry and residential hub in Naas Newbridge together with the growing conurbation well connected to rural villages will create a positive and more sustainable network and provide a better quality of life to the residents of the towns, villages, and rural clusters.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
I would like to propose a ‘Chill Dara deich nóiméad’ strategy for development in our county. The ten-minute and fifteen-minute community has been adopted by many city, town and rural plans. Many necessary services are clustered in ‘quarters’ of a town or city, and in villages with an emphasis on good design and infrastructure for pedestrian and cycling and permeability to efficiently connect all parts.
A design based on 'quarters' would identify a service area that is ideally within a kilometre of all homes in the quadrant with a well-designed service area designed to become a positive main street supporting shops, childcare, local services, cafes, bars and restaurants. A planned approach to design and zone for these quarters, and extending this approach to villages planning for similar services can then grow over time to develop very positive clusters supporting a good quality of life.
County Development Plan 2023-2029
Our Submissions
We would request that the proposed Development Plan for 2023-2029 would continue to include the current provisions of Chapter 13.10.3 GI 27 which requires all new Developments to identify, protect and enhance ecological features by making provision for local biodiversity. This should include the provision of Swift Boxes or Towers with an accompanying Calling Lure and providing links to the wider Green Infrastructure Network as an essential part of the Design Process. In addition to GI 27 we would also like to see some provision for House Sparrows Nests in all new Housing Developments on the same lines as the protection given to Swifts. The House Sparrow is in serious decline due to the modern construction of New Houses and also due to renovations to our County’s Older Housing Stock particularly with modern changes to Facia Boards etc where the House Sparrow traditionally nested.
We would also like to see some consideration given to the protection of nest sites for all birds around the likely developments of Solar Farms throughout the County. Our proposal would include mandatory erection of 1 Barn Owl, 1 Kestrel and 10 generic passerine Nest Boxes per 5 Acres of the proposed developments but the final mix of Nest Boxes could be agreed based on a survey of Birds in the area concerned.
We would also like to see greater controls applied to the Removal of Hedgerows. We feel the current practice of notifying the local Panning Authority isn’t strong enough and persons intending to remove Hedgerows should apply for planning permission to do so.
Lessons from Covid-19 have to include the recognition of the primary importance of green spaces and amenity. This is very evident by the number of people walking in Castletown on a daily basis and the very clear need for additional green space and green infrstructure to cater for demand. This could be realised by the continued protection of Donaghcumper from development and it becoming a public amenity for all to enjoy. Castletown and Donaghcumper combined would serve to provide the people of Celbridge with sustainable green areas for walking , enhanced biodiversity and protection of heritage and amenity.
It is critical that watercourses are properly protected and that building does not occur where there is a flood risk. In the context of Celbridge this is particularly important in respect of the River Liffey. It is critical that development does not have a negative impact on the environment. In respect of the Liffey at Castletown a number of aims and objectives can be achieved at the same time by protecting the river banks and wider area in respect of water course protection, biodiversity, amenity and protection of the built heritage.
The Castletown Foundation has a particular role in respect of Castletown House and its heritage landscape, hence our comments are particularly focussed on this aspect of the Issues paper. Castletown is of regional, national and international significance and is the jewel in the crown for County Kildare. It is vitally important that the current proections for the house and its demesne are enhanced in the new CDP. Castletown comprises an internationally renowned 18th century Palladian house, its curtilage, attendant grounds and its parklands. There are a number of structures in the attendant grounds which should all be protected in their own right on the RPS, including the Temple, Ice-house and bathing house and the structures in and adjacent to the farmyard. The demesne should be added to the RPS as was the case with previous plans prior to 2017. The importance of preserving the views within the demesne and leading to and from the demesne into the borrowed landscape of Donaghcumper and St. Wolstans across the river,cannot be overstated. Preserving these views together with the vistas to the Conolly Folly and the Wonderful Barn will not only enhance amenity and heritage, but will also contribute significantly to biodiversity and protection of the riverine environment. It has already been pointed out that protecting Castletown and Donaghcumper together with St. Wolstans, is of huge benefit to the people of Celbridge and the surrounding area, particularly at this time of pandemic but even more so in the future as other green spaces in and around the town, are built upon. The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need for, and enormous benefit of, green spaces for walking and recreation and the importance of the observation of nature in the course of such walks. Castletown, Donaghcumper and St Wolstans have the capacity to contribute very significantly to increased biodiversity, green infrastructure and as part of the Council's actions on climate change.
I propose that Kildare County Council makes plans in the county development plan to support an extensive wildlife reserve area in rewetted and reclaimed boglands in West Kildare. With the limited rewetting already completed rare populations of Hooper Swan have already returned, and protected bird species including Curlew and Lapwings are nesting. Protected species of sphagnum moss have also been seen. This biodiversity protects a healthy and safe environment for our future generations. We have learned how connected our life, our healthy soil and other future of our agriculture is with a positive biodiversity.
The many hundreds of hectares of peatland in West Kildare which will be rewetted and reclaimed to drive significant greenhouse gas reduction provide the scope for a nature reserve of international recognition like many large wetland areas in the United Kingdom, supporting tourism and local amenity with walkways and positive healthy open spaces. The Lodge bog, Timahoe, Timahoe north and Lullymore have been identified by Birdwatch Ireland representatives as the most positive areas for this type of development, creating an area connecting positively together along with the existing Lullymore heritage park and the Royal Canal greenway.
An integrated strategy is proposed so that peatland areas are planned to support nature and biodiversity and renewable energy wind and solar facilities in suitable places with suitable separation, together with extensive trails, tourism features and amenity areas connecting with the greenways and create positive attraction in the Irish midlands.
Butterfly House, Pagestown, Maynooth, County Kildare
Kildare County Council 5th March 2021
Áras Chill Dara,
Devoy Park,
Naas,
Co. Kildare
W91 X77F
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: County Development Plan Review
Butterfly Conservation Ireland Limited is a conservation NGO and registered charity formed in 2008 by a group of dedicated naturalists following the alarming decline of most of our butterfly species. This decline has been ongoing since the 1970s and has accelerated in recent years. Butterfly Conservation Ireland is committed to the conservation of butterflies, moths and their habitats.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland operates a nature reserve at Lullybeg, County Kildare in partnership with Bord na Móna. Active conservation techniques are applied on the 30-hectare site to enhance the habitats for several scarce and endangered species.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland advises and provides information to organisations, the general public and individuals concerning butterfly conservation. We make submissions on developments that would impact negatively important butterfly areas and on endangered species. We run a programme of events, free to all. Our website is found at https://butterflyconservation.ie/wp/. Our submission to the county development plan review is stated below.
Kildare Peatlands National Park
Butterfly Conservation Ireland sees the cessation of peat cutting on Bord na Móna land, which is state-owned, as a great opportunity for the provision of a new national park. The eastern midlands region has no national park, while the western seaboard counties have five national parks with one in County Wicklow. The area of these national parks ranges from 1500 hectares in the case of the Burren National Park to 20,000 hectares in the case of Wicklow Mountains National Park. The Ballydermot Bog group, comprising Bord na Móna land in the townlands of Lodge, Barnaran, Blackriver, Ballydermot North and South, Codd 1 and Codd2/Sheridans, Lullymore and Lullybeg, Killina, Glashabaun North and South, Derrybrennan and Ticknevin comprises around 40,000 hectares. The area is a superb wilderness and consists mainly of former raised bog habitat that has been cut for peat. The peat-cutting process has resulted in the development of a range of habitats and land uses. Some of these habitats and land uses have led to the development of species-rich habitats. The main habitats that exist in the area are bogs, acid and calcareous grassland, scrub, mixed and deciduous woodland, marsh and open water habitats such as flooded cutover bog and rivers. This diversity has resulted in a stunning landscape in many areas, with a varied landscape contour pleasing to the eye and offering a unique experience for nature lovers, walkers and ramblers, horse riding and many other activities.
In some areas, a number of these habitats exist in close proximity, creating habitat mosaics with high biodiversity value, especially for invertebrates. This mosaic can be seen in areas such as Lullybeg at and around N 68796 25640. Habitats that exist here are mixed and deciduous woodland, scrub, flooded cutaway, ponds, acid and calcareous grassland and fen. Within these broad habitat descriptions are specific habitat types defined by Fossitt (2000). The following grasslands have been identified at Lullybeg: dry calcareous and neutral grassland, dry meadows and grassy verges, dry-humid acid grassland and wet grassland. This habitat diversity applies to other habitats present in the area.
The Lullymore/Lullybeg/Glashabaun/Blackriver areas are particularly important for butterflies. The importance of Lullymore and Lullybeg for butterflies has been recognised for many years. The report by Nash et al. (2003) describes the area as one of the three prime areas for butterflies in the Republic of Ireland. Ireland has 29 resident native butterfly species, three regular migrant species and two introduced species. Twenty-three native resident species and three migrant species (26 species in total) have been recorded in the Lullymore/Lullybeg area. Nowhere else in Ireland outside the Burren region contains a similarly large number of butterfly species concentrated in a relatively small area. Accordingly, the area is popular with visitors, who study, take photographs, and enjoy the butterflies and wild flowers that are abundant in several areas.
Two of the butterfly species found in the area, the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia and Large Heath Coenonympha tullia are threatened in Ireland and Europe. On the red list for Irish butterflies both species are assessed as Vulnerable. The Marsh Fritillary is listed on Annex II on the European Union Habitats’ Directive 1992. Its breeding areas have legal protection. Two strong, long-term populations of the Marsh Fritillary are known from the area. One is located at Lullymore, for example at N 69296 25844 and the other known population is located at Lullybeg, for example at N 68711 25661. Outside these locations, areas of grassland rich in the Marsh Fritillary breeding plant, Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis, (typically a foodplant density of at least 25% extending over 0.5 hectare or greater) may also have Marsh Fritillary populations.
In the areas where the Marsh Fritillary populations exist, Butterfly Conservation Ireland is calling for Kildare County Council to avoid any infrastructure or development of these areas and maintenance of the current vegetation structure by occasional mechanical disturbance and extensive cattle grazing. The present situation with Butterfly Conservation Ireland which manages the Butterfly Reserve at Lullybeg can be developed further across areas of this landscape.
The Large Heath exists on remnant raised bog at N 65874 25565 and on the adjoining raised bog. It may also exist at N 69926 31748 and N 64469 30361. Butterfly Conservation Ireland advises that all peat cutting cease, that drain blocking and re-wetting be put in place to protect one of the last populations or probably the last population in the area of this species from extinction. This area contains the only known viable population of the Green Hairstreak butterfly Callophrys rubi. The scarce moth, Dark Tussock Dicallomera fascelina, rated Near Threatened on the Macro-moth Red List 2016, would also be protected by this measure. Restoration of this raised bog remnant will be a significant supporting statement of Kildare County Council’s environmental credentials.
In addition, the grassland habitats support other endangered butterflies. The Wall Brown Lasiommata megera mainly occurs along the tracks laid down on the site and probably along the sparsely vegetated areas adjoining the industrial railway. Ranked as Endangered on the red list, this species has suffered severe losses in distribution and abundance since the mid-1980s and may be Ireland’s most rapidly declining butterfly. Butterfly Conservation Ireland advocates the maintenance of the current routeway infrastructure and the creation of additional potential habitat using any additional infrastructure to facilitate visitor access. The use of loose calcareous aggregate, sloped to face the south and west along these routes may offer additional potential habitat for the Wall Brown and Dingy Skipper butterfly Erynnis tages, ranked Near Threatened on the red list.
Another butterfly that inhabits open grassland, particularly flower-rich areas where patches of scrub exist is the Dark Green Fritillary Speyeria aglaja. This butterfly is rated Vulnerable on the red list. The population at Lullybeg and Glasabaun may be the only remaining viable populations of this species in County Kildare. Butterfly Conservation Ireland is calling for its grassland habitats to be protected from development and managed by scrub control and extensive summer grazing by cattle.
In addition to the butterfly species named above, are a number of declining and threatened moth species. These include the Forester Adscita statices, ranked Endangered on the Macro-moth Red List 2016, Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth Hemaris tityus, Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Zygaena lonicerae, ranked Vulnerable, Small Purple-barred Phytometra viridaria, ranked Near Threatened, Wood Tiger Parasemia plantaginis, ranked Near Threatened, Small Chocolate-tip Clostera pigra, ranked Near Threatened; all of these species occur in the grassland with open scrub used by the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly.
Species-rich scrub exists in various areas in the area. Some contain unusual species associations. For example, at N 68922 25624, Common Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica, a lime-loving shrub or small tree and Alder Buckthorn, Frangula alnus, which favours damp peat soils, grow together, a highly unusual circumstance. Grey Willow Salix cinerea, Common Holly Ilex aquifolium, birch, probably Betula pubescens, Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia, Creeping Willow Salix repens are also found here. These areas of open scrub are rich is invertebrates, including several dragonfly species. Where species-rich scrub and well-developed bog woodland exists on the cutaway areas, Butterfly Conservation Ireland would like to see these remain undisturbed, with some necessary management to create woodland clearings and open scrub. Such management maintains a diverse vegetation structure, essential for a number of invertebrates and birds.
There are some flooded areas, such as at N 68901 25450. These areas are important for dragonfly and bird species. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus use this area in winter, while Eurasian Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, among other wetland species, use this habitat.
In conclusion, the area is of sufficient size to maintain the populations of animals and plants present and contains several qualifying features for a Special Area of Conservation under the Habitats’ Directive 1992, including Marsh Fritillary, Otter, active raised bog, degraded raised bogs capable of regeneration, Molinia grassland, orchid-rich grassland, wet heath and dry heath. As well as the biodiversity values, the area offers great scope for recreation and tourism, a great boost to the locality and wider region. The destruction of the once-famous Bog of Allen in this region is a biodiversity and heritage disaster. Butterfly Conservation Ireland believes that the time has come to address this crisis, even though a different landscape is now present. Butterfly Conservation Ireland notes that few areas in Kildare, outside bogs and fens, are rich in biodiversity. The failure to protect these areas from development and the failure to restore bogs where possible and appropriate will result in regional loss of biodiversity. We have reached the point that agricultural land is modified to the extent that species formerly widespread in Kildare occur only on bog habitats.
Management and designation of Special Areas of Conservation
County Kildare has just eight Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), all wetland habitats. All of these require monitoring and management and some areas of the peatlands require restoration work. The council must liaise with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to prepare and implement management plans for these sites. The quality of some parts of these areas is poor. For example, one of the three qualifying features for Ballynafagh Lake’s status as an SAC, the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, no longer occurs on the site because grazing ceased in the early 1990s. The species has been absent from the site for c.22 years. The habitat must be reinstated and the Succisa-rich grassland needs to be restored by the appropriate grazing and reseeding from plants that still occur on the site. The open grassland on part of Pollardstown Fen at N 76373 16018 needs extensive cattle grazing, like that currently applied on Dunshane/Harristown/Two-mile House Common, an orchid-rich wetland and a site of biodiversity importance despite having no formal designation. We strongly advise that Kildare County Council liaise with the National Parks and Wildlife Service concerning the status of this commonage.
We want Kildare County Council to liaise with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to seek the designation of the Lullymore/Lullybeg/Glashabaun/Blackriver cutaway bog areas as Special Areas of Conservation for the habitats and species stated earlier.
Management of National Heritage Areas
County Kildare has only two National Heritage Areas (NHAs). Both are raised bogs. These bogs must be protected and restored if their value is to be protected.
Designation of National Heritage Areas
Butterfly Conservation Ireland wants a commitment in the Kildare County Development Plan to protect the few remaining areas of high biodiversity. That should start with the council liaising with National Parks and Wildlife Service to formally designate the proposed National Heritage Areas within the county. The Curragh and the Grand and Royal Canals are on the list of proposed NHAs but it appears that vested interests see their formal designation as an impediment to progress. The biodiversity of the Canals has already been diminished by the installation of a bicycle track which commenced in the absence of an adequate biological impact survey. The Curragh continues to be damaged.
Kingsbog Common, near Kildare town, is an orchid rich grassland of high ecological value with a population of Marsh Fritillary is not on the proposed NHA list. It is in need of urgent recognition and protection.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland Kildare County Council to liaise with Bord na Móna, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Umeras Community Development CLG, a local community group in the Monasterevin-Rathangan area (https://www.facebook.com/umeraspeatlands) which hopes to transform the Bord na Móna Umeras Bog into a peatlands nature park modelled on Lough Boora Discovery Park (https://www.loughboora.com/) developed by Bord na Mona, Offaly County Council and their partners. This is a network of footpath/cycle paths developed over cutaway bog with a complex of grassland, scrub/woodland and ponds and lakes. This is an area of very high biodiversity value and part of the bog is to be restored under the enhanced rehabilitation scheme being developed by Bord na Móna.
New one-off houses in rural areas
The proliferation of one-off houses in rural areas is a concern for a range of reasons but we will address the biodiversity issues here. We submit that Kildare County Council makes any planning grant conditional on the retention of existing hedgerow consisting of biodiverse, native plant species. The inappropriate planting of non-native hedging and walls is visually incongruous and results in biodiversity loss. Tree-planting plans for any proposed development should be examined and the list should comprise native species from indigenous sources. The council should also make it a condition of a grant of planning that watercourses be maintained and not filled in.
New Housing Developments
Grants for housing developments should contain specifications for planting that contain only native tree and shrub species for the open areas. Grasslands should be seeded with a range of native plants suited to the site. The National Pollinator Plan should be applied throughout the county.
Management of hedgerows along public roads
Hedgerows are of great biodiversity value. Their correct management is crucial for biodiversity maintenance. Cutting in an A-shape is recommended. Cutting should be carried out during the appropriate period, between August 31st and March 1st, unless safety requires cutting outside this time. We recommend cutting during February to avoid loss of forage for birds over the winter months. We further recommend that some areas of hedgerow are left uncut in any given year to allow invertebrates that lay their eggs on hedges to survive.
A clear strategy is required for managing the herbaceous fringe between the hedge and road for its importance to biodiversity. Where it is not impacting road user safety its growth and retention should be encouraged. The timing of the cutting of this area should also occur as described for the hedgerow, with uncut patches retained in any given year.
Recruitment of staff for a Kildare Biodiversity Office
Butterfly Conservation Ireland advocates the employment of ecologists to staff a Biodiversity Office in Kildare. These can review planning issues, prepare management plans for SACs and NHAs, engage with the public, schools, environmental NGOs and others to promote Kildare’s biodiversity and support the Heritage Officer. This office should publish material and signage to promote biodiversity. This can be done digitally and in hard copy and physical signage.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland
Butterfly Conservation Ireland submission to the County Development Plan Review was prepared by Jesmond Harding, Butterfly House, Pagestown, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Supporting photographs are provided copyright Jesmond Harding
Decarbonised Zone and Low Carbon Town plans
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has developed and ambitious plan for decarbonised/decarbonising zones in every county in Ireland and asked each local authority to submit proposals.
This proposal requests that KCC include an ambitious decarbonising game-plan and strategy in the county development plan with a lead decarbonisation zone identified clearly following the criteria and guidelines in the DHLG documents, and additional follow-on decarbonising areas and low carbon town local area plans.
With climate action targets to reduce emissions 50% by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050 every local area plan should be a low carbon town LAP. Can wording be added to the CDP to require this with guidelines for a low carbon LAP.
As a resident of Naas I appreciate the need for sustainable and progressive town planning and county development. The construction of a Naas Inner Relief Road in accordance with a previously proposed Part 8 scheme was soundly rejected by the vast majority of Local Representatives for the Naas Municipal District in 2019. Future planning for Naas town and environs must provide for the selection of an outer route corridor to enable the construction of an outer relief road.
Please refer to the attached submission document.
Submission 5: Renewable Energy support
Our shift to renewable energy needs to accelerate, with supports and the removal of barriers toward Net Zero by 2050 and reduce our greenhouse gas emission by over 50% by 2030.
Wind Power: With hundreds of square miles of boglands in Kildare we are excellently situated to quickly support increased development of wind power. Progress in Drehid and Ballydermot bogs is very promising. Suitable development and guidelines for location is becoming more clear – and public acceptance is starting to improve significantly. We need a development plan and planning process to help us play our part in this.
Solar PV: through encouragement of and planning support for rooftop solar developments on commercial, public and private buildings, and larger commercial solar PV projects such as proposed by Bord na Mona and others for bogs and other suitable areas.
Our peatlands provide enormous resources for the protection of nature and biodiversity Guidelines should be developed to support identification of positive areas for nature reserves, appropriate areas for the support of renewable energy, protection for communities and property with appropriate and clear guidelines on appropriate distances with a planning process to support this, and the support of amenity spaces with walking trails and positive community access to the nature reserves to make our peatlands a national asset and source of amenity and local employment again.
It is very disappointing that recent studies outlined by KCC have reappeared as the Naas Inner Relief Road under a different name i.e. the Gallops Avenue.This proposal has been hugely rejected by the Naas Municipal District Councillors. and notwithstanding this fact the route is still being contemplated.
My submission re same is attached
Summary of High Level Objectives for Healthy Placemaking and Climate action
The importance of outdoor spaces has been brought into sharp focus by the pandemic and some welcome projects have commenced like Poplar Square in Naas and Market Square in Kildare town. The traffic through our towns is still unacceptable high . I would like to see a shift in approach prioritising pedestrians over vehicles with lower speed limits and multiple pedestrian crossings .
The new Development plan should clearly indicate new and upgraded cycle routes across the county and set targets to complete these routes . Prioritising cycling and pedestrians will also help deliver on climate action and assist with health place making
I have a concern that the naming of housing estates in the County is resulting in a loss of our heritage, through the adoption of English names for estates in preference to local names of Gaelic origin. For example, my local village Kildangan, has a very rich heritage of townland names of Irish origin, such as Doneany, Fasagh, Ballybracken, Derryoughter, Oghill etc, yet of seven estates completed in the recent years, only one has an Irish name, "Cluain Dara". The remainder have been given names with absolutely no link to the area or any geographical feature, "The Courtyard", "Abbots Wood", "Bridgeside Cottages", "The Paddocks", "Kildangan Manor" and the latest one currently in development "Harristown". The naming process is not open to the public and local groups do not get to voice an opinion on the choice of name.
For example, the latest estate in Kildangan Village is called "Harristown". Harristown is associated with Nurney, and also Harristown was a rotten borough in Naas, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harristown,_Naas_South. Why would you want to call a new development after a rotten borough? Calling an estate Harristown when there is already a Harristown townland in the same area also could lead to confusion.
This trend is being repeated in every town and village in the county, and as the townland names fall out of use, they are being replaced by a generic english name of no particular significance. In a lot of cases the name will not be directly translatable to Irish, resulting in the prevention of the use of Irish language addresses even if someone wishes to do so.
Other County Development Plans are far more enlightened with respect to how names are chosen for new estates, for example Fingal; "Names should be in both in the Irish and English languages, or in the Irish language exclusively. The exclusive use of Irish language names is encouraged. Guidance on Irish language names is available from www.logainm.ie .
Duplication of existing names in Fingal and north side Dublin City Council areas should be avoided. This is in the interests of owners, occupiers, visitors, service and utility providers and for rapid emergency service provision." https://www.fingal.ie/council/service/housing-estate-naming-and-numbering-management
This policy is far more enlightened than the current method in Kildare and should become council policy going forward.
Please find attached observations on behalf of Irish Water
NTA Submission
The Naas Inner relief road was a roads priority in the Kildare county council Development plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas municipal district in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the Democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue,which was Introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner relief road, will merely move thousands of vehicles , including large volumes of heavy goods vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
I don't believe this strategy will solve the congestion on main street and the Dublin road, it would merely move congestion from one place to another.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas inner relief road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas racecourse .The Naas racecourse area must be preserved as the " Green Lung" portion of the town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas inner relief road/The gallops avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare county council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore rerequested that the new Kildare county development plan includes the following specific objective:
To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the Junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare county Decelopment plan 2017-2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the General regional and national road network insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner relief objective does not.
The Gallops
I want to object to this road proposal known as the gallops Avenue.
my reasons -
• The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
2. It will not ease traffics conjestion
because
- it still have traffic coming too far into Naas urban area
- there are too many junctions that will cause extra tail backs
-there is no need to have this as traffic levels are not high enough. It is a waste of tax payers money
• At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
• At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route
and it will cause more traffic as it does not divert traffic before entering naas
• The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
I observe that the entry into Celbridge along the Dublin Rd has piecemeal random development and requires more definition from the Dublin Rd crossraods with the R404 through to the junction with the Shinkeen Rd. This could be achieved through appropriate development zoning given that this stretch of road is serviced with Storm, Foul, Natural Gas and good public transport.
Submission relates to multiple Themes
- Healthy Placemaking: People and Places, Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment, Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaptation, Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport, Creative Places: Social, Community and Cultural Development, Enhanced Amenity and Heritage: Landscape and Green Infrastructure,Making it happen: Infrastructure and Energy and Communications
Submission attached
Please refer to attached written submission.
Refer to written submission attached.
Refer to written submission attached.
Refer to written submission attached.
Refer to attached submission.
Volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Therefore we Angela & Liam O'Beirne of 37 Woodlands, Tipper Road, explictly oppose any ititation of the now defunct proposal for an Inner Relief Road / Gallops Avenue going through the Naas Race Course.
We oppose ant interference with the Naas Racecourse, on the basis it provides an amenity to walkers and is not polluted with vehicle emmissions.
Celbridge has a fantastic park in Castletown however as it is a town surrounded by green fields it would be a shame to not act now for an ever growing town to create more parks with amenities like playground for small children, outdoor gym, skate parks, etc. Also we need more bins (general, recycling, dog poop).
Also please invest in a road linking clane road to salesians roundabout and better public transport (more 67 buses on both maynooth road and clane road routes, more shuttle buses to link up to close towns and train stations) and more electric car charging points.
See witten submission attached.
The Climate Crisis is the key issue of our time. The Kildare County Development Plan is an opportunity to meet targets outlined in the Kildare Climate Adaptation Strategy, whilst creating a better way of living for all residents of the County. Incorporating the principles of Just Transition will allow us to have a more balanced distribution of economic wealth, whilst bringing cleaner air, greater biodiversity and stronger communities.
Providing electric charging points in the towns of Kildare would be necessary in the future.
Incentives within towns are necessary to prevent the decentralisation of retail from town centres.
Dear KCC,
By way of introduction we are a group of local residents & business owners in heart of Sallins Village. We are writing to you regarding our imput into the upcoming County Draft Plans.
Over the last number of years, car parking has become a major issues for those living in the area & for business owners and their staff. We would like to be kept updated relating to the Health Check and all other proposed projects in the pipeline which could impact us directly in the Village.
In the past the removal of car parking spaces from the Main Street in Sallins has had a determental effect on us here in the village.
Whilst we are all totally in agreement with road safety and any measures to improve the area, the recent changes is forcing cars down the side streets, double parking, parking on double lines, parking in loading bays, all in an area where there are pedestrians & children in abundance because of the playground & new businesses etc.
Therefore resolving one issue i.e. removal of spaces, has only caused further issues by moving them around the corner. As we are situated in the vicinity we are monitoring this daily.
It is imperative for everyone moving forward that these plans are carefully thought out for all concerned. We as a community have alot to contribute to the area, and would like to be involved in the process.
I have attached a copy of a previous petition relating to car spaces /parking which was submitted to Councillor Carmel Kelly. A new list is currently being complied.
We look forward & are excited to hearing back from you regarding updates on our village etc.
Kind Regards
Sharon Nolan on behalf of Canal Side Sallins Residents & Businesses
The Naas Inner Relief road was a roads priority in the Kildare County Development plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Mumicipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Maas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse . The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the "Green Lung" portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief road/ThenGallops Avenue is a 30 year old proposal which is, completely at odds with the needs of the town.
it is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
to provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north eastern side of Maas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking Blessington Road with the Dublin Road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
This objective is to replace the "Inner Relief Roa, Naas" objective in table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development plan 2017-2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MY 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Inner Relief objective does not.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...”
Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Extract from Eastern River Basin District – Programme of Measures Pilot Studies. The Plans and POMs of the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) were finalised as far back as October 2009 but were not followed up. (Ist RBMP)
“The discharge of Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant located downstream of the Goldenfalls Reservoir should be kept under surveillance as an increase of the aluminium concentration has been noticed in this water."
"The aluminium concentration downstream of the discharge stays under the limit of 0.2 mg Al/L required by the Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC), and table 3.1 of the EPAs Interim Guideline Values for Characterisation list of parameters as sourced in Irish Drinking Water Regulations 2000 SI 439 of 2000, EQS for the Aquatic Environment, EPA Discussion Document, however, lower concentrations can be toxic for fish populations (JJ Bowman, JJ Bracken, 1993).
A study of the health of the fish population on the Lower Liffey River should be carried out.”
Comment: The study of the health of the fish population was never carried out.
“Finally, the sludge created by the water treatment is not a threat for the water quality of this area because it is disposed in a landfill at Kilcullen (Kildare).” (It now goes to County Cavan)
Comment: This is not true. As stated above approx. 3.7 tonnes of the sludge per month are washed down the slipway discharge to the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace.
Also: The aluminium concentration no longer stays under 0.2mg Al/L
The Ballyshannon Action Group would like to emphasise the importance of the existing protections within the Kildare County Development plan for rural residential settlements, particularly within the context of unsuitable and/or inappropriate industrial development with the potential to impact negatively on residents' health, livelihoods, wellbeing and the overall amenity of an area.
We would also like to observe that many Irish construction companies are turning away from the use of extractive aggregates from quarrying activities in the context of climate action and addressing carbon requirements.Quarrying has a detrimental effect on people's lives and temporary quarry licenses have often been extended over decades throughout Kildare. We believe that quarrying activity should be restricted in line with Ireland's Climate Action goals and eventually phased out completely. We also believe that quarrying companies with significant land holdings within the county should be required to publish plans for their entire land holdings when applying for planning permissions for new or extending existing quarry facilities. As well as the above, we believe that it would be prudent to include a provision in the County Development Plan that would prohibit companies from using resources extracted within this county to service the significant export market in aggregates and other products that result from quarrying activity in Kildare. We would like to propose that Kildare position itself as a leader in this area and set a required minimum distance of at least 1km from the nearest residential dwelling for any new or extended quarry facilities in the county.
We would also like to propose that heritage sites like Dun Ailinne are given further protected status, which would see the immediate area around the site protected given the high probability of further areas of undiscovered archaeological importance around the primary site.
Agriculture and the equine industry are integral to Kildare's economy and business community both here and abroad. Kildare is internationally renowned for its horse racing and breeding facilities in particular. The Ballyshannon Action Group believe that every possible protection should be given to such facilities in order to sustain the industry into the future and avoid unsuitable development within the vicinity of said facilities, which could jeopardise this reputation and indeed the sector as a whole.
The Ballyshannon Action Group would like to emphasise the importance of the existing protections within the Kildare County Development plan for rural residential settlements, particularly within the context of unsuitable and/or inappropriate industrial development with the potential to impact negatively on residents' health, livelihoods, wellbeing and the overall amenity of an area.
We would also like to observe that many Irish construction companies are turning away from the use of extractive aggregates from quarrying activities in the context of climate action and addressing carbon requirements.Quarrying has a detrimental effect on people's lives and temporary quarry licenses have often been extended over decades throughout Kildare. We believe that quarrying activity should be restricted in line with Ireland's Climate Action goals and eventually phased out completely. We also believe that quarrying companies with significant land holdings within the county should be required to publish plans for their entire land holdings when applying for planning permissions for new or extending existing quarry facilities. As well as the above, we believe that it would be prudent to include a provision in the County Development Plan that would prohibit companies from using resources extracted within this county to service the significant export market in aggregates and other products that result from quarrying activity in Kildare. We would like to propose that Kildare position itself as a leader in this area and set a required minimum distance of at least 1km from the nearest residential dwelling for any new or extended quarry facilities in the county.
We would also like to propose that heritage sites like Dun Ailinne are given further protected status, which would see the immediate area around the site protected given the high probability of further areas of undiscovered archaeological importance around the primary site.
Agriculture and the equine industry are integral to Kildare's economy and business community both here and abroad. Kildare is internationally renowned for its horse racing and breeding facilities in particular. The Ballyshannon Action Group believe that every possible protection should be given to such facilities in order to sustain the industry into the future and avoid unsuitable development within the vicinity of said facilities, which could jeopardise this reputation and indeed the sector as a whole.
The Ballyshannon Action Group would like to emphasise the importance of the existing protections within the Kildare County Development plan for rural residential settlements, particularly within the context of unsuitable and/or inappropriate industrial development with the potential to impact negatively on residents' health, livelihoods, wellbeing and the overall amenity of an area.
We would also like to observe that many Irish construction companies are turning away from the use of extractive aggregates from quarrying activities in the context of climate action and addressing carbon requirements.Quarrying has a detrimental effect on people's lives and temporary quarry licenses have often been extended over decades throughout Kildare. We believe that quarrying activity should be restricted in line with Ireland's Climate Action goals and eventually phased out completely. We also believe that quarrying companies with significant land holdings within the county should be required to publish plans for their entire land holdings when applying for planning permissions for new or extending existing quarry facilities. As well as the above, we believe that it would be prudent to include a provision in the County Development Plan that would prohibit companies from using resources extracted within this county to service the significant export market in aggregates and other products that result from quarrying activity in Kildare. We would like to propose that Kildare position itself as a leader in this area and set a required minimum distance of at least 1km from the nearest residential dwelling for any new or extended quarry facilities in the county.
We would also like to propose that heritage sites like Dun Ailinne are given further protected status, which would see the immediate area around the site protected given the high probability of further areas of undiscovered archaeological importance around the primary site.
Agriculture and the equine industry are integral to Kildare's economy and business community both here and abroad. Kildare is internationally renowned for its horse racing and breeding facilities in particular. The Ballyshannon Action Group believe that every possible protection should be given to such facilities in order to sustain the industry into the future and avoid unsuitable development within the vicinity of said facilities, which could jeopardise this reputation and indeed the sector as a whole.
1. Addressing climate breakdown and biodiversity need to underpin every single part of the plan. All elements of the plan should be assessed to see if in line with our goals to combat climate breakdown and facilitate biodiversity recovery.
2. Bogs are of utmost importance for carbon sinks (and also for biodiversity) – and we are lucky in Kildare to have a lot of bogs. The first aim for all bogs in the county should be to rehabilitate them. Other use for bogs should only be considered where it has been established conclusively by experts that this alternative use will give better results for our climate and biodiversity goals.
3. KCC to give either council land or organise to lease land in every town for allotments or community supported agriculture or both.
4. Ensure the final plan and local area plans clearly identify not just what the plan hopes will be developed, but specifies actions, identifying who is responsible for each action, when it will be achieved, how it will be achieved, what will achievement look like?, how will it be measured? How will it be enforced?
An outer ring road is needed for Naas.
The current 2017-23 Kildare Co. Plan contained an Inner Ring Road for Naas as a 'Priority Road Project' (Table 6.1) and, within the lifetime of the plan, this project went through its full due process (Part 8).
In June 2019 the democratically elected Naas MD Councillors voted not to proceed with the Part 8 for the Naas Inner Relief Road proposal on a majority of 6 votes to 1. Reasons given for not proceeding included the fact the route had been first proposed in 1992, and was no longer appropriate for Naas.
Therefore, this proposal, or any other iteration of an inner ring/relief road for Naas, should not appear in the 2023-29 Kildare Co. Plan.
Instead, an outer ring road should be included as a priority or strategic objective, to provide appropriate infrastructure to allow an orderly development of the town and to facilitate the town centre to develop further.
Please add the Swift and Vanessa original Bower located on the Liffey riverbank at Celbridge Abbey to the list of protected structures. The original bower is located on the Ardclough rd side of the river bank overlooking the weir. KCC Conservation office and Heritage office are aware of its location and its historic significance and its association with Jonathan Swift's visits to Celbridge.
The proposal to develop the 'Naas Inner Relief Road' was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas
Municipal District in June 2019. I would not expect to see this development reintroduced in any form or under any new name in this or any future planning document.
All of the arguments that led to the rejection are well documented.
I would expect that the emphasis now shuld be on discouraging (rather than facilitating) car journeys in the town and immediate radius, facilitatating cycling and walking alternatives, planting trees, etc - developments that promote health and help the environment.
In so far as car facilitation is required, please let the focus be on taking cars out and away from the populated centre, and not into / through the heart of residential areas.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
I wish to make a submission to the drafting of the County Development Plan 2023 - 2029, on behalf of the Caragh Branch, Fine Gael.
All transport links between Caragh and Naas are currently by means of private transport. While Naas is 6km from Caragh, the village is only 2.5km away from the closest point to us of the considerable walking and cycling network that surrounds Naas. Residents of Caragh and its immediate environs must however use private motorised transport to access this network, principally for safety reasons. I, and my fellow branch members, believe that laying down a segregated cycle & walking track to link Caragh with Millenium Park, via the most direct route through Halverstown Cross, would yield considerable benefits for residents of Caragh, as well as extending the cycle network around Naas to include Caragh. This track would enable schoolchildren from Caragh to cycle to schools in the Naas area and allow residents of all ages to access Naas by healthier, and more environmentally-friendly means, than private motorcar.
In the long term, it would allow those living in Caragh, and along the Caragh to Naas road, to access the Grand Canal Greenway via Naas. We believe that permitting such safe access would prove more cost effective than building a more direct link between Caragh and the Grand Canal Greenway.
We hope that you will give due consideration to this proposal and thank you for the opportunity to make this submission.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am making a submission to express my total objection to the proposed road ref: “The Gallops Avenue.”
As a Naas citizen I am dismayed, disappointed and extremely annoyed at the Council’s decision to resurrect a similar road proposal to the previous Naas Inner Relief Road.
This road was rejected emphatically by the vast majority of local representatives in the recent past under a Part 8 procedure.
To reintroduce this proposal is a dismissal of local democracy and an affront to the local representatives involved, not to mention the electorate whose wishes were to reject the road.
To reintroduce this road proposal under the guise of another name is both disingenuous and disrespectful to the public representatives who worked so hard on behalf of their constituents wishes to reject it in the first instance.
My reasons for objecting to this proposal are the same as my previous objections to the inner relief road.
In conclusion, this road proposal is out of date, not fit for purpose, wasting taxpayers’ money, and has been already rejected on behalf of the people of Naas by their elected local representatives.
I am requesting categorically that this proposal be removed from the draft plan.
Sincerely
Shane
Please see the word document enclosed regarding the defunct Naas Inner Relief Road which was reincarnated as 'The Gallops Avenue', after the democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District to compreensively reject the Naas Inner Relief Road proposal in June 2019. The Gallops Avenue, despite submissions on the topic to Kildare County Council to the draft non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy, forms part of the completed non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy. The new Kildare County Development Plan must not include the Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Dear sir/madam,
Maynooth has experienced significant growth in population and residential development, however, the strategy for North Kildare, with Maynooth being on the largest towns, needs to create greater capacity for the development of commercial lands to deliver local employment within the area and create sustainable development in North Kildare. Sustainability which also reduces commuter activity and a reliance upon Dublin to meet local population employment growth and demand.
In the period 2023 – 2029, the Development plan needs to deliver increased commercial capacity in Maynooth whilst also maximising the opportunity (both locally and East – West) afforded by the motorway network, including the M4. Such development will enable local enterprise growth in a key strategic part of North Kildare.
Furthermore, the plan needs to create the opportunity for the development of more interconnected transportation links in the area of North Kildare. For example, shuttle services between University –Maynooth Train Station – Maynooth Business Park – Intel – Hazelhatch.
If the County development plan does not factor in the future need for industrial and commercial demand in the North Kildare and Maynooth area, this will adversely impact upon the enterprise and employment opportunities which the plan needs to deliver upon.
Requesting that a feasibility study be carried out on the Regional Road R416 from Milltown to Newbridge, Co. Kildare with a view to addressing and delivering on the following:
The provision of a Cycle/Pedestrial Lane infrastruture, on this stretch of the R416 Road would provide a safe sustainable environment, cognizant that road traffic injuries remain an important public health problem. The introduction of a safe Cycle/Pedestrian lane would benefit the local community greatly and help to save lives, prevent accidents, injuries and keep a society functioning in the most optional way.
Road Lighting on R416 From Newbridge to Milltown
Road Traffic congestion - Byrnes Crossroad on the R416
Health & Safety -Logistical Traffic management requirement at Soil Na Naomh Uilg
The fact that this is back in the plans again is an outrage. .....
there is something rotten in the state of Denmark !!!
This road will not go ahead as the Tipper road cannot take an additional traffic nor can craddockstown.
You cannot but an inner relief Road through housing estates when they weren't built for that purpose.
Many new houses near main roads have triple glazing etc.
This cannot be the case in houses that are 40 plus years old
walking and cycling along the Tipper Road is hazardous as the single path is so narrow. I cannot allow my children to cycle to school dor this reason. With the reduction in traffic recently the Tipper road has brought joy to walkers as it's a place of natural beauty .
Naas needs an outer relief Road and not an inner one.
Put a stop to this nonsense and do proper planning
outer relief road will allow the town to develope
Sustainable mobility within Kildare will be vital if we wish to reduce our carbon footprint, achive a hgealthier population, and reconnect residents with the heritage and natural beauty of their local areas. There are two key components to this:
The first is development of active travel networks within Kildare Towns, allowing freedom to reach town centres safely, to easily transfer from active travel to public transport, to provide pleasant place making for town streets and improved public realm in town centres.
Key to safe travel within towns is a reduction of speed limits to 30km/h in all urban areas and corresponding redesign of carriageway width and appearance, to provide a psychological encouragement to reduce speeds when operating a motor vehicle. Examples of this can be found in the following article comparing provision in Naas with a town in the Netherlands: Commuter Town Comparison (irishcycle.com/2021/02/13/a-commuter-town-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-ireland-from-baarn-to-naas-part-1/)
The second is development of key active travel links between towns, in some places this may be facilitated by greenway routes, but in others it must utilise the existing road network. These routes will allow for improved links between towns, safe routes that can expand the active travel radius of the majority of Kildare residents and provide key travel options for commuters, and tourists.
A network plan for this already exists: The Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan (2013) https://www.nationaltransport.ie/publication/greater-dublin-area-cycle-network-plan/
In particular I would draw attention to the Rural cycle route map https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/English_04d_Proposed_Network_Rural.pdf and the Rural Town Plans https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/English_04c_Proposed_Network_Towns.pdf
I would call on Kildare County Council to begin the implementation of this plan in earnest. However a key consideration must be the design of the routes. In the past too many 'cycle routes' in Ireland have amounted to little more than a line of paint on a road, this is woefully inadequate for encouraging active travel and has been shown in many cases to actually be more dangerous than no provision whatsoever. Given the additional funding available for cycleways in the current national budget, this is the time to be truly ambitious and provide world class cycle routes as an example of how to get things right. As such I have provided an example map showing a slightly modified K15 route from the above plans, linking Naas to Newbridge. Included in this map are example images of how the infrastructure could be put in place in a way that provides a pleasant environment for walking and cycling, even in places where a major road still takes multiple lanes of cars. This example could be used as a template for major town to town links within Kildare. K15: Naas to Newbridge Cycleway (www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1Xd8sluw9PdzfX65TOGfGMkTjyd1NLjzx&ll=53.20294619887097%2C-6.738823455933478&z=13)
Within the GDA plans are also many routes on smaller roads, here signage alerting motorists to the presence of active travel users, and directional signage for pedestrians and cycle users would have a huge impact, however this should not be solely relied upon, quiet routes should be further quieted by making routes local access only for motor vehicles, up to and including road furnishings which reduce speeds or minimise through traffic. Where these quiet routes interact with major routes, serious thought should be given to methods of safely allowing active travel users to transition across, or along the major road, to link to the next quiet section. An example of this is shown here (imgur.com/yxKduPb).
A fantastic amount of funding is currently available to develop active travel in Kildare, with some ambition and good design principles we could boast a world class network of routes that would improve the health and connectedness of the county.
Thank You
The Inner Relief Road proposed in the 2017-2022 plan has been rejected and should not appear in the new 2023-2029 County Plan. A democratic vote was taken to comprehensively defeat the proposed road at the Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
An outer ring road should be a specific objective of the county plan and is what Naas needs.
A more forward thinking, logical solution is to provide an outer ring road for the Eastern/North-Eastern side of Naas to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be routed so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas and will provide a long term development boundary to the East/North-East of the town of Naas.
To whom it concerns
Connected with the recent growth in the Maynooth and North Kildare area in general has come significantly increased volumes of traffic. This traffic is causing increased noise and air pollution in the area's most affected. e.g. Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Kilcock environs etc. The traditional approach to addressing these issues has in the past been to increase road capacity to accomodate increased levels of traffic. Town's like Maynooth are choking on these increased volumes of traffic, literally and methaphorically. I would ask that due consideration is given to restricting free movement of traffic to certain area's in these locations for certain periods at particular times of the day. Consideration could be given to removing parking spaces from main streets for all but physically impaired drivers. One way systems that allow additional space for pedestrians and cyclists e.g. Parsons Street, Maynooth while at the same time facilitating easier movement of existing traffic flows. (Celbridge and Maynooth are obvious candidates for one way systems in this regard. The closure of back alleys, narrow side streets etc to traffic with the exception of access to residents/businesses where required etc. (Pound Lane & Doctors Lane Maynooth. You consideration of possible solutions to reduce the existing levels of traffic through the main and minor thoroughfares of what originally were quiet villages would be appreciated.
To whom it concerns
As a resident of North Kildare I have witnessed the dramatic change to the area in terms of new housing / business development over the last 10 years in particular. There is a running theme with respect to these developments. Relatively speaking, sprawling housing estates with 3/4/5 bedroom housing as well as a contingent of one off large homes which are on the increase again in Co.Kildare. I believe that if we are going to continue to increase the population of Kildare then it's time for consideration of apartment buildings that can accomodate greater density without consuming greenfield sites at the current rate. Buildings of 6 stories plus are common in mainland Europe in towns of similar size to Maynooth etc. e.g. We already have one building of this size on the Nort Campus of Maynooth Uni. So why can't we have them in residential areas too? More building up, less building out please.
County Kildare our future Economic Development
County Kildare is situated in the unique position immediately south of Dublin the largest economic driver of our national economy. It has been a benefactor of this success for a number of years and it is an opportune time to enhance this unique position for Kildare to thrive in the future.
The arrival of Covid has changed the way we work and live in general with the new norm of working from home or immediate locality the main focus. Brexit has also changed how we trade nationally and internationally as we can no longer rely on a steady supply chain from the UK we must create our own new systems / infrastructures for trade both national and international.
So how do we address this new scenario?
Historically industries (Data Centre, IT, Pharma, logistics/distribution) seek to cluster when choosing where to locate. We can capitalise on some of the existing sectors which are most active at the moment.
The largest cluster of Data Centres in the country is based in Citywest (5 mins from Kildare) the infrastructure to attract this secor to Kildare exists or can be easily created. The main Gas transmission line from Kinsale to Dublin runs through Kildare close (3km) to the N7 at Junction 6 . The main Dublin water line runs through Kildare from Poulaphouca and lies 1km from Junction 6 N7 aside an Electricity Substation (POP) and planned large Solar Farm,energy storage and extra capacity substation . The main national / international Dark Fibre MAN network ( Metro T50) ensures the required international connectivity of the present Data Centres and can easily be extended along the N7 to complement other Dark Fibre offerings to enlarge this general cluster into County Kildare. Data Centre operators in Ireland plan to be carbon neutral within the lifespan of our County Development Plan and are well on the way to achieving this target. Being less than 10 minutes from Citywest the hinterland of the N7 particularly Junction 6 (a rare road junction not already servicing a village or town settlement) would be an ideal area for Kildare to benefit from the already created Data Centre Industry around the M50.
The planned development of the largest distribution centre in Ireland by the largest trader worldwide (Amazon) on the N7 at Baldonnell (5 minutes from our border) on the N7 Junction 4 is an indication of where the preferred logistics / distribution locations are required by these type operators.
The upgrading of the two train lines to service the expected decreased commuter numbers (work from home) is a welcome addition to our county which will ideally lessen traffic along the N7 further enhancing the attractiveness to all types of commercial activity. The N7 is recognised as the main artery from the Capital to the rest of the country and the extension of one the largest commercial areas in Ireland along the immediate N7 (Junction 6) infrastructure rather than developing from scratch would appear to be evident.
Extending the existing Logistics, Distribution and Storage development along the N7 closest to Dublin (at Junction 6) would minimise the impact on traffic and our roads a plus for the environment compared to developing deep within our county. It is more beneficial for development within our County border rather than servicing neighbouring County development. We would thus capture the monetary gains (rates infrastructure development charges) and employment spinoffs.
The area along the N7 bordering county Dublin (Junction 6) is less than 30 minutes from our main International Airport and Dublin Shipping Port and the advantages and attractiveness to economic development cannot be underestimated.
We have the ingredients, skills and the opportunity now through our forthcoming Kildare County Development Plan creating the blueprint,to maximise returns for us and our future generations.
The pre draft webinars preceding this submission stage gave clarity to the process and thanks to Kildare County Council for facilitating the expression of so many different viewpoints. It makes for the best possible outcome for our final County Development Plan.
Dear Sir / Madam
Please find attached a short submission pertain to The Curragh for consideration as part of the CDP.
Kind Regards
Gay Brabazon, Declan Browne, Karen Tyrrell
I trust that KCC will not put the Naas Inner Relief Road proposal,aka Gallops Avenue, in the 2023-2029 Development plan as it has already been rejected overwhelmingly by Naas Municipal District councillors. Recent submissions by Catherine Murphy TD, James Lawless TD and Reada Cronin TD to the Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy Stakeholder & Public Consultation No. 2 Submissions Report October 2020, also support this position. The future needs of the town will not be satisfied by this outdated plan. A new orbital route is required to enhance future development.
Climate action needs to be given serious consideration.
Principal Office
Principal Department
Kildare County
Aras Cill Dara
Kildare Country South
07/03/2021
Dear Principal Officer
I wish to register my strongly objections to the planning of Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 inner relief road in Naas Racecourse that will back onto Kingsfurze.
Due to the Covid pandemic Kingsfurze has created a valuable neighbourhood and community that have provided amenities for the public. For example many park their cars and walk their dog(s) in the race courses which has allowed a certain feeling of wellbeing in a time when people's anxiety is at all time high.
This new inner relief road will create unsafety conditions to its nearby residents and create hazardous road conditions for children, elderly, general public within the estates attached and rounding areas. Additionally traffic could potential reach high levels of risk from speeding, a rat runs and additionally create new access to residents gardens for burglary and theft. On street parking by the public in the race course area could potentially limit the access and vision to the road. This has the potential to cause issues to the traffic flow or dangerously impaired to drivers.
Furthermore, a new road inner relief road would create hazardous fumes, noise, dust, and vibrations that in turn, can potentially affect the health and wellbeing of a community. The application cannot be judged entirely on its own and must be aligned with all areas taking into account such as national guidelines for health and safety, environmental safety, parks and leisure facilities, within the remit of this road.
For the reason mention above I strongly object the any inner relief road been built within remit of the of Kingfurze estate.
Kind Regards
Michael Moore
I wish (once again) to lodge my objection to the Naas Inner Relief Road (now called the Gallops Avenue). Firstly, I resent the project being reintroduced again so soon after it was comprehensively rejected as a proposition such a short time ago.
The reasons for rejecting this project still hold; the road does not relieve any traffic congestion in Naas, but merely moves the congestion from one area to another; congestion will be catered for by a road which gives a wider circumference, stretching from the N7 to the Blessington Road. This would give a more balanced development plan to Naas, and be practical and long term in relieving any traffic congestion.
When planning for the future, planners should take additional facts into consideration.
The green open space associated with Naas racecourse should be retained as both a racing commercial concern and as part of a local amenity. This amenity has been and continues to be crucial during this Covid pandemic.
Increased importance should be given in planning to readily available open green spaces. This would include cycle paths, and walking linkage between estates, but water spaces should not be included in total area, as no one can walk, jog or play on water.
Future planning should at all cost avoid the 'doughnut' effect of development away from the town centre. Town centre revitalization should be prioritized.
River Liffey Views
The River Liffey is a great amenity within the county. It also plays a critial role in the biodiversity of Kildare. Retaining green corridors, wildlife corridors and views enhances the quality of life for all. Existing corridors and views along the river Liffey should be protected. With a view to the upcoming Celbridge LAP 2023 please see examples of existing unspoilt views and wildlife corridors, rich in local heritage, that have the potential to become Riverside Heritage Parks.
In order to enhance the amenity, biodiversity, and heritage value of the county the areas listed below and others throughout the county could be opened to the public.
Seek to create a Liffey Valley Heritage Park on disused lands along the Ardclough Road Celbridge, currently in the ownership of St. John Of Gods, incorporating Celbridge Abbey Grounds on the opposite side of the river i.e. along the Clane road. Both parcels of land are linked via the Rockbridge.
Seek to create a Liffey Valley Heritage Park at Donaghcumper Demesne, retaining the estate features, including gate lodges, Donaghcumper House, bridges, avenue and designed park landscape.
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12.4.2 Objectives : Protective Structures ( Current CDP 2017-2023 )
It is noted that PSO 4 in the County Development Plan protects river views within Castletown in Celbridge. It is requested that the new CDP includes the river views listed below at Celbridge Abbey.
Views upstream from the Rockbridge at Celbridge Abbey beyond the weir.
View downstream from the Rockbridge at Celbridge Abbey.
Celbridge Abbey is of national importance. Dean Jonathan Swift's orginal bower is located on the river bank at Celbridge Abbey . The Abbey is also associated with Henry Grattan MP. The Abbey's river views merit inclusion in the County Development Plan.
Built Heritage.
It is vital that the built Heritage of County Kildare is protected, for example sites like Tea Lane in Celbridge should be protected so that future developments do not detract from the character of the graveyard.
A conservation plan for this site is being implemented in stages. There has been great inroads achieved in the implementation of the plan led by the community. The site has gone from being derelict and completely overgrown to a vibrant well kept space, visited and used by many. The site contains the Henry Grattan Family Vault and is the burial ground of William Conolly of Castletown. The restored chapel on site is now an intimate concert space for local and national artists.
To whom it concerns I want to raise my objection to the inclusion of the Naas Inned Relief Road/Gallops Avenue iin the Draft County plan.
This road was first proposed amost 30 years ago and is not the required solution for Naas. The ton has developed significantly since that time and a more appropriate soltuion is now required for Naas.
The PArt 8 planning process for the Naas Inner Relief Road was defeated by 6 votes to 1 when it came before the Naas conucillors. To include it again shows a complete lack of respect for the democratic process and it shoudl be removed.
The Gallops Avenue as proposed is materially the same route as the Naas Inner Relief Road and should therefore be removed from the document. It shoud be replace with a soltuion that will not result in heavy traffic including significant nnumbers of HGVs being routed through residential aread.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
The inner relief road proposed in the 2017-2022 plan has been democratically rejected and should not appear in the new 2023-2029 county plan. This route is an outdated proposal which does not meet the current and future traffic volumes in Naas town. An outer ring road is the minimum requirement and should be a specific objective of the county plan. This road would only serve to bring ever increasing large volumes of traffic through mature residential estates. A relief road should not consist of junctions, traffic lights and traffic jams and this serves to only move the current issues from one side of the town to another.
Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...”
Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The
Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in
Naas.
Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The
Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and
most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and
for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of
date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive
Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following
specific objective:
cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road
close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so
routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will
provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of
Naas”.
current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such
an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county
development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and
extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible,
which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
I see the value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park
at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway
between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling,
walking or running.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensibly defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld in any proposals for the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023 - 2029.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas/ Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor wht Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including Heavy Goods, in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief road. A considerable portion of this route traverses the Naas Racecourse. The racecourse should be preserved as an amenity for recreational purposes for current and future generations.
Instead of persisting with a near 30 year old proposal that is the defunct Naas Inner Relief road / The Gallops Avenue, the Kildare County Council time would be better spent in including the following objective:
To provide an outer ring road for the eastern / north-eastern side of Naas linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the N7 junction. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
This objective is to replace the 'Inner Relief road, Naas' objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development plan 2017 - 2023. Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT-15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: with the considerable increase in population of Naas arising from various new developments indicates there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additonal education campuses within the town environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
The Naas inner relief road was a roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis the democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 files in the face of democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue which was introduced in the recent non statutory Naas/ Sallins Transpost Strategy as with its predecessor the Naas inner relief road will merely move thousands od vehices including large volumes of Heavy Good Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature, resedential estates
Page 120 of the non statutory Naas/ Sallins Transport strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Aavenue will relieve "... congestion on the main street and the dublin road" congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road nd Sunday'sWell. On this basis it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas
At Castledermot GAA we have been attempting to secure land for a second pitch for over 20 years now. The development of the club has been severly restricted due to the fact that we only have 1 pitch. In 2020 we fielded 27 teams in our club. To enable us do this we needed to use outside facilities, like the primary school astro and other clubs pitches. This is not odeal and severly hampers the growth and development of our club. We get a loan of pitches from neighbouring clubs to be able to facilitate the palying of matches. At times we have had to cencede home advantage because of the non availability of our pitch. Only having 2 dressing rooms has also proven to be difficult especially with the surgencies of girls and ladies football.
As well as our club using our facilities a number of schools and other organisations use our facilities on a regular basis. Scoil Diarmada play all their home GAA matches at our facilities and they have recently introduced hurling and camogie. Colaiste Lorcain use it for their home games. Leinster College football have in the past used our facilities.
We have a very close connection and association with Rundermot Running Club, and they use our facilities for all their grass training. If we were able to get a second pitch we would see a great opportunity to put a running track around it for this club and for all the people in Castledermot Community.
Everytime that land becomes available in Castledermot, within the boundaires where we would be permitted to put a pitch and facilities the price becomes prohibitive for us. The last land sold in the area which would have been suitable reached over €37,000 per acre.
We would ask Kildare County Council to include in their development Plan for 2023-2029 an increased area for recreation and amenities. In this area it would be possible to put playing pitches in for GAA and possibly other sports. It could also facilitate a running track for the community, which would allow people to safely get out and exercise, which as we all know is great for peoples mental health.
In Castledermot GAA we have an excellent Development committee who have worked tiresly over the last number of years to try and secure additional land and this committee would be very willing to work with Kildare County Council to enable a sporting facility in the town to become a reality.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan
2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas
Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To
include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the
face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins
Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move
thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity
to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The
Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...”
Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The
Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in
Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct
Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The
Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and
most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and
for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an
approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of
date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive
Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following
specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to
cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road
close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so
routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will
provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of
Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the
current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such
an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county
development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and
extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible,
which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
I support of the planned park in Sallins and the greenway. 2020 has highlighed more than ever the need of local green areas for an escape from working at home and improved physical and mental health. It would be an excellent addition to the local area.
With regard to Naas and it's role as Key Town within the County of Kildare, it is vital for the future social and economic vibrancy that transport and access are addressed at an appropriate scale.
Previous development plans seemed to pivot on, what was then identified as: Naas Inner Relief Road and based on socio-demographic data from over 30 years ago. This road underwent a full consultative process and culminated in a Part-8 planning process which attracted massive community objection and was comprehensively defeated by the corresponding Council vote.
The recent Draft Naas & Sallins Transport Strategy unexpectedly made reference to the Inner Relief Road, but renamed as Gallops Avenue. Was this an error or obfuscation. Neither instills confidence, but this process offers an opportunity to defintively ensure that the community is heard.
It is vital that the route identified as Naas Inner Relief Road / Gallops Avenue must not be included in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-29, for a number of reasons:
(a) the planning process was democratically exhausted in relation to this route and overwhelmingly demonstrated that that community was united in their objection of the suitability of this route for Naas. Retaining the route on the upcoming plan, by whatever name, is anti-democratic and anti-community, the very community this plan is intended to serve;
(b) the routing, whether intentional or otherwise, of significant traffic volumes, including HGV, so close to residential neighbourhoods and through the village of Ballycane is inappropriate, and defeats the very intentions around environment, health and quality of life the Development Plan seeks to cater for.
(c) Naas Racecourse offers a valued Green Lung and attracts residents from across Naas. Open access to this amenity has never been more welcome or critical, and running a road through Naas Racecourse will only serve to close off this amenity to the town.
It is clear that Naas will develop to the South. This development plan must provide for an appropriate, high capacity road system into this area, with efficient access onto the M/N7. This must not be sited within existing town boundaries, but beyond to truely provide the additional access required as the town grows.
Continuted attempts to route such connectivity through the existing Jn 9 will only complicate traffic flows. A strategic route should benefit the whole town, reflect that Naas is a Key Town, demonstrate future-ready planning and, most importantly, reflect the interests of those living in the town.
Is mise.
Naas Inner relief road
I feel the Naas Inner Relief Road, Gallops Avenue as proposed will just move the bottle necks further out the Dublin Road. It is a thirty year old plan. Surely the new development plan should include a relief road for the eastern/ north eastern side of Naas which would link the Dublin Road with the Blesssington Road but join the Dublin Road close to its junction with the N7.
Development of the centre of Naas
In line with the National Retail Guidelines the plan should not allow large retail development outside the centre of the town. The town centre has been severely affected by the development of the Monread shopping centre. The new plan should learn from this mistake.
Active Leisure
I welcome the development of the Naas / Sallins greenway. I would like to see the Racecourse preserved as a green lung as well as the area around the lakes to allow for increased demand for walking routes
The Gallops Avenue Road is the rebranded Inner Relief Road from previous plans. This road was voted against by the local councillors. To reinstate the road flies in the face of democracy and if decisions by the councillors are no upheld how can we trust the democratic process? This will lead to a precedent going forward which completely undermines the position and work the councillors do and local politics will not be able to work effectively.
The Gallops Avenue is based on an outdated 30 year old plan. An outer ring road should be proposed instead which would go around the town and not through it which would aid development and relieve traffic congestion by bringing traffic away from the town.
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am writing to you to make a strong objection to any inclusion of an inner relief road / Naas Inner Relief Road / Gallops Avenue. In my opinion any such road should not appear as a 'Priority Road Project' or objective in the 2023-2029 county plan.
Firstly, the Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
Secondly, the Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates. This will cause noise- and air pollution in a densely populated area.
Thirdly, page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
Finally, the route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30-year-old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Yours sincerely.
Jana Drennan
A democratic vote has already decided that the proposal for the above mentioned road was unnessecary and therefore defeated. Therefore, a renewal of this proposal goes againt the vote of Naas residents and politicians. Although it is agreeable that a relief road may be needed, the suggested location will only bring about further difficulty for the community. Estates which were once safe and peaceful, especially for young children, would become a hazardous and unpleasant place to live. The proposed route will also not properly function as a bypass, as conjestion will occur elsewhere due to its location (A route even further out from the town is reccomended). Following one of my previous points, the racecourse will no longer be a treasured community facility, which was much depended upon during lockdown for a form of exercise and ultimately mental health reliever. The road that will replace this calming area will be replaced with a dangerous and busy road, especially dangerous to children, with the new generation of families deciding to reside in Naas.
We cannot fail our ageing population any longer. Kildare County Council must develop a plan for the provision of Multigenerational communities. KCC are well placed to exercise corporate leadership and take a greater strategic approach to enhance the housing and lifestyle choices for people in later life.
Integrated action in the area of Multigenerational housing and planning can align some of the most important policy areas currently challenging national and local government – how to reform and integrate the HSE, social care and public health in the context of population ageing, and how to increase housing supply delivery and build more resilient and healthy neighbourhoods.
Increasing longevity is a permanent feature of the socio-economic landscape.
For many older people, they believe that the only alternative to a family home is institutional care. Older People cannot be segregated from the rest of the community. Loss of social connections, physical separation from familiar places and routines, and resulting emotional distress can combine to affect the mental and physical health of older people. In many parts of the world, older people have a higher status and remain integrated in the community.
I urge KCC to take the lead on this, be creative and innovative in solving a real problem. Surely it is possible to plan and develop new multigenerational communities where there is a mixture of all housing types and age groups, and create an environment that are truly age-friendly. KCC must be the solution provider to make available communities that cater for young families to people over retirement age, including the active newly-retired through to the very frail elderly, whose housing needs can encompass accessible, adaptable general needs housing for those looking to downsize from family housing and the full range of retirement and specialised housing for those with support or care needs.
This flexibility will allow for residents to trade up or step down within an existing development and community. There are various mixes that could be examined and so many successful examples and research of what that looks like in other parts of the world.
The role of digital technology in relation to housing for older people is also increasingly recognised as part of an effective building management solution to deliver smarter and more accessible, adaptable and environmentally friendly homes.
People of all ages must stay socially connected within their communities. It is imperative that people are supported and encouraged to live independent lives in a community that provides a supportive environment for as long as possible.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads Priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2013. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve "....congestion on Main Street and The Dublin Road....." Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday's Well. On this basis it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of The Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse Area must be preserved as the 'Green Lung' portion of the town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
At this stage, the now defunct Inner Relief Road/The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It is incredible that at this stage Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
" To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/northern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin Road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a longterm development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 (page137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT15 of the County Development Plan which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national roads network in sofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Development of Downtown Naas:
In line with the National Retail Guidelines the Kildare County Development Plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre and to provide passive surveillance to reduce anti social behaviour.
How can we support and protect traditional on-street retailing with the increase of on-line shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i) Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy to the Kildare Development Plan to ensure that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (ie. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace)_ is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres as the definition of District Centres in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on the maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas, Maynooth and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is a potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas(an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour.
(iii) The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (ie. up to no more than 1,000sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, wheter by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary
The experience with the development of the Monread shopping Centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a "District" centre in the late 1990s, yet was granted, on appeal partly based on the argument that it was a "District Centre". Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes should never happen again.
Recommendation:
Throughout cities and towns in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and more, there is outdoor seating with protection from the sun to allow locals and tourists to interact together without negative effects from the (hot) weather. County Kildare could be trail blazers if it created covered seating areas in every town in County Kildare where locals and tourists could sit outside even on rainy days. In a post Covid world County Kildare could show, with covered outdoor seating, how it supports local retailers, local communities and tourists with a very simple and cost effective initiative. Community interaction could be greatly supported if every planning application for housing developments over a certain number had to contain outdoor covered seating areas and land for allotments integrated in the area.
I wish to make my objections Naas inner relief road through the race couse. I object for the following reasons:
The proposed road joins the Blessington road too close to the town, only about 0.7 km from the Dublin road and the centre of the town.
The Dublin road end joins the Dublin Road about 1.5 km from the town centre. I makes more sense to take traffic from this radius from the town centre and deliver it to the Blessington Road at a similar distance from the town centre.
The length of the route will be about 1.5 km, yet will only take traffic 0.7 km away from the town at the Blessington Road. This seems like a poor return.
Currently, there can be long tail backs of traffic turning right from the Blessington Road onto Ballycane Road, exceeding the length of the turn right lane and blocking the trafic attempting to go straight towards Blessington. This will be greatly exacerbated with the proposed road.
Main roads passing through residential areas have a tendency to divide the town, between those who are inside and those who are outside.
I want to encourage children to be able to walk to school, the proposed road will discourage this for residents on the wrong side of the road.
This in turn will encourage more local car journeys ferrying children to schools.
Theme - Creative Spaces: Social, Community and Cultural Development
There are a number of opportunities in relation to this theme namely shared community parks and public realms. With the growing population in Newbridge and the demands on families, places that people can enjoy have become a key requirement.
Shared Community Park
As the current pandemic has proven to society, we are going to have to change the way we live, work and exercise. Communities are now adapting, and the way people exercise will require facilities especially outdoors. In a large town like Newbridge, it is vital that people have a large enough open space or park in or near the town where they can recreate and walk safely. Many elderly and people with disabilities cannot drive and it is important that they can use such facilities. People of all ages are now jogging and running, and open spaces should be able to facilitate this where possible. At present the Liffey Linear Park an excellent green area is in many ways simply too small to cater for the numbers now using the park. This has become more relevant during the pandemic. Research showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic physical activity enabled a reset of physical and mental well-being (Dominik and Brandt, 2020). Even if COVID-19 is supressed in the coming years a shared community park is required for the community in Newbridge.
At local level as part of the recreation and amenity policy Kildare County Council have committed to encouraging recreational, ecological environmental preservation, educational and community facilities in Newbridge to be multi-functional and not exclusively used by any one group (Newbridge Local Area Plan, 2013, p 111).
Vision
That a modern, accessible and usable shared community open area be developed and created that will provide a sustainable recreational, sporting and environmentally friendly public space for use by all the people in Newbridge.
It is envisaged that the shared community park will be more than a walking park and will have a great deal of potential. To expand on the vision this should be a shared community park of approximately 20 acres to include walking and cycling trail, children’s playground, two shared sports pitches and a biodiversity area. It is also envisaged that fishing and canoeing facilities could be developed and marketed as part of this community park.
Public Realm
There are a variety of facilities, groups and activities that are available for all the community to enjoy and participate in Newbridge. However, the development of a number of public realms projects has injected a new dimension into a number of towns throughout County Kildare. Research shows that public realms encourage connections, communality and relationships. The Heritage Council (2019) defines the public realm as “publicly owned streets, sidewalks, rights of ways, parks, and other accessible open spaces and public and civic buildings and facilities”.
Similar to a number of towns in County Kildare one of the challenges for Newbridge is that it is a commuter town. In many cases this puts additional pressure and anxiety on families and residents in the town. To highlight this prior to the pandemic on weekdays there was approximately 1,300 people journeying to and from Dublin by train. (National Transport Authority, 2018, p. 44-50). Figures also show that prior to Covid-19, Newbridge had one of the highest percentage of workers 1,681 commuting more than an hour to work each day. With population growth expected over the next ten years this number will probably rise substantially.
The development of the public realm project would contribute positively to the quality of life for residents in Newbridge.
Theme - Healthy Placemaking: people and Places
Housing for the Ageing
The ageing of our population will represent one of the most significant demographic and societal developments that Ireland has ever faced. The number of people over the age of 65 is expected to reach 1.4 million by 2040, or about 23% of the total population. The implications for areas of public policy as diverse as housing, health, urban and rural planning, transport, policing, the workplace and the and the business environment are considerable. Careful planning is now required to ensure that resources can be used effectively for the whole population in the years ahead.
It is accepted that that the planning, development and construction of social and affordable housing is a key priority for National and Local Government. However, for the 2023 – 2029 CDP it is imperative that Kildare County Council strongly consider the development of housing for the ageing.
According to Dept of HP&LG, Housing Options for Ageing Population 2019, Policy Statement on the basis of the CSO’s moderate population projection scenario (M2F2), the 65-74 age cohort will increase by 42.9%, the 75-84 age cohort will see an increase of 75.9% and the 85+ cohort will see an increase of 95.5% by 2031 over 2016 figures. The report, Housing for Older People – Thinking Ahead estimates that 15% of those 65+ would be willing to move to a different home in their community and that a further 15% would choose to move to age-friendly accommodation, if it were available. A further 4% of older people may live in nursing homes. The report also estimated that 66% of those over 65 would prefer to stay in mainstream housing.
Based on the above it is recommended that for the CDP 2023 – 2029, Kildare County Council examine options and opportunities in the town of Newbridge for the development of housing for the ageing.
Theme – Enhanced Amenity and Heritage: Landscape and Green Infrastructure
Peatland
Kildare is rich in heritage and we must try and protect our natural environment and biodiversity while making best use of them in terms of economic and social needs. One area where this can be promoted is the proper management of our peatlands in the county.
Peatlands cover 20% of the land surface of Ireland and can consist of raised bogs, blanket bogs or fens. Irish peatlands are hugely carbon container with more than 70% of the national SOC. Natural or undamaged peatlands contribute to the regulation of the global climate by removing carbon from the atmosphere.
However, there are number of opportunities to socially develop parts of peatland areas while enhancing biodiversity of protected habitats including species and the natural landscape. Pollardstown Fen are perfect examples of this.
In Newbridge, it is important that the Roseberry / Mouds Bog area continue to be designated as a special are of conservation.
Theme Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
Peatways
While there are many opportunities for tourism in Kildare greater emphasis should be put on the development of ‘Peatways’. In this case of Newbridge, Roseberry and Mouds Bog are located on the edge of the town and are very suitable for the development of walking paths and trails and environmental education. The success of Bora Bog in Laois /Offaly and Lullymore in Kildare are examples of how such developments can enhance tourism and create job opportunities in the community.
Theme - Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport
Disabilities
According to the 2016 Census over 27,768 people and registered with a disability in Kildare. In a report published in 2018, by a Joint Oireachtas Committee it was stated that “an inaccessible transport system negatively impacts on the capacity of people with disabilities to engage and participate in all spheres of Irish society”. The challenges and stress that commuters face is well documented. However, for commuters with disabilities the challenges and stress of daily commuting has to be extremely challenging.
Regarding the disability sector in the CDP 2023 – 2029, Kildare County Council should give due consideration to the following:
# That a standardised template is developed for accessibility in development of streetscapes.
# That adequate disability parking bays are provided throughout the county.
# Train stations need to accessible for the service used and the disability sector.
# Inclusiveness is most important through consultation.
Theme - Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaption
Solar Energy
Similar to all the themes there are many opportunities that will assist Kildare County Council in the challenges presented by climate change. In this regard I would highlight the benefits of solar energy. This is also an opportunity for Kildare County Council to promote and encourage the use solar energy initially in smaller communities and public buildings such as schools and libraries for example. While the initial cost of such projects can be expensive in the long term there will be cost benefits. The advantages of solar energy are that it is a renewable energy source, reduces electricity bills, low maintenance cost and has diverse applications in that it can generate heat and electricity.
Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is the new State funded program which enables communities to become involved in energy generation projects. Significant revenue streams can accrue to communities annually via such projects. It is expected that successful RESS projects will have their electricity output presold, at fixed prices, for upwards of fifteen years. Therefore, communities will have an opportunity to lead in the decarbonisation of our society and economy.
Community Power is assisting urban & rural communities throughout Ireland to become involved in the RESS program. The first RESS program (RESS-1) commenced in 2020 and Community Power has been successful in assisting Claremorris Energy Coop in Mayo and Dunmore Energy Community in Galway. These two communities were scheduled to commence building their solar parks in 2021 and transmitting power to the national grid in 2021/2, with revenue flowing back into the communities also. In the present Covid-19 emergency this timeline will change.
In the case of climate change the next Kildare County Development Plan should be ambitious in its promotion of solar energy by communities throughout the county.
Tesco Ireland, being one of the primary convenience retailers in Ireland, welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the Issues Paper.
The retail sector makes a major contribution to Kildare County by increasing the vitality and viability of towns and villages, acting as economic anchors, creating significant employment and generating indirect economic and social activity. In this regard, Tesco Ireland welcomes this engagement by Kildare County Council and we would encourage the Local Authority to continue to engage with stakeholders in the retail sector to ensure that there are appropriate policies in the forthcoming Development Plan to facilitate ongoing investment in the County.
We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of local convenience retail facilities, particularly as the population responds to the Government’s ‘Living with Covid-19’ Plan, and to highlight the requirements needed to locate and operate such stores. On this basis we would, therefore, request that following this submission, Kildare County Council bring forward policies that support and promote the development of additional retail stores of an appropriate scale, at suitable locations in the County, in accordance with the projected population growth of the County.
Please refer to the attached letter for the full observation.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan
2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas
Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To
include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the
face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins
Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move
thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity
to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The
Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...”
Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The
Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in
Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct
Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The
Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and
most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and
for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an
approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of
date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive
Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following
specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to
cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road
close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so
routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will
provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of
Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the
current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such
an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county
development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and
extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible,
which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to voice my objection yet again as a resident of Kings Court estate, Naas, to the re-emergence of the Naas inner relief road under the guise of 'Gallops Avenue'. It is disappointing to say the least that this is being put on the table again for comment considering that it was comprehensively rejected by the people democratically elected to represent the views of residents of Naas in 2019.
Yours Sincerely,
Aidan Doorey,
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas”
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). This outer ring road along with the ring road at Millennium Park and Jigginstown should cater for the traffic issues and provide a more sustainable long-term plan for Naas town.
Development of safe routes for active transport such as cycling or walking routes in Naas. For school children travelling between Finlay Park and the local schools an extension of existing cycle lanes would be most welcome. Greenway projects to support the canal as an amenity would be very welcome. However would object to "permeability" of the Finlay Park estate as increased footfall would have detrimental impact on Finlay Park resident; this is a quiet, secure housing estate with lots of young families and increased "permeability" will result in that safe and quiet setting being disturbed and could pose a risk of antisocial behaviour and crime in the estate.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan
2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas
Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To
include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the
face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan
2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas
Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To
include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the
face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The
Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...”
Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The
Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in
Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct
Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The
Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and
most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and
for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an
approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of
date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive
Consultants reports recommending this route desipte the route and its design does not follow the guidelines set out by our own national authorities, see the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets(co-authored by Robert Curley, KCC’s own Road Design Engineer).
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following
specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to
cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road
close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so
routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will
provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of
Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the
current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such
an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county
development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and
extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible,
which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Congestion will be moved from the town and directed to our and other residential estates, (estimated negatively affected population of circa 6000). It was admitted previously by the KCC that traffic for residents leaving all the adjoining estates will increase (by 40% immediately to increase substantially over the coming years )and exiting will be far more difficult and dangerous.
We would to see KCC work closely with community groups such as Tidy Towns, Community Alert and the likes to combat illegal dumping and vandalism through the use of community CCTV and by having better resources at their disposution to enforce fines etc.
We would like to see less cutting of grass on roads verges but also along watercourses, parkland and green spaces. Stricter rules should be in place to preserve hedgerows when sites are developed. Private landowners should be encouraged to plant native hedges and strict rules should apply to replant hedgerows that have been removed. Finally, hedgerow cutting should be banned from February to September and should be done every two to three years only.
The Curragh should get special protection as a unique site which is currently under pressure. It is of natinal and worldwide interest.
The Bog of Allen should become an area of conservation as a lot of rare species (moths, butterflies, birds, sphagnum, etc) live in our bog. It is also an area of importance for climate action as a functioning bog acts as a carbon sink. It is also of worldwide importance as a habitat as only a few remains. It is crucial that energy developments (wind farms, solar panel farms) are planned in areas that do not interfere with bog biodiversity conservation. The Bog of Allen also has green tourism potential that should be explored in consultation with Bord na Móna and the local communities
We urge KCC to install recycling bins on the streets in order to segregate its collected waste more efficiently as well as enable communities to recycle more
We would like that night wildlife is considered when putting up new lights. There are solutions to channel bright lights and minimise light pollution. All new lamp posts/ street lights should have a mechanism to either dim lights when no movement is detected or a cap to direct the light down to the footpath or road only.
Theme - Creative Spaces: Social, Community and Cultural Development
Open Spaces / Parks
In a large town like Newbridge, it is vital that people have a large enough open space or park in or near the town where they can recreate and walk safely. Many elderly and people with disabilities cannot drive and it is important that they can use such facilities. People of all ages are now jogging and running, and open spaces should be able to facilitate this where possible. At present the Liffey Linear Park an excellent green area is in many ways simply too small to cater for the numbers now using the park. This has become more relevant during the pandemic.
At local level as part of the recreation and amenity policy Kildare County Council have committed to encouraging recreational, ecological environmental preservation, educational and community facilities in Newbridge to be multi-functional and not exclusively used by any one group.
The CDP 2023 – 2029 should reflect the greater need for community parks in or near towns in the county. In the case of Newbridge there are a number of open spaces options that should be considered such as extending the Linear Park to the opposite bank and to the north of the River Liffey. The area of Lakeside Park also has potential for further enhancement but only in consultation with the residents in the area.
Public Realm
The CDP 2023 – 2029 should prioritise the completion of the Public Realm project already designed and planned for Newbridge by the end of 2019.
The development of the public realm project would contribute positively to the quality of life for residents in Newbridge.
Theme - Healthy Placemaking: people and Places
Social and Affordable Housing
Notwithstanding future Government housing initatives and the disruption that Covid – 19 has caused to the construction industry, the CDP 2023 – 2029 should continue to ensure a sufficient quantity of social housing is built to meet the needs of the expected population growth in the county in the coming years.
Depending on cost the renovation of vacant or derelict houses should be considered for by KCC as part of the provision of social housing in the coming years.
Theme - Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport
Electric Vehicle Charging Points
The CDP 2023 – 2029 should include an ambitious target to significantly increase the number EV charging points throughout the county and the town of Newbridge.
Public Transport
Transport for Ireland the Rural Link in particular have been a very positive development in terms of public transport in the county. The CDP 2023 – 2029 should ensure that the present capacities be maintained and in the case of Rural Link extended to additional rural areas in the county for example Caragh village.
Cycle Lanes
KCC has made some progress in terms of increasing g the number of cycle lanes in urban area around the county. However, this progress should continue and in towns like Newbridge a plan should be developed so that the number of cycle lanes are introduced throughout the town. There should also be plans to developed cycle lanes from Newbridge to some of the smaller urban areas near the town such as Athgarvan and Milltown.
Theme Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
Peatways
While there are many opportunities for tourism in Kildare greater emphasis should be put on the development of ‘Peatways’. In this case of Newbridge, Roseberry and Mouds Bog are located on the edge of the town and are very suitable for the development of walking paths and trails and environmental education.
Theme - Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaption
Energy Efficient Homes
Energy efficiency is about much more than saving electricity. Indeed, energy efficient homes and buildings come with many benefits such as:
# Living in an energy efficient building can lower your heating bills by more than 50%.
# Energy efficient buildings stay more comfortable and safe during a blackout or disaster.
# 13 jobs are created for every $1 million invested in energy efficiency.
# Energy efficiency has direct and indirect benefits to health.
The CDP 2023 – 2029 should endeavour to reflect the advantages of energy efficient homes by continuing to incentivise residents to retrofit their homes to the highest energy rating that is practically possible.
Hi,
This may be a small issue that affects only me, my children, and all the residents in Newtown and Brallistown. But it is a big issue for us all. The problem is the lack of a safe path from our homes to Kildare Town (Newtown Crossroads). The area is approximately 1km from Newtown Crossroads heading towards Nurney. I must note that there is a path leading from two other routes at Newtown Crossroads, but not on our road.
This submission is born of the near-miss between that of a truck and my child while they tried to walk the windy and dangerous road that is our only connection to Kildare Town. While walking a truck came towards my child on the verge and my child had to jump into the hedge to avoid being hit. All my child would like is to walk to school or town safely. We live too close to KTCS for her to avail of the free bus service and it is unaffordable for us to pay. We live on this road and yes we bought the home for ourselves and our children. But after years and years of no bus service (until recently) or a path to the town, it is taking its toll. I'm afraid it will take someone's life!
This 1km stretch of road is used very frequently by bicycles, motorcycles, cars, tractors, trucks, busses, etc. It is the connecting road to the M7 for many towns, such as Nurney, Athy, and other surrounding towns. Many of the road users drive over the speed limit and drive while using their mobile phones. While I know this is a safety issue for all towns, it is an amplified danger in our town as there is no path and very windy dangerous bends and a serious lack of street lights. As a result, when someone does attempt to walk into town they have to cross the road as they run out of grass to walk on in many areas. Not to forget that after it has rained the grass area which is already uneven, filled with weeds, thistles and nettles becomes dangerously slippery. This is also an issue for people who try to cycle on this road.
I recently found information online regarding how funds were being spent in County Kildare. I noticed funds were given to the sum of €240m from the NTA to "provide high quality facilities for cyclists and walkers across the country." I just want a regular safe path for our neighbourhood. It refers to bicycle lanes, widening footpaths etc. Kildare County Council has been allocated €7,730,000. A cycle route from Naas to Kill received €150,000. We are just looking for a safe path. A need so basic but yet something we just don't have. There are so many residents in the area that need access to the town. Some don't have any other means of transport and as a result, are cut off from accessing local shops, churches etc. a path would open their worlds back again Others have a range of disabilities that prevent them from using the road to get to town, a path would give them safe access to town. Again others like my daughter are afraid to use the road and grass to travel for fear of being hit by a motor vehicle, a path would be such a simple and yet necessary change for them. In this pandemic, we are told to exercise within your 5k. Well, we can't even leave our homes to avail of the 5k.
The Green party wants to reduce motor vehicle usage, I agree. They want more bicycle lanes, I also agree. But where they fall short is on the basic needs of their constituents. Their motto is "think globally, act locally". However, I have sent several emails to the minister for transport, Mr. Eamon Ryan to which I have received an automated reply and nothing else. I also sent several emails to Mr. Ronan Maher, TD for Kildare but I never received any replies. So I am making a submission here in hopes it brings attention to this desperate need for the safety of everyone in our neighbourhood. I guess "act locally" in their motto maybe isn't the case at all.
If further submissions of photos and maps are required, I am more than happy to supply them. I have attached a screenshot of the road area as the interactive map was blank.
Thanks for listening.
https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Issued-Allocations-Final.pdf
Please see attached submission.
Please see attached file for Kilcock Tidy Towns full submission to the County Development Plan. Thankyou
Kilcock Tidy Towns submission is in the attached document. Thankyou
The Grand Canal is an area of historical and ecological importance and is an important amenity for people in Naas, Sallins and adjacent areas. The walkways by the canal are used daily by the residents to enjoy the nature and take their walk within the designated limits. Making existing roads pedestrian-only for the weekends is a great idea that was brought to life this year.
Can consideration be provided in the Development plan for:
- preservation of the Grand Canal, management and maintenance for this public amenity, e.g. improving the walkways
- planning for increased usage, e.g. extending pedestrian-only access
- building a through pedestrian road from Naas to Sallins as this is currently not accessible
A lot of traffic is generated daily on commutes to schools and creches which mostly have to be made by cars. A further development of direct cycling paths and safe pedestrian routes from the estates to schools is highly welcomed. Currently my children have only started Primary school, but I hope that by the time they start in Secondary my family and all other families in Naas will feel that it is safe to send a child by bike on his/her own to school.
During the last year residents started using the 'local' outdoors more often and it became noticeable that not all areas of the growing town have enough parklands. As a resident of Finlay Park, Naas I would like to propose a community garden / new park for Jigginstown / Caragh Road location. There are two 'spots' that in the neighborhood that would be fit greatly for the purpose - the land beside Tender Years Creche and undeveloped land by the canal. These 'spots' have good access by walkway and can also serve the growing communities of new residential developments (Elsmore, Whitethorn and etc).
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. Options including Millbridge Street and the Northwest Quadrant Link Street, which were introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles in very close proximity to quiet residential estates and the environs of the canal and associated habitats.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Millbridge Street option will relieve congestion as “.......The route can provide greater east- west accessibility for the town and can promote walking and cycling between the residential areas that it connects.............” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions on the Sallins Road to new proposed junctions at Finlay Park and Caragh Court. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
Page 121 of the non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that the Northwest Quadrant Link Street option would not relieve congestion but could be considered to progress as part of the strategy as follows “.......... As such, the option does not provide many traffic benefits, its key benefit would be as a public transport-only street, providing an improved linkage to Sallins Train Station and the N7......” again this would bring vehicular impact, increased footfall, noise and pollution to residential areas such as Finlay Park.
A considerable portion of the Millbridge Street and Northwest Quadrant Link Street routes traverse by the environs of the Naas and Corbally branches of the canal. The canal area must be preserved a “green” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The flora and fauna that is found in this part of the town must be preserved intact as part of the biodiversity objectives of the County Development Plan.
Any road developments in or around Finlay Park could have a detrimental effect on the residents in respect to potential flood risks, being situated adjacent to the Naas and Corbally branches of the canal and streams in the Ploopluck area. Assessments and impact analyses would need to inform any further development in the Finlay Park/Ploopluck area to assess flood risks and implement a flood management plan, taking into account the information and Flood Maps prepared through the CFRAM Programme.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater
for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas”
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). This outer ring road along with the ring road at Millennium Park and Jigginstown should cater for the traffic issues and provide a more sustainable long-term plan for Naas town.
No interactive map below
I have read the issues document and phrased my comments as answers to the questions in the document that I will upload in the nest step. I thank Kildare Co. Co. for the opportunity to make my submission and for the work they have done in this preparatory stage.
Kilcock 4 Climate Action has contributed to the submission made by the Kildare Climate Action Linkage Group. Rather than including again here all the items in that submission we would refer you to that detailed submission and would like to note that we are in agreement with all the points made in that submission.
Given that our very existence as humans on this planet is threatened by the combined forces of
climate change and biodiversity loss, we argue that these two themes should be central to the
Kildare County Development Plan rather than being secondary to any development/economic
objectives.
We would like to see the County Development Plan structured with overall goals, specific realistic
measurable targets with key performance indicators. It should be broken down into specific steps
with target dates.
We believe the plan should include much longer-term goals as, if these are not identified now and
work started on them they will never be achieved.
We would like to see a reporting structure set up by KCC to communicate progress on these targets.
We would also like to see in the plan discussion on the targets being aimed for.
We would like to see more detailed feedback to community groups regarding unsuccessful funding
applications in order to facilitate greater success in future funding applications.
We would like to see Council liaise with local Climate Action and Sustainability groups, and make funding available to them directly.
We would like to see Council help facilitate the set up of Climate Action and sustainability groups in every town.
Consider how ordinary citizens can be encouraged to volunteer. Currently it is the same people always doing all the work and there is grave danger of burnout. We need everyone to be involved.
We would like to see Kildare County Council and Councillors lobby Government to treat this emergency that has been declared as an actual emergency.
The Council has a role in delivering the message to the county, using the right language and making knowledge and action mainstream.
To use an analogy from war – no-one ever said in World War 1 or 2 “ how do we make people take this emergency seriously?” The Climate and biodiversity emergencies are a much greater threat to our existence on this planet than any wars. We are using the wrong language to communicate the issues. Leaders in World War times never worried whether they might frighten people, or annoy businesses. They made hard choices and they acted as leaders.
Specifically in Kilcock a few of the things we would like:
There are many more ideas Kilcock 4 Climate Action has to help with Climate Action and Biodiversity Recovery, but due to time pressure these cannot all be included here but we welcome the opportunity to be involved in further consultations and discussions.
Providing good outdoor spaces are crucial in the next development plan, especially after what we have been through over the last 12 months. We need sports facilities, skateboarding parks & outdoor theatre & concert venues. With a bit of imagination we can provide these throughout the county, with little cost. We also need wild areas in our parks, & we need to utilise our wasteground to plant native trees, & to rewild for biodiversity.
We need to protect our native hedges, & need to stop developers removing them on sites. Whereas some parts of the hedge may have to be removed, most of the hedging can be incorporated in plans. We also need to protect our wildlife, by stopping hedge cutting, at the nesting times.
All the above are necessary to protect the environment, as well as our own well being - both mental & physical.
I would appeal to the powers that be, to think carefully when preparing this plan. We need a plan that provides for everyone, & protects our natural environment.
Thank you.
To whom it concerns,
We feel strongly that Kildare County Council must give careful consideration to the following in the new County Kildare Development Plan.
1) The Blueway /Barrow Way adjoining public roads and risk to safety
There is a lot of money spent on advertising the Blueway / Barrow Way for tourist reasons etc but there is NO consideration given to people’s safety where the towpath joins with public roads, ie where cyclists and walkers on reaching a bridge must use a public road to continue using the Barrow Way /Blueway.
Sometimes, the property on the other side of the bridge is a busy public road and sometimes there is private property on the other side of the bridge and these roads adjoining towpaths are used by vehicles to gain access to private dwellings and land, with heavy farm machinery etc.
This is extremely dangerous and has the makings of being fatal for all road users and will be a traffic hasard in the future. Cyclists, drivers, even inexperienced drivers could end up in the canal or barrow or opposite field due to lack of visibility on approaching the bridge when meeting vulnerable people. This is a blind spot for road users. The lives of cyclists, walkers and vulnerable people is put in danger with traffic on these roads, not to mention inexperienced drivers who might have to swerve unexpectedly on meeting vulnerable people, oncoming traffic or farm animals and horses which might escape from nearby farms !
It has the makings of being a traffic hasard in the future. These adjoining roads of the Blueway /Barrow Way are narrow and there is no room for parking near bridges for two way traffic or where farm machinery must gain access to bridges. Driving alongside the Canal and Barrow will be extremely hazardous. Something has to be done to protect the lives of these road users. Waterways Ireland in Enniskillen have already admitted that this is a major problem moving forward.
2)Residents who live along the Blueway/ Barrow Way
Going forward it would be disingenuous of Kildare County Council not to give consideration to the privacy of residents who live along the Blueway /Barrow Way.
Afterall, these residents have invested heavily in living in these areas (maintenance etc) for many years and now the Blueway/Barrow Way has been imposed upon them.
Going forward, these residents will have to invest in safety/security measures such as signage, cctv, etc to protect their homes and private property. Lack of WiFi is a serious problem in rural areas. In addition, with increased usage there will be huge problems with litter and noise pollution in such rural areas.
Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland have a responsibility to the residents to look after the safety of all citizens as a result and Kildare County Council should be obliged to pay for safety features as a result of imposing these towpaths on private residents and vulnerable people living along side the Blueway/Barrow Way.
3)Water safety
Since Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland are investing so much money in a towpath along by the Canal and Barrow, one must also erect life saving equipment along the river and canal and erect ‘No Swimming signs’. At the moment, one can walk for miles along the towpath without finding a life saving ring etc. This is a direct breach of EU safety regulations.
Most people do not have lifesaving skills if someone suddenly found themselves in difficulty in the water. Kildare County Council should invest money in proper swimming lessons for secondary school students and also should equip Transition Year students with proper lifesaving rescue skills. More advertising about water safety should be a priority.
At the moment, Kildare Leisure is charging secondary school students far too much for this service and therefore students cannot afford swimming lesson fees during school time. Kildare County Council should request that Kildare Leisure consult the Principals of secondary schools to compromise on a fee for their students. Kildare County Council /Waterways Ireland need to get the message out there that they DO care about the safety and health of the citizens of Kildare.
4) Spoiling rural areas
Kildare County Council must not allow the rural areas of County Kildare to be destroyed by tourism. There must be regulations in place which respect the privacy of residents.
To whom it concerns,
We feel strongly that Kildare County Council must give careful consideration to the following in the new County Kildare Development Plan.
1) The Blueway /Barrow Way adjoining public roads and risk to safety
There is a lot of money spent on advertising the Blueway / Barrow Way for tourist reasons etc but there is NO consideration given to people’s safety where the towpath joins with public roads, ie where cyclists and walkers on reaching a bridge must use a public road to continue using the Barrow Way /Blueway.
Sometimes, the property on the other side of the bridge is a busy public road and sometimes there is private property on the other side of the bridge and these roads adjoining towpaths are used by vehicles to gain access to private dwellings and land, with heavy farm machinery etc.
This is extremely dangerous and has the makings of being fatal for all road users and will be a traffic hasard in the future. Cyclists, drivers, even inexperienced drivers could end up in the canal or barrow or opposite field due to lack of visibility on approaching the bridge when meeting vulnerable people. This is a blind spot for road users. The lives of cyclists, walkers and vulnerable people is put in danger with traffic on these roads, not to mention inexperienced drivers who might have to swerve unexpectedly on meeting vulnerable people, oncoming traffic or farm animals and horses which might escape from nearby farms !
It has the makings of being a traffic hasard in the future. These adjoining roads of the Blueway /Barrow Way are narrow and there is no room for parking near bridges for two way traffic or where farm machinery must gain access to bridges. Driving alongside the Canal and Barrow will be extremely hazardous. Something has to be done to protect the lives of these road users. Waterways Ireland in Enniskillen have already admitted that this is a major problem moving forward.
2)Residents who live along the Blueway/ Barrow Way
Going forward it would be disingenuous of Kildare County Council not to give consideration to the privacy of residents who live along the Blueway /Barrow Way.
Afterall, these residents have invested heavily in living in these areas for many years and now the Blueway/Barrow Way has been imposed upon them.
Going forward, these residents will have to invest in safety/security measures such as signage, cctv, etc to protect their homes and private property. Lack of WiFi is a serious problem in rural areas. In addition, with increased usage there will be huge problems with litter and noise pollution in such rural areas.
Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland have a responsibility to the residents to look after the safety of all citizens as a result and Kildare County Council should be obliged to pay for safety features as a result of imposing these towpaths on private residents and vulnerable people living along side the Blueway/Barrow Way.
3)Water safety
Since Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland are investing so much money in a towpath along by the Canal and Barrow, one must also erect life saving equipment along the river and canal and erect ‘No Swimming signs’. At the moment, one can walk for miles along the towpath without finding a life saving ring etc. This is a direct breach of EU safety regulations.
Most people do not have lifesaving skills if someone suddenly found themselves in difficulty in the water. Kildare County Council should invest money in proper swimming lessons for secondary school students and also should equip Transition Year students with proper lifesaving rescue skills. More advertising about water safety should be a priority.
At the moment, Kildare Leisure is charging secondary school students far too much for this service and therefore students cannot afford swimming lesson fees during school time. Kildare County Council should request that Kildare Leisure consult the Principals of secondary schools to compromise on a fee for their students. Kildare County Council /Waterways Ireland need to get the message out there that they DO care about the safety and health of the citizens of Kildare.
4) Spoiling rural areas
Kildare County Council must not allow the rural areas of County Kildare to be destroyed by tourism. There must be regulations in place which respect the privacy of residents.
To whom it concerns,
We feel strongly that Kildare County Council must give careful consideration to the following in the new County Kildare Development Plan.
1) The Blueway /Barrow Way adjoining public roads and risk to safety
There is a lot of money spent on advertising the Blueway / Barrow Way for tourist reasons etc but there is NO consideration given to people’s safety where the towpath joins with public roads, ie where cyclists and walkers on reaching a bridge must use a public road to continue using the Barrow Way /Blueway.
Sometimes, the property on the other side of the bridge is a busy public road and sometimes there is private property on the other side of the bridge and these roads adjoining towpaths are used by vehicles to gain access to private dwellings and land, with heavy farm machinery etc.
This is extremely dangerous and has the makings of being fatal for all road users and will be a traffic hasard in the future. Cyclists, drivers, even inexperienced drivers could end up in the canal or barrow or opposite field due to lack of visibility on approaching the bridge when meeting vulnerable people. This is a blind spot for road users. The lives of cyclists, walkers and vulnerable people is put in danger with traffic on these roads, not to mention inexperienced drivers who might have to swerve unexpectedly on meeting vulnerable people, oncoming traffic or farm animals and horses which might escape from nearby farms !
It has the makings of being a traffic hasard in the future. These adjoining roads of the Blueway /Barrow Way are narrow and there is no room for parking near bridges for two way traffic or where farm machinery must gain access to bridges. Driving alongside the Canal and Barrow will be extremely hazardous. Something has to be done to protect the lives of these road users. Waterways Ireland in Enniskillen have already admitted that this is a major problem moving forward.
2)Residents who live along the Blueway/ Barrow Way
Going forward it would be disingenuous of Kildare County Council not to give consideration to the privacy of residents who live along the Blueway /Barrow Way.
Afterall, these residents have invested heavily in living in these areas for many years and now the Blueway/Barrow Way has been imposed upon them.
Going forward, these residents will have to invest in safety/security measures such as signage, cctv, etc to protect their homes and private property. Lack of WiFi is a serious problem in rural areas. In addition, with increased usage there will be huge problems with litter and noise pollution in such rural areas.
Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland have a responsibility to the residents to look after the safety of all citizens as a result and Kildare County Council should be obliged to pay for safety features as a result of imposing these towpaths on private residents and vulnerable people living along side the Blueway/Barrow Way.
3)Water safety
Since Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland are investing so much money in a towpath along by the Canal and Barrow, one must also erect life saving equipment along the river and canal and erect ‘No Swimming signs’. At the moment, one can walk for miles along the towpath without finding a life saving ring etc. This is a direct breach of EU safety regulations.
Most people do not have lifesaving skills if someone suddenly found themselves in difficulty in the water. Kildare County Council should invest money in proper swimming lessons for secondary school students and also should equip Transition Year students with proper lifesaving rescue skills. More advertising about water safety should be a priority.
At the moment, Kildare Leisure is charging secondary school students far too much for this service and therefore students cannot afford swimming lesson fees during school time. Kildare County Council should request that Kildare Leisure consult the Principals of secondary schools to compromise on a fee for their students. Kildare County Council /Waterways Ireland need to get the message out there that they DO care about the safety and health of the citizens of Kildare.
4) Spoiling rural areas
Kildare County Council must not allow the rural areas of County Kildare to be destroyed by tourism. There must be regulations in place which respect the privacy of residents.
Fionnuala Corcoran Submission to Kildare County Development Plan
I have been involved in providing ideas for the Kildare Climate Action Linkage Group Submission to the County Development Plan. Rather that reiterating all the items included in the Linkage Group submission I would like to say that I agree with all ideas in that submission and would refer the Council to that document, and ask that they consider that all of their items are also being asked for by me.
In addition I would just like to add the following comments
How can the Plan achieve a balance between the growth of the County and the protection of the environment?
Council to put up signage showing the 1.5 metre passing margin for cyclists - there is government funding for this and many Councils are already doing this.
Council to promote safe cycling, to educate all road users that the road is a shared space, and teach people to respect cyclists as happens in other countries. There is a prevailing issue in this country in the behaviour and attitude of certain road users towards cyclists who are vulnerable road users. To encourage cycling as a healthy, safe pastime and environmentally sustainable mode of transport there needs to be a Council lead targeted road safety and respect campaign.
Allow cyclists to turn left on red light - as is allowed in many other countries e.g Denmark (except of course it is for right turns in Denmark).
Change traffic lights automatic sensors to be able to detect cyclists - most currently only can detect cars.
The primary objective of this submission is to draw the Hertiage & Planning Department of Kildare County Councils attention to the importance of the architecture of the Curragh Camp and to attempt to stop the destruction that is continuously occurring and hopefully initiate a future evaluation in relation to other defence heritage sites, both in Ireland and Britain.
James Douet, in his comprehensive study of barrack architecture states that “remarkably few detailed studies of individual barracks have been published... and no barracks complex has enjoyed a rigorous, modern analysis of its planning or construction”. If this is a true assessment of the research carried out on barrack infrastructure in Britain, then it is even more applicable to the Republic of Ireland.
Irelands defence heritage has suffered greatly over the past decade, nowhere more so than Kildare, and if it is to receive the attention and protection it deserves, it must first be understood. The Curragh is a suitable primary case to stimulate a renewed interest in defence heritage as it is by far the largest camp in the country and possesses the most diverse range of existing building types, dating from various periods of construction starting in 1855.
The wanton and disgraceful destruction of the heritage of the Curragh Camp is continuous and unrelenting. The most recent example occurred only a number of weeks ago whereby the narrow gauge tracks of the Wardens locomotive were mangled and destroyed by contractors for no apparent reason other than senselessness. This diesel locomotive was used for pulling and pushing targets along its dedicated railway track to the various rifle ranges and was deemed such a significant article of machinery that it was visited by the by former British Defence Secretary Michael Portillo in 2012 for his BBC Documentary The Great British Railway Journeys.
It is truly saddening to reflect on what has been lost through the Defence Forces ignorance of their inheritance, not only in the Curragh, but throughout the country. The Property Management Branch pertain to oversee the Defence Forces property portfolio, yet the state of dilapidation you are confronted with in the Curragh Camp demonstrates that they are clearly incapable of their brief.
If the built environment to be found on the Curragh Camp was not in the possession of the Defence Forces, considering its history, scale and uniformity, it would undoubtedly be designated an Architectural Conservation Area and many of the buildings would be Protected Structures. But because it is occupied by the Defence Forces, buildings on the camp are not subject to normal planning procedure. Nevertheless, this is no excuse for the Planning and Hertiage Department to hide behind while the Defence Forces and Property Management Branch continue to eviscerate it.
Please find attached a document for your perusal which I hope at least conveys what stands to be lost if there is no intervention.
Please find attached a submission on behalf of Newbridge Community Development.
The Naas inner relief road was a roads priority in the KC Development Plan 2017 -2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld.
2) The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of heavy goods vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
3) The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the 'Green Lung' portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The Naas racecourse is renowned to be one of the most beautiful courses in the country.
4) At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is approximately a 30 years old proposal which is completely out of date. It appears very odd at this late stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following:
To provide an outer ring road for the eastern / north - eastern side of Naas to cater for bypassing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin Road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long term development boundary to the east / north - east of the town of Naas'
This objective is to replace the 'inner relief road' Naas, objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 ( page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Other suggestions are as follows:
Education : The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the towns environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure : Welcoming the development of the Naas / Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway , and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with National Retail guidelines , the plan should include a provision whereby retail over 1000 sq. metres should be prohibited outside the center of Naas and develop incentives to encourage retail life in the town itself. Since the Monread shopping centre has arrived there is a marked decline in activity in the town which is an awful shame for Naas particularly having always held the 'Nice place to shop' slogan. All efforts should be made to improve the upkeep and activity levels in the town itself.
A chara,
Fáiltíonn Cill Dara le Gaeilge (CDleG) roimh an deis chun páirt a ghlacadh sa phróiseas comhairliúcháin poiblí seo.
Le meas,
Daithí de Faoite
Cathaoirleach, Cill Dara le Gaeilge
I think the area's of Celbridge, Leixlip and Maynooth and there close proximity to each other as the 3rd, 4th and 5th largest towns in Kildare is overlooked. These area's are growing into each other particuly Celbridge and Leixlip where soon it will only be a field and the M4 seperateing houses in each town.
Work is underway on an outer orbital route in maynooth along with 2 large schools and Leixlip has thus far adapted well to it's growth but Celbridge has be left by the side, we lack a 2nd liffey crossing that has been over 40 years in talks, we have 5 schools awaiting permanate locations houseing development away from the train station at Hazelhatch and traffic isues related to through traffic in the North/South direction over the Liffey. We are the 3rd largest Town in Kildare and act as an important link from the West to the Dublin area to the East and south East yet all we seam to see are more and more house planed with little to no infrasutal improvement in public parkland, roads, education or water/sewage impovements.
The area of Donaghcumper along the banks of the Liffey should be opened up to development as a public park like SDCC have done with St. Catherine's Park
Improvement to the R403 between Celbridge and Barberstown
Celbridge needs more then just a single water feed as when it ruptured the whole town was left without water as there was no back up supply.
Developing the Corbally Branch of the Grand Canal and its harbour as an amenity, and preserving and protecting the buildings and bridges that are along its course
Our vision for Kildare is that is it is no longer seen as a commuter county, with parts of it subsumed into the GDA. With two motorways connecting us to Dublin, it is far too easy a choice to jump in the car - whether commuting or shopping - and speed out of the county to spend time and money elsewhere, especially Dublin. This also influences travel decisions even when staying local, making many parts of Kildare a car-choked polluted mess.
This is bad for our economy (people don’t stay local to shop, dine or work, tourists are not attracted to Kildare, congestion costs us time and money), our health (air pollution from exhausts and brakes, noise pollution from engines and tyres, sedentary lifestyle from hours sitting in cars), bad for nature and our climate (carbon emissions, roads built and widened on top of natural areas, animal health affected).
We would love for Kildare to be more than a satellite of Dublin, to have its own established identity as an amazing place to live. Particularly our natural heritage should be protected and promoted in all aspects. We have a massive amount of local enterprise, historic landmarks and plenty of areas of natural beauty, that we can use to make our county a shining example for healthy and happy living, connected by safe and attractive active travel routes. Everything that we can do to benefit residents will also attract visitors and tourists, boosting our economy across all areas.
We are Leixlip residents, so apologies in advance that examples are centred around this area of north Kildare.
The county should adopt the principle of the 15-minute town, where any daily services are within a 15minute walk or cycle. Even at a leisurely speed of 20km/h (with electric pedal-assist bicycles topping out at 25km/h), most people can can easily cover 5km in 15 minutes. That would get you from one side of Naas to the other, so there is no urban area in Kildare that we cannot apply this to. What is needed is safe, segregated and prioritised routes for cycling and walking to get us from our homes to schools, workplaces, shops, restaurants, doctors, etc.
With the growth in population forecast for urban areas in Kildare, driving will become even more unsustainable and towns will become more congested if we don’t discourage current patterns of use. Pedestrian and cycle permeability should be prioritised in all instances. The Leixlip LAP has six proposed pedestrian bridges, but we are not aware of any progress on any of them. Older estates should have walls knocked through to create wide lanes to neighbouring estates and roadways where ever possible.
To encourage a more active and healthy lifestyle, we must remove car dependency and car dominance from our towns. The same should be done even between our towns. The likes of Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge are only a few kilometres apart, and should have dedicated segregated cycle facilities between them. The M4 is there for motor traffic access, we should encourage and provide for active travel on all other routes.
Put in more one-way systems for motor traffic in towns and villages, and use the freed up space to create segregated two-cycle lanes. People have rediscovered their local area during Covid 5k restrictions, so let's help them keep going.
As much as single homes in the countryside represent an historic way of life in Ireland, it is one that cannot be sustained in the 21st century with modern lifestyles. If people can show they have a carbon neutral lifestyle (e.g. http://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/ in Wales), then they can build a suitable home. Everyone else should be incentivised into living in towns, villages or even small hamlets - anything which makes it economical and sustainable to deliver services from post offices to high speed broadband.
Dedicated wild/green areas are needed across the county. Not just grassy greens, but wild forest areas of native species with a few paths that are mostly left to go wild and act as lungs for the county. Protection for existing trees and hedgerows - felling in urban areas should be limited and licensed if necessary. Plant pocket forests and greenery on every space and patch of land - roadsides, public lawns, etc. - to promote biodiversity and carbon capture. This would free up council resources that are normally spent cutting grass and weeding, etc.
Within new developments, guidelines should be set for native pollinator-friendly species to be used in landscaping. As well as a public open space, there should be dedicated biodiversity areas within developments for wildlife and pocket forests as amenities. For every tree felled as part of construction, at least one more should be replaced on the finished site, but as much of our existing natural heritage should be retained and protected.
While we believe it is a requirement to carry out a biodiversity study as part of a planning application for a new development, there is nothing to stop a developer removing hedgerows and tress in advance of a planning application. This loophole must be closed - destruction of any hedgerow or tree must be subject to licence, even in urban areas.
Incentivise homeowners to have more greenery - even if it's just grass. Widened driveways and astroturf are eliminating pockets of natural refuges across the county and beyond, and this needs to be reversed.
New developments should be a mix of housing types - low- to mid-rise apartment blocks with ground floor for elderly or people with disabilities and upper floors for singles and couples, duplexes for smaller families and houses for larger families.
Derelict and vacant buildings should be taxed. Only rich people can afford to leave a building lying derelict, tax it to make this uneconomical and force either development or a sale to someone who will develop it. Alternatively, the council should CPO derelict or vacant units, and lease them itself. The council should retain the freehold, and give long term leases to buyers. This allows the community to gain from future increases in land value and to reduce speculation. There are benefits for the leasee as well. Those leasing land do not have to pay the upfront cost of land, which reduces the entry barrier for developers.
Shops on the Main Street cannot compete with online businesses for convenience or cost, but they can on experience. We must make shopping in our main streets a pleasant experience. Pedestrian areas where one can linger without feeling claustrophobic from noisy, polluting motor traffic, but instead wander from shop to shop and sit outside in fine weather - under canopies when needed.
Small businesses will find it hard to get a foot in the door without a shop front. Closing the Main Street once a month on a weekend day for pop-up stalls and get people supporting small local businesses and give opportunity for new business ideas to be tried on stalls. Keep people in local towns at weekends rather than trips to Dublin, etc. This would allow local businesses to cheaply advertise their existence and their services, even if they are mostly an online offering. For instance, in Leixlip, the LAP shows Arthur Guinness square being used for civic purposes instead of car parking. Combine that area with the Main Street from Captain’s Hill to Buckley’s Lane, and a very inviting event can be put on.
Tourism is a greatly untapped resource in Kildare. Historic towns such as Maynooth and Athy generally do not feature for the likes of Dublin day-trippers, and the canal Greenways are still not finished. Without a critical mass of attractions within walking distance of each other, the key to attracting tourists are accessible trails - cycling routes that are segregated or use defined quietways. Someone from Dublin could get the train or cycle to Leixlip, and then to go from the Royal Canal to Connolly's Folly and Castletown House, lunch in Celbridge and on to the Grand Canal or Hazelhatch to loop back to Dublin. People from Kildare town should be able to get a train to Sallins with their bike, pedal along the canal - or catch a barge - and cycle to the Hill of Allen before heading to Newbridge to eat and the train home. To achieve this we need a safe and segregated cycling network.
The end of peat extraction from our bogs means there is a huge opportunity to repurpose them as biodiversity areas, carbon sinks and a natural amenity for residents and tourists alike. There is potential of using existing Bord na Mona railways as “peat-ways” to link greenways and blueways is incredible. They could also to act as a network of green roads across the midlands linking rewetted cutaways and transforming them into a de facto national park stretching across Kildare and Offaly, showcasing the bogs and our industrial heritage.
Specific actions in the realm of Climate Action are not the most significant. Instead across all aspects of the plan, anything which increases carbon emissions or furthers unsustainable lifestyles needs to be addressed and reduced or replaced.
Existing buildings should be repurposed and redeveloped as much as possible, rather than demolishing and developing new structures. The embodied carbon footprint of existing buildings must be maintained, and this should be calculated as part of planning applications that propose any demolition. Those that discard large amounts of embodied carbon should not be granted.
We have a lot of protection for trees and hedgerows on agricultural land, but little for our towns and villages. Felling in urban areas should be limited and licensed only if necessary. Plant pocket forests and greenery on every space patch of land - roadsides, public lawns, etc. - to promote biodiversity and carbon capture. Existing tress and hedgerows should be preserved as much as possible, to protect biodiversity as well as the carbon already sequestered therein.
Encourage active travel and discourage and limit car access and parking - see other sections for specific measures.
Community facilities should be built with minimal parking - blue badge holders and loading bays only preferably, with coach parking if appropriate. Currently there is a funding to build a playground in Leixlip, coupled with car parking. Why is this funding not spent on building cycle tracks that are suitable for children to reach the playground instead?
KCC should have a Biodiversity Officer role, and preferably an environmental officer in every Municipal District.
Dedicated wild/green areas are needed across the county. Not just grassy greens, but wild forest areas of native species with a few paths that are mostly left to go wild and act as lungs for the county. Protection for existing trees and hedgerows - felling in urban areas should be limited and licensed if necessary. Plant pocket forests and greenery on every space patch of land - roadsides, public lawns, etc. - to promote biodiversity and carbon capture.
Within new developments, guidelines should be set for native pollinator-friendly species to be used in landscaping. As well as a public open space, there should be dedicated biodiversity areas within developments for wildlife and pocket forests as amenities. For every tree felled as part of construction, at least one more should be replaced on the finished site, but as much of our existing natural heritage should be retained and protected.
30kph should be the default speed limit in all our urban areas. It’s not only a road safety issue, lower speed limits also:
(from https://www.love30.ie/why-30kmh)
These new limits should be demarcated clearly to alert drivers that they have entered an urban area - with extreme road narrowing, for example. Speed limits should be enforced by automatic cameras, both for road safety and to reduce noise pollution. KCC should lobby the DOT for the right to prosecute offenders in this regard.
Electric scooters will soon be street legal, and we already have electric-assist bicycles, so active travel is becoming more accessible and open to all. Modified bicycles exist for some disabilities, with cargo bikes and rickshaws for transporting larger loads and people. We should be designing our transport system around this, with car traffic only as a secondary priority.
Encourage active travel with a meaningful cycle network in towns and between them. This should be suitable for all ages and abilities. For example, between Leixlip and Celbridge is described as "relatively well connected with the provision of a cycle track along the R449" in an NTA report. However, this track crosses the M4 flyover with zero facilities. Families with children are expected to cross slip roads with motor traffic accelerating to 120km/h.
The NTA GDA cycling network plan should be prioritised, along with retrospective application of DMURS principles in every urban area in the county. Too often do cycling routes along the main thoroughfare have to yield to side roads or car traffic - e.g. Green Lane in Leixlip.
Crodaun in north Celbridge is one example of a new development next to the M4, but bad links to rail for commuting. Thus, people moving here will be inclined to use their cars as the easiest option. Cycling links to Hazelhatch and Louisa Bridge will make this an attractive place to live where you have a choice of rail lines.
There should be a levy on car parks that don't provide an equivalent number of secure bike stands (i.e. Sheffield stands), including space for disabled and cargo bikes. These should be close to the door or amenity for passive surveillance, with segregated access.
Discourage car use in every way possible - limited parking, pedestrian priority on village main streets, liberal use of zebra crossings. Main Streets should be for people, not cars. Put parking for town centres at the periphery, with cycling and walking prioritised in the core and parking limited to blue badge holders and loading bays.
The principle of induced demand is well understood by now, so any new through roads should be counterbalanced by removing access elsewhere - e.g. the new Celbridge-Hazelhatch bridge is designed to remove congestion from Celbridge village. Thus Celbridge village should be pedestrianised with a high quality two-way cycle lane, with deliveries allowed before 11am or similar arrangements. With the large amount of people who walk in the grounds of Castletown House, this will encourage them to walk through the village also and shop and eat there. This would also be a boon for air quality and the safety of students at St Brigids. Likewise with Maynooth relief roads and any ring roads in Naas.
The M4 should not be expanded, unless it is for a camera-enforced bus lane.
The ‘Roads’ department (as cited on the KCC website) should be renamed Transportation, to reflect a broader approach which prioritises active travel.
There are not enough parks in any of our towns. Celbridge has no park apart from Castletown House which has no playground or open areas for ball games, and for west Leixlip using active travel to get to St Catherine's Park means running the gauntlet of Main Street and then a steep climb along the Black Avenue. Create more parks!
New developments need higher standards of public space - particularly when it comes to playgrounds for small children.
We have as a country committed to the 30 by 30 campaign - 30% of our plant to be managed for nature, by the year 2030. That’s 30% of bogs to be rewetted, and 30% of fields that should be replanted with native species. Every town should have a 100 acre wood within 15mins active travel.
Has the Council fully implemented the 2000 European Landscape Convention as ratified in 2008? If not, this should be a priority so that residents can ensure their local areas are protected.
Tree preservation orders should be more widely used. At present it is unclear how one should apply to KCC for one, and thus an endangered tree is unlikely to be saved in time.
Community and sports facilities should have hedgerows at their edges and wild areas in unused patches.
The recent biodiversity plans are excellent. Please produce more - one for Leixlip please!
The Derrybeg CSA farm in Celbridge is a fantastic asset, and more land should be made available for other CSAs around the county.
We believe Kildare is sorely lacking in any high quality cycling infrastructure, apart from the Royal Canal Greenway going outward from Maynooth. Even parts of the NTA GDA network that are considered complete are not fit for purpose. A proper network between towns and villages would benefit tourism (worth €1bn across Europe), business and health by allowing people to safely, cheaply and easily get from place to place for shopping, dining or other leisure activities.
High speed broadband to hubs is essential. We should not be looking to link every household down every boreen, but rather encourage people to live closer to towns. Let them live in unsustainable one-off housing if they can live without broadband - mobile and satellite are improving constantly anyway.
The Naas Inner Relief road was proposed in the previous Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. It was discussed and defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. The proposed Gallops Avenue proposal is largely the same. It suffers from the same flaws. It will create a backlog of traffic at the already busy junction on the Dublin Road and the route will do little to aid the future development of Naas. It would seem to be a proposal that is of most benefit to Naas Racecourse rather than the residents of Naas.
To be of real benefit the route should be like the current Millenium Park route and take a wide arc around Naas (ie on the far side of the Racecourse). The Dublin road junction should not be at the Gallops which is already a busy junction point serving both the Gallops and the large Monread residential area. Is should be at an earlier point such as at the Fishery Lane/Naas Industrial Estate junction and go around the racecourse. This will allow for future development in this quadrant of Naas. The existing 30 year old proposal is simply out of date and no longer fit for purpose. We need to think bigger.
I would like to express my opposition to the inclusion of any reference to the Naas Inner Relief Road (recently renamed to the Gallops Avenue) being included in the Kildare County Development Plan.
This road was rejected by a majority of the democratically elected representatives and the continued inclusion of it in studies and plans is an affront to the democratic process which has been concluded.
Nees is in dire need of a road which will funnel trafic away from the town centre which does not simply move the congestion problems to other populated areas. An outer ring road would acheive this.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, totally and utterly out of date.
Provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 would go against the democratic procedures of the council.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates impacting on the quality of life of all.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Submission to KCC issues paper
As the Kildare Co dev plan 2023-2030 is being prepared, we are in a difficult and challenging time-the COVID-19 pandemic and recession, Brexit and climate change. Kildare has pressing urban and rural needs and need to respond to both. This Development plan will play a very significant role in terms of charting the road ahead for our population. We need to build strength in our key industrial sectors, provide good private, affordable and social housing and ensure that good communities are built with provision for schools, greenspaces and amenities.
We are fortunate to have the Curragh plains in our County, and must endeavor to protect the plains appropriately and enhancing its status of protection.
With continuing rapid growth, Kildare is the fifth highest populated county in Ireland and has a particularly young population. The county’s proximity to Dublin presents opportunities from an economic, social and environmental perspective but equally many challenges.
Whilst looking after our youth, it is also essential to look after our older generation. Co Kildare has no permanent space for an alzheimers day care centre. This could be incorporated into other community facilities. There is also a need to look at suitable areas for step down housing or places where people can retire to along the likes of McCauley place in Naas.
Domestic Violence victims:
Sadly, covid had led to an increase in Domestic violence. Teach tearmann doan excellent job but need to have access to step down facilities until victims are rehoused.
To all the staff in Kildare County Council and elected officials.
I'm wirting to you on behalf of Chris Enright the Director of Forensic Science Ireland. The new FSI building located at Backweston is due to be completed by 2022. There will be approx 220-230 staff working in Backweston by 2023. There could be 800-1000 people working at Backweston campus if you combine the State laboratories and Dept of Agriculture, Food and Marine. We would hope that Kildare County Council can improve connectivity from Hazelhatch and Leixlip Louisa bridge rail stations for active travel like cycling and walking to Backweston campus. It is currently very unsafe to make sustainable transport choices to Backweston. This makes people more reliant on car access to Backweston and unlikely to take a train and cycle to this location. With congestion already a problem in Celbridge and environs it makes sense to promote sustainable transport the easy and safe option for people commuting to work. A more detailed letter is attached.
Regards
Dr Paul Corcoran
Forensic Science Ireland
Traffic Congestion has always been associated with economic prosperity and development in Ireland, especially over the past 20 years. This is particulary true in Celbridge, where I have been resident over the past 17 years. The town has grown extensively over the past 2 decades, but the current Traffic Congestion (pre-Civid) has increased demands for a solution to this problem .
Offered solutions include a new bridge over the Liffey and new roads, but this would simply induce demand for more private transport, which suggests that this would not be the best solution.
How do other cities and towns deal with Traffic Congestion? The simplest solution is better Public Transport.
Celbridge has no local Train Station, but is situated half-way between Louisa Bridge and Hazelhatch Train Stations. This is a problem and Irish Rail instituted a free Shuttle Bus from Celbridge to Hazelhatch Train Station to address this. Unfortunately this is only an hourly service in peak hours and suffers delays due to the Traffic Congestion along the Main Street. These factors limit the use and popularity of this service.
This brings us back to the main question - how can we improve Public Transport to counter Traffic Congestion in Celbridge?
Do we need more busses or bus routes to Dublin? Do we need more local cycle lanes? Is a new Shuttle Bus to Louisa Bridge Train Station a solution? Do we need more roads or less, with pedestrianised zones to enhance community spaces? How can we best analyse the changed economic, environmental and community needs post-Covid?
Kildare County Council should address Traffic Congestion in Celbridge as a matter of urgency, not only as Sustainable Mobility issue, but also with the aims of creating Healthy Placemaking, Economic Opportunity and positive Climate Action. Post-Covid we need to re-think and re-imagine our Community and how we live.
I believe that the democratic decision of the Naas Municipal District should be upheld.
Traffic will be brought near a quiet residential area.
Naas Race Course should be preserved as a 'Green Lung'.
The original plan is completely out of date and no longer viable.
Our client welcomes the commentary in the Issues Paper that with regard to the Core Strategy “the focus will be on developing key towns of Naas and Maynooth as provided in the RSES.” It is respectfully submitted that the housing allocations for the county are directed towards the key towns of Naas and Maynooth and locations with rail-based transport such as Leixlip; a self-sustaining growth town and as a key employment location of regional scale. It is recommended that development and growth in housing should be prioritised for these locations to reflect their designation and capitalise on existing and planned investment in public infrastructure.
Hello
While recognising the need for more housing within Kildare, with a building boom approaching I'm concerned KCC will allow the same mistakes to happen as did during 'The Celtic Tiger' era
As an example, the Hazelhatch side of Celbridge had large housing development during the last boom. A portacabin school was put in to facilitate the increased population. 15 years on the portacabins are end of life but there is still no progress on building a permanent school. Yet more large areas have been zoned for housing. We need correct urban planning inline with increased housing stock. A school building should not be a privilege, its a basic requirement.
Kildare County Council should keep up with basic amenities in an area that is going to see increased housing. Again as way of example the Hazelhatch side of Celbridge has not had even a bin supplied to the area that has had hundreds of houses added over the last 15 years. If KCC cannot provide the amenities to an area, they should not be granting planning permission for more housing. The two have to go hand in hand
Developers should be required to provide safe play spaces and community communal areas within their developments before KCC grant planning permission. Again taking the Hazelhatch side of Celbridge, KCC do not supply any recreation facilities to the Hazelhatch side of Celbridge. There are 3 areas zoned for recreation space, the GAA club, an unused field with no access and a ditch. Unless you have an interest in GAA and can afford the membership, you must drive to a recreation area with your children as there is nothing in childrens walking or cycling distance. As this is a high population density area there are a lot of children left with nowhere to go or do. Again strategic urban planning is required inline with increasing housing stock. We need urban parks, playgounds, openspace basketball\scateparks ect.
Please refer to the attached submission.
I request that Kildare County Council adopt a policy that allows for serviced sites in appropriate locations in towns and villages to be granted planning permission for one off houses, regardless of the zoning of the land. This would allow for one off houses to be built on land within town and village boundaries that is currently zoned agricultural and compensate for the lack of one-off houses being granted in rural Kildare.
Bogs are an important habitat for endangered birds and windfarms should not be built on them.
Please see attached
See Attachment
We very much welcome this invitation to submit to this important planning process. Under the Medical Officer of Health Legislation[i], the Department of Public Health HSE-East (Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare) has responsibility for identifying the public health needs of the population with its area, which includes the population resident in County Kildare.
In regards to the Kildare County Development plan, and the future of the communities within the Kildare County Area, we would like to raise a number of priority areas which we at the Department of Public Health believe are major issues for consideration in the drafting of the Development Plan. Our recommendations are based on national policies, national and international scientific evidence, and practical observations and local knowledge from our Public Health operational work in County Kildare.
A number of current government policies and frameworks will be referenced below. A key government framework on which this submission is built is the Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 - 2025[ii]. There are four major Goals to this framework:
We would like to highlight these issues as important in future planning, especially from a Public Health perspective, in County Kildare:
Communities
Communities should be vibrant areas which cater for the physical, social and cultural needs. People should need supported by the amenities of their community, and should feel enabled to achieve their health goals in these settings. International evidence has shown that a number of interventions improve social cohesion and liveability.
We suggest:
Housing
It has been noted that the population of Kildare, including because of its popularity with those working in Dublin, is predicted to grow[v]. This population growth will come with the need for quality housing, transport access and amenities access. Considerations around how these needs will be managed, and the health needs of those populations, should be considered.
We suggest:
Transport and Travel
People living in Kildare should feel enabled in their ability to move around towns, regions and outside of Kildare. This should be inclusive of people with disabilities, with equitable access, in terms of usability and proximity.
We suggest:
Environment and Climate Change
Climate change will be the biggest challenge humanity will face this century, and we believe it is the responsibility of every individual, organisation and government to put climate-friendly, low-emission policies at the centre of their work. It is anticipated that this will also be legislated with the European Green Deal through Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law)[xiii]. Respect, promotion and support of the environment not only achieves these goals, it creates a more dynamic and pleasant area in which to live and spend time.
We suggest:
Energy
We believe the aim should be for all power to be renewable and sustainable. This should align with national plans around renewable energy, and low-emission technology and energy production. While we respect that there is a limit to how much large-scale infrastructure can be implemented by county government, we would encourage the following as potential remedies.
We suggest:
Social Determinants of Health and Health Promotion
The social determinants of health are factors which impact the lives and health of individuals, but are generally outside of their control, and may not be recognised as having an impact on health. Attention to these determinants, the potential limiting effects and health effects of regional decisions should be considered in policy planning, especially in terms of communities, housing, energy and economy. Health should be acknowledged and promoted in any policies that could have health implications.
We suggest:
These suggestions are not exhaustive, but are some of the broad issues which we believe should be considered and incorporated into the Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029. We are happy to provide further information, evidence and guidance as to any of these points, and are happy to be involved in future consultations around planning the future of Kildare.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Cale Lawlor MCRN 427293
Dr Ruth McDermott MCRN 016416
Dr Anna Clarke MCRN 003436
Dr Fionnuala Cooney MCRN 001464
Dr Mary Conlon MCRN 001599
Department of Public Health HSE-East
CHO7 area Dublin South, Kildare & West Wicklow
[i] https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/publichealth/publichealthdepts/moh/moh.html
[ii] https://assets.gov.ie/7555/62842eef4b13413494b13340fff9077d.pdf
[iii] https://assets.gov.ie/23796/961bbf5d975f4c88adc01a6fc5b4a7c4.pdf
[iv] https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/child-health-and-wellbeing/nationalhealthychildhoodprogramme/
[v] Morgenroth, E. L. W. Prospects for Irish Regions and Counties: Scenarios and Implications. Economic and Social Research Institue (ESRI). 2016; research series number 70, January 2018. Retrieved 4 March, 2021
[vi] World Health Organization (WHO). Ambient (outdoor) air pollution. World Health Organization. 2018; 2 May. Retrieved 4 March, 2021
[vii] file:///C:/Users/CALELA~1.HEA/AppData/Local/Temp/118072_424b2b97-52e3-43fa-85f4-d59dc897dc8d.pdf
[viii] Hayden, A. & Jordan, B. Rebuilding the Irish Neighbourhood: How can we make mixed tenure communities work? Cork City Council. 2018. Retrieved 4 March, 2021
[ix] https://assets.gov.ie/19240/62af938dce404ed68380e268d7e9a5bb.pdf
[x] https://assets.gov.ie/7555/62842eef4b13413494b13340fff9077d.pdf
[xi] https://assets.gov.ie/7563/23f51643fd1d4ad7abf529e58c8d8041.pdf
[xii] Marshall, W. E. & Ferenchak, N. N. Why cities with high bicycling rates are safer for all road users. Journal of Transport & Health. 2019; 13: 100539. Retrieved 4 March, 2021
[xiii] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1588581905912&uri=CELEX:52020PC0080
[xiv] De Keijzer, C. S. Green Spaces: A Resource for Mental Health. ISGlobal: Barcelona Institute for Global Health. 2020: 1 August. Retrieved 4 March, 2021
The Naas Inner Relief Road was defeated - comprehensively- by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in 2019. I trust that democracy will be upheld.
The Gallops Ave, introduced in the recent Transport Strategy will not relieve congestion. IT WILL MERELY MOVE CONGESTION, including heavy goods vehicles, closer to quiet and established residential areas WHERE FAMILIES LIVE.
The recent Transport Strategy document claims that The Gallops Ave would relieve congestion in Main Street, Naas, and the Dublin Rd. Again, this is a case of just moving traffic from current junctions to proposed ones at The Gallops, Tipper Rd. And Sunday's Well.
The proposed Gallops Ave would mean cutting through a very important green area in the town. Future generations deserve that we protect it for everybody.
The Gallops Avenue/ defunct Inner Relief Road Plan is part of a 30 year plan which is totally out of date.
What the modern town of Naas needs is an outer ring road that links the Blessington Rd with the Dublin Rd., close to the junction of the Dublin Rd with the N7.
Naas needs new educational hubs near the HEART OF TOWN. THIS IS SAFER FOR CHILDREN, MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO WALK OR CYCLE, AND WOULD ALSO CUT DOWN ON TRAFFIC.
Future commercial development must be close to town. The Monread Centre has taken life from the town, and done much damage to the communiry feel of the town.
Please protect our town from becoming a zone of walled in communities, hemmed in by roads that cut through places where our children play and our elderly go for a walk. And where we all want to breathe.
The attached submission relates to many themes
Please see attached File
Ba chóir ár dteanga dúchas a bheith le feiceáil go for- leathan ar chomharthaí bóthar,ag féilte ,ócáidí ealaíona agus i measc an phobal .. Ní mór a aithint go bhfuil pobal na Gaeilge ag fás sa chontae, go bhfuil clanna dá dtógáil le Gaeilge agus go bhfuil grúpaí pobail ag obair go dian chun an teanga a chur chun cinn i gContae Chill Dara. Ar bharr sin, tá na céadta páistí sa chóras Gaeloideachais i gContae Chill Dara - tá naoi Gaelscoil sa chontae anois maraon le dhá Gael-Choláiste chomh maith pobal na Gaeilge bríomhar in Ollscoil Mhaigh Nuad agus tá an t-éileamh sin do Ghaeloideachas ag méadú. Ba chóir freisin go luaitear an teanga sa roinn cultúr agus oidhreacht i Plean Teanga an Chomhairle Contae
It is critical that County Kildare remains relevant and capable of reaching its potential as a place to live, work and do business in over the next six years and beyond.
Refer to attached written submission.
Kildare Public Participation Network Submission Attached.
Please find attached submission on behalf of EL Prendergast Consulting Ltd., 4C Sycamore House, Millennium Park, Naas, County Kildare prepared by RPS. The submission sets out recommendations for inlcusion in the Draft Kildare County Development Plan 2023 – 2029 to provide an appropriate planning framework for the sustainable development of the County and in particular Naas and the Northwest Quadrant.
Please see attached submission to the pre-draft public consultation strategic issues paper for Kildare County Development Plan 2023-29 on behalf of Beans Land.
Submission to the Review of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023 - 2029
Cllr. Aoife Breslin, Cllr. Angela Feeney, Cllr. Ann Breen, Cllr. Ciara Galvin, Cllr. Mark Leigh, Senator Mark Wall Labour Party Group
Vision for the County
We believe that by 2030 County Kildare can grow to become one of the best counties in Ireland to live, learn and work in. We can be a county that supports and enables all current and future residents to have a decent quality of life, regardless of their stage of life, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, relationship status and/or (dis)ability.
Strong and proactive local government, of councillors and council staff and active citizens alike, is key to realising this vision for Kildare by 2030.
We ask that the following be accepted as our submission to the review of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023 – 2029.
Housing
Lack of access to affordable housing is a slow-burning crisis that leaves thousands in our county unable to move ahead with their lives. By 2030, we need to end homelessness in Kildare, and reduce the 10-14 year wait for social housing to zero.
More homes are needed in Kildare for those who have additional needs, due to advancing age, or physical or intellectual disabilities. More homes are needed in Kildare for people who, often due to income or circumstance, are unable to rent or buy on the private market. In particular, more one and two bed units of public housing need to be made available in Kildare.
Our county development plan must acknowledge these needs, and seek to address them. Much of the housing need in our county could be met through the council providing good quality housing across the county, built by the council, and rented out at fair, affordable rents (<30% of income) to people from a wide-array of backgrounds.
Rural Nodes:
Consideration be given to the development of clusters and serviced sites for those who conform to local need in each of the existing rural nodes. Consideration should be given to allowing a suitable and adequate number of such houses at these locations to maintain population numbers and facilities in the area.
Kildare must also plan to become an Age Friendly County, that dedicates a growing percentage of public housing to older people, expands “empty nester” schemes to support older people to sell their homes to the council, in exchange for housing that is easier to manage. We must also support the growing number of people in our county likely to be affected by dementia in the future.
We believe the County Development Plan must actively encourage and develop Age Friendly and disability friendly housing, including sheltered supported housing, accessible housing, and retirement villages in areas that maximise people’s independence and ensures their access to local shops and services.
To help revitalise our town centres, the County Development Plan must actively encourage conversion of vacant commercial units into residential units in towns and villages. We call for a special incentive to be put in place to encourage the return of derelict buildings into liveable spaces in our town centres and villages.
In relation to high-rise residential (and commercial) buildings, we contend that there should be height limitations in our towns, and believe that no building should exceed the height of the tallest building currently and or the tallest building adjacent to the development, unless the site being developed is directly adjacent to a high-quality public transport corridor like a train station. Even then the language of the County Development Plan needs to be clear and water-tight in relation to maximum height limits, using terms such as “must” rather than “should”.
Housing development must also, at all times, be delivered concurrently with, or subsequent to, the development of local infrastructure and amenities to support the housing and improve the quality of life for our current and future residents. This is particularly important in the context of the population growth our towns and villages in Kildare are expected to absorb under national spatial and planning strategies.
Quality of life
Vibrant towns and villages focus on people’s needs. We believe everyone deserves access to clean, healthy environments like parks, outdoor gyms equipment, sports grounds, swimming pools, children’s playgrounds, teen recreation spaces, walking trails and other outdoor facilities.
In particular, we call for the following by 2030;
Consideration be given to establishing zoned land for community playing fields in each town and village in the county under the patronship of the local authority. The amount of land needed to be dependent on the population and future forecasted population of each town and village but as an example, any town with a population greater than 20,000 should have a community playing field of 25 acres, any town with a population of greater than 10,000 should have a community playing field of 15 acres, any town with a population of greater than 5,000 should have 8 acres and so on, these figures should be given consideration by officials and members.
In pre-Covid times, many of us spent hours each day in our cars. Traffic congestion and air quality can have a serious impact on our quality of life, and must be considered as issues in the upcoming County Development Plan.
We believe the following measures to promote Sustainable Mobility/Transport would help address these issues, if included the plans:
The council must also actively develop co-working hubs/spaces within our towns and village to reduce the need to travel and assist with the rejuvenation of towns and villages. We must ensure that the whole county has access to high speed broadband
Childcare issues can have a massively detrimental impact on our residents, both in terms of availability and affordability of places. For Kildare based childcare providers and Early Years Educators, the low incomes, high costs, and lack of professional recognition of the sector also cause serious issues. We call on the council to acknowledge this in the County Development Plan, and make provision to:
Finally, from cradle to grave; it is crucial that Kildare County Council roll-out burial grounds for people of all faiths and none over the term of the new County Development Plan, including the provision of eco-friendly, “natural” burial grounds and columbarium’s in County Kildare.
Climate Action, biodiversity, and leadership on the environment
The importance of getting this County Development Plan right when it comes to climate action and protecting biodiversity in our County, can hardly be understated. Current best estimates are that we have fewer than 10 years to make the radical changes necessary in our communities and economies to prevent runaway climate change, and the devastating impacts that will have. Kildare and her residents must play our part in meeting our climate targets by 2030.
In particular, we are calling for the County Development Plan to take every opportunity to protect and promote biodiversity in our natural and built environments. This could include, but is not limited to:
We are also calling for the County Development Plan to:
With regards to housing, while cognisant that we are also experiencing a housing as well as a climate crisis, we note that construction can have detrimental effects on the environment. The County Development Plan needs to consider permitting (and later promoting) the building of dwellings of good quality, but with smaller ecological footprints than traditional dwellings. These could include, but are not limited to, cob houses, log houses, tiny houses, “earthships”, dwellings built to off-grid, passive house standards, and/or with composting toilets. These could be permitted experimentally in the first instance and new planning policies developed around what is found to work over the course of the development plan.
Last but not least, Kildare County Council needs to make provision for the improved management of waste disposal. This should include:
Education & School Places
We call on the Council to actively engage with other relevant agencies to ensure that the capacity of schools in the county to deal with the continuous population growth is monitored and addressed.
History & Heritage
This submission is in regard to the maintenance ad safeguard of protected structures. County Kildare has a unique history and heritage dating back to ancient times. Normally importance is given to the preservation of National Monuments but in many cases, there is a neglect of lesser known protected structures within counties.
Kildare has many such structures and although less well known nationally are equally important to the country’s history and heritage.
Kildare County Council through the Municipal District Committees need to be vigilant in policing and safeguarding these structures by exercising vigilance, enacting the laws and regulations when necessary and taking corrective action where justified.
Some important parts of our history/heritage are in danger of being lost to dereliction if this is not recognised and implemented.
Casual Trading Licenses:
Given the number of Blueways and Greenways been developed in County Kildare, that the Council develop a special casual trading license around these locations. Taking into account any displacement of existing business, the number of licenses that may be issued for similar businesses and the trading hours of such licenses.
Please see the attached Submission, Engineering Services Feasibility & Constraints Report and Letter from the Minister Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government for the Pre-Draft Public Consultation Strategic Issues Paper for Kildare County Development Plan 2023-29 for the Hazelhatch area on behalf of O'Flynn, Montane and O'Connor.
Pre-Draft Public Consultation Strategic Issues Paper - Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029
I would like to make the following submission on the Review to the County Development Plan 2023-2029.
Core Strategy & Settlement Strategy
I agree that the county should be used to its full potential, built on good grounds of well-informed strategies, inclusive of all its residents.
We should be mindful at all times of not destroying any of our Habitat, Landscape, or future potential opportunities.
Housing.
The primary source of information on housing in Ireland comes from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) via the Census.
Census 2016 Kildare - Households - 2016 – 80,746
Targets for county Kildare – 2022 - Households Targets - 113,243
Our aim must be to end homelessness in the county.
We must endeavor/encourage the supply of Sheltered Housing for the Elderly in each village.
Help people live near their families. We have seen during Covid 19 just how important it is in so many ways, home care, shopping, all of the interaction, our community networking at its best.
Growth areas must include age-related Facilities, at the very least an updated working Community Centre. / Hall.
Plans to encourage Rejuvenation of vacant premises.
Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism.
When Liaising with Bord Na Mona- the main emphasis should be on
Peatland conservation.
Honor the Memorandum of understanding, returning the Bogs to the
people.
In light of the possibility of the World Cup coming to Ireland and the UK in
the next 7 years, the possibilities are endless, e.g. tourists arriving in Dublin –
chance to enjoy the Bogland wilderness, Nature at its best.
Uniting Coillte woodlands, BnM bog lands, the Canals walkways, the
potential for a wonderful Amenity. United to form our very own National
Park.
Notwithstanding that, in terms of the Rural Economy the economic value of
using the bog as a National Park in drawing tourists to Ireland and the
midlands would be of great Economic value.
Using the Boglands in a sensitive way with natural materials to create a National park amenity for tourists would be of much greater benefit for Carbon Sequestration, water absorption, / flood prevention, biodiversity, rather than putting thousands of tons of concrete and roadways in to facilitate thousands of Industrial Wind turbines.
The Government has not carried out an Overall National Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP).
Movement & Transport.
Important Maintenance and Road Safety Issues.
Industrial facilities such as Carbury Compost and Drehid Dump create extremely large volumes of Heavy HGVs on small local road networks. Under no circumstance should these facilities be increased. Counties should be encouraged to decrease their waste loads and expose of their waste in a more environmentally friendly way rather than increasing HGV movements around the country.
One can see from the current state of the local road network they are in dire need of repair for local residents.
National Security
For National Security, the Irish Air Corps need to be facilitated at all times in its training network. This necessitates the air space over the midland bogs being kept free of any development which could interfere in any way visually, digitally, or electronically with regards to the safety of the air corps training.
Infrastructure.
Broadband networks need to be upgraded in many areas as the covid 19 lockdowns has highlighted discrimination with regard to Homeschooling and working from home.
Water
The Council under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD)
(2000.60/EC) is legally obliged to protect the ecological status of river
catchments and channels.
Ballyshannon and Abbeylought Rivers flow into the Figile, the Black River and
finally into The River Barrow. The Rivers Barrow and Nore form the
candidate SAC site Code 002162. The river barrow is approximately 2,983km.
Some of the larger tributaries contributing to this catchment Upstream of
Monsterevin include the Figile, the Black river the Slate and the Cushina. The
Tully Stream enters the River Barrow downstream of Monsterevin.
According to the NPWS, the qualifying interests of cSAC 002162 include
habitats such as those listed in Annex 1 of the EU Directive including alluvial
wet woodlands and petrifying springs, old Oak woodlands, floating river
vegetation, estuary, tidal mudflats, Salicomia mudflats, Atlantic salt
meadows, Mediterranean salt meadows dry heath and eutrophic tall
herbs. Some of the species it was selected for include Sea Lamprey, River
Lamprey, Brook Lamprey, Freshwater Pearl Mussel, Nore Freshwater Pearl
Mussel, Crayfish, Twaite Shad, Atlantic salmon, Otter, Vertigo moulinsiana
and the plant Killarney Fern. All of which are listed in Annex 11of the EU
Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC).
Contact made with the South Eastern Rivers Fisheries Board
Regarding the River Cushaling - In their expert opinion this is an important
tributary of the Figile and the Barrow. It is a salmonid system with
populations of trout and possibly Lamprey.
The County Development Plan (CDP) should include a clear policy on the use
of clearspan structures on fisheries waters and these policies should be
discussed with Inland Fisheries Ireland. (IFI).
River Liffey, flooding issues need to be monitored and update during the life
of the 2023-2029 CDP.
Energy & Communications.
All Homes and buildings should be retrofitted where possible. And further investigation into Deep Geothermal technologies should be explored.
Retail.
Urban regeneration is welcome of derelict premises.
Rural Development.
It is important to recognize the significant landscape of the county both the environmental and the heritage value.
Social, Community & Cultural Development.
It is necessary to have age-related Facilities in each area, Playgrounds, Swimming Pools, etc. at the very least a proper Community Centre / Hall.
Architectural & Archaeological Heritage.
We have many Architectural & Archaeological buildings and sites in our county.
Going forward – the magnificent Carbury castle should be restored. This Castle has a rich heritage with links back to the Queen Mother through the Colley- Wesley family.
It also boasts Jacobean Chimneys which are a unique architectural feature.
Heritage week is a very good and informative activity for all ages and is good for tourism in County Kildare
Adding to and expanding this would be a valuable and worthwhile idea.
Urban & Rural Design Guidelines.
In light of the proximity of County Kildare to County Dublin and their increasing population, great consideration should be given with regard to Town developments and Rural Development in relation to facilitating close proximity of families to their ageing relatives. This need has been fully highlighted by the pandemic and the isolation of families from each other. E.g. encouraging families to build/attach granny flats to their homes.
Development Management Standards.
Bond Issues need to be reviewed as we see what is happening With some Estates in the County.
Air, Water, Ecology, Landscape all areas need to be guarded to the most up-to-date standards.
Accountability.
As we have seen and heard lately on Media, very few are held accountable for mistakes and some have been very grave mistakes.
At council level, we need to be assured that those who cause bad, environmental, social, economic, or other mistakes are held accountable.
Waste Management, Dumping & Clean Initiatives.
Recycling
Money-Back Facility for Cans, Bottles, and Clear plastic Bottles.
1 Day free each week/month to take these in.
Tributaries to the River Barrow SAC and the River Liffey must be protected
from all possibilities of Contamination.
Habitat
The local authorities play an important role in protecting the unique habitat
and landscape of boglands Many of the peatlands are designated SACs and
NHAs therefore it is a legal requirement to protect it.
I trust as guardians of our county’s growth and wellbeing you will continue to
protect our county in a responsible manner at all times.
Yours sincerely
Please see attached a submission to the pre-draft public consultation strategic issues paper for Kildare County Development Plan 2023-29 for the Kill area on behalf of Newtownsland (kill) Limited.
Please see attached submission.
Please see full report attached for all observations and responses.
Please find my submission attached.
R/Pierce.
Please find my submission attached.
R/Pierce.
Please see attached submission.
Sustainable Mobility places emphasis on public transport. Attached document addresses issues relating to Transport Hubs in particular to Celbridge Rail Station.
This is the submission from Umeras Community Development CLG on the County Development Plan Review.
Please see attached document for the views of Celbridge Community Council on the settlement strategy, and for answers to many of the questions posed in the issues paper.
The "Naas Inner Relief Road" was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 which was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 is an insult to the democratic process and completely undermines the decision Naas Municipal District made in June 2019.
"The Gallops Avenue", which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the "Naas Inner Relief Road", will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles, from the direct route to town (Dublin Road) through quiet, mature residential estates.
Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy claims that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” This is simply not true. Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas, it will merely move it to higher density residential areas.
In the "Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy Stakeholder & Public Consultation No. 2 Submissions Report" Kildare County Council repeatedly states that "A bypass of the town would be beneficial if most of the traffic through the town was “through traffic”. However, this is not the case in Naas." Therefore, by their own admission, they are not relieving any congestion with this proposed new road. It is in fact the intention of KCC is to build this new road merely to take traffic from the main road and direct it through residential areas instead. The motive for rehashing this route is highly questionable.
The route of "The Gallops Avenue" follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This would make an ideal route for a Greenway. A Greenway along this route instead of a major road, would serve as a safe passage to connect many housing esates with schools, shops and leisure. A Greenway here would in fact would be the first and only way to safely travel into town on foot or by bicycle.
At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an almost 30 year old proposal which is completely and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route. The layout of Naas has drastically changed, as has the population. Kildare County Council continue to back propsals like this one which prioritises the use of private cars above all else in and around the town. The real issue here is clingling on to unsustainable, decades old plans for a Naas that no longer exists.
· I respectfully request that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
Empasis on a greener, cleaner town. More incentives to walk or cycle into and around town and the infrastructure to do so.
To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road close to the junction of the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Instead of continuosly flogging more roads, more parking etc, Kildare County Coucil need to seriously consider the reality that Naas is a place where people want to live, not just exist. In the past 12 months, the people of Naas and surrounding environs have embraced and appreciated the few healthy places we have such as the Canal, Lakelands, Monread Park, Naas and Punchestown Racecourses for dedicated walking or cycling. However, the layout of the town and the residential area does absolutely nothing to promote or facilitate healthy choices in every day life. There are numerous barriers to the very basic things like walking or cycling to school, to work, or to town. There are no cycling routes from the vast majority of residential areas into town, or to any of our schools. Many of the "cycle lanes" are part of our poorly maintained roads which are regularly subject to flooding, making them unusable by cyclists.
Footpaths are narrow, in poor state of repair and often lack safe crossing points. There is no traffic calming on any of the main routes into town which has resulted in traffic speeds which are now well in excess of the signposted 50Kph limits. There is no traffic calming around any of our schools. In some instances, there is not even a safe place to cross to a school (e.g Children walking from Mill Lane to Scoil Bhride)
Walking and cycling needs to be promoted. But first, KCC needs to invest in safe footpaths, safe cycle paths, separating cyclists from traffic, traffic calming and bike parking. All schools should be fully and safely accessable to pedestrians and cyclists coming from surounding residential areas. KCC needs to stop promoting private car use. It is uneccessary and completely unsustainable. The main reason for traffic congestion in and around our town is because KCC have left people with no option to make a halthy choice and leave the car at home. Try walking the Sallins Road or the Dublin Road into town, even on a Sunday afternoon to see how unpleasant an experience it is.
That the Naas area which includes Johnstown, Kill and Sallins continue to be a net inward employment hub and that consideration be given to increase the quanity of lands zoned for commercial activity to cater for all types of industry/employment
That future housing development occur along existing public transport corridors such as Rail and Bus and that park and ride facilities be provide along these routes for sustainable living.
Consideration for retirement villages for independant living for our aging population. That these retirement villages be close to existing communities and along existing public transport corridors
Hi I have chosen the title above but realy my submission relates to many areas in regard to keeping the county a great place to live for not just this generation but the future. I am trying to think holisticaly. We will develop for the future and also must preserve the assests we have. I also seek also make them accessiable to people. We must create green traffic free routs that encircle and pass through the towns. These routes must be route for us humans, but also the flora and fauna of the town. We must not just build schools but provide safe routes to these schools faciklitating for the older students safe car free routes. When we put in green belts we must not have them exclude access such as the errection of big fences that have gone in by the canal that exclude man and animal. I suggest when putting place maintenance contracts the council should look in award criteria not just cost but maintence of biodiversity and our natural heratige and the acidential prevention of the spreading of invasive plants.(eg Japaneese Knot weed) or damage to hedgrerows ( ban flail cutting) We should look at controling the tyrany of the car.
When I was in my twenties I could cycle safely to college in Dublin or later in Maynooth. These routes are now far far less safe. During COVID time we rediscovered the walkways of the town's surrounds and reappreciated the quite walks where in the absence of cars. We could hear our children or not have nervous breakdown as they cycled beside us we must preserve and provide for future golden times for parents, children, couples and the aged. Just to be able to simply walk with your wife and hear clearly each other was great.
I also suggest that in our planning documents we encourage diversity of age in the layout of estates and ensure that buiding consortia protect existing diversity. For example that the site is not cleared of nature and replanted later but it is maintained throughout. Work with our natural heritage. In the attached I give some examples based on my experiences in Naas but feel that this same concept applies in many areas throughout the county. I hope these musings help to inform the planners and give them something to reflect upon.
There are significant gaps in sustainable transport options within and between the towns of North East Kildare. This results in a social disconnection between different parts of these towns as well as between the towns themselves despite their relative proximity. In addition the resulting reliance on the motor car excludes younger people from being able to move from place to place in a healthy, safe and sustainable manner.
Sustainable goals in the suburban parts of Kildare should focus on interconnectivity and the development of existing and new routes between towns for walking and cycling that also offer access to nature away from polluted main roads.
Castletown Estate can and should act as a locus of interconnectivity for sustainable transport options with the addition of a simple cycle way network connecting Celbridge Main Street to the Barnhall and M4 exits. In addition, a cycle way between HP and the M4 would allow for a connection to the existing motorway bridge at HP as well as interconnectivity with existing paths and cycle ways on the Royal canal and Intel Road connecting all three towns with a specific focus on areas of parkland and natural heritage.
Serious consideration should also be given to implementing sustainable transport options for all new housing and school developments before and during their development. For example the planned CCS school on the Southern bank of the Liffey in Celbridge appears to have included absolutely no provision for the transport needs of the 500+ students that will need to go from the main part of the town on the Northern Bank to the new school without any cycle lane provision. A new pedestrian / cycle bridge at the slipway by Castletown gates would provide a solution to this problem as well as joining Castletown parklands to the proposed park area at Donaghcumper.
An overview of some of these options is available here:
http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/ne-kildare-sustainable-transport_573276#13/53.3620/-6.5216
Native Woodland Expansion:
It is accepted that the most efficient manner to increase native woodland coverage is to rescue manage and expand what is already there using accepted techniques to maximize the increase in available coverage as covered in this overview:
However existing schemes in Ireland focus on paying farmers minimal amounts but it is not proving sufficient to persuade them to retain or expand existing Native Woodland as outlined here:
For example extensive Woodlands exist in North Kildare in Castletown Estate under the Stewardship of the OPW. This is amongst the largest area of extant Native Woodlands in the Greater Dublin Area. However, these are not effectively managed or optimized for wildlife or as an amenity. Furthermore there are significant areas adjacent to the wooodland that are under cultivation to an outside party despite being zoned as amenity lands. These should be withdrawn from agricultural use in keeping with the designation of the land use and allowed to return to nature initally as a meadow and subsequently to act as an expansion buffer for an increase in the size of the woodland. This is already occurring naturally in northern part of the area currently under cultivation. The Zoning is shown in the first attachment (Castletown_Zoning_1.png) while the areas under cultivation are shown in yellow in the second attachment (Castletown_Zoning_2.png).
The following organizations work with County Councils and individuals to promote expansion of Native Woodlands in Ireland:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/grants/establishment-grants/native-woodland-establishment/
http://www.woodlandsofireland.com/
https://www.nativewoodlandtrust.ie/
Kildare suffers from a severe lack of native woodland and a history of misuse of native wetlands and bogs. Consideration should be given to the provision of funding for the restoration and expansion of Native Woodlands as well as the rewetting and cleanup where neccessary of significant bog or wetlands located on private property. These wetlands are very important in the feeding of watercourses that provide our drinking water, while Native Woodlands provide a much-needed resource for biodiversity as well as a wonderful amenity for the public if carefully managed. Overcrowding in all public parks and amenities caused by a renewed interest in engaging with nature during the lockdown has reinforced the need for the provision of additional public access to nature.
Provisions should include:
Native Woodlands:
Bogs and Wetlands:
Fly-tipping is a scourge in County Kildare and the available means to deal with it are poor to non-existant. There is no easy to use reporting mechanism for dumping and no follow up if and when a report is submitted. While there is a focus on industrial-scale dumping, there is little or no attention paid to low level dumping of household waste. Bags are left in ditches and at the side of the road throughout the county but particularly in rural areas adjacent to more heavily populated towns. These degrade quickly if not collected and the contents spill into ditches or are caught in hedge mowing by farmers and spread through the hedgerow. This is leading to a visible increase in vermin as well as pollution of water courses. There needs to be an effective deterrent as well as enforcement of existing laws. The following steps should be implemented:
1. Strategic Planning to meet housing needs
The idea of developing village and smaller town areas should be explored further, rather than simply pouring more housing onto existing towns that struggle with the necessary infrastructure and open areas to support additional housing. I fully support and respect the concept of provision of further housing as a priority but I think that it should be well-developed and the concept of healthy place making should be kept to the forefront.
There are a lot of small rural villages and towns, particularly in south, mid and west Kildare that could hugely benefit from proper planning and an increase in the population to make them more viable and self sufficient and allow for shops, childcare and other forms of infrastructure to develop. It would also lead to more sustainable communities which are already well-served with primary schools (who are constantly seeking additional pupils to keep them viable through the generations) and have local sporting clubs with good facilities and have a healthy local community spirit already. Such proper development would also negate any need for unintended/ undesirable one-off housing in these areas.
This contrasts with the massive development that is flagged in the southwest area of Naas, where current developments aggregate to over a thousand new houses with little green space (and further flagging of thousands of further houses but no indication of any other initiatives for healthy place making) or hardly a place for a child to kick a ball, surely a major recipe for social problems in the future. Indeed, if we have learned something through Covid, it is the need for outdoor space rather than high density development with little thought for where children/teenagers will play/ socialise normally etc. (in a county with the highest level of 0-24 year olds in the country).
Further, the concept of permeability of urban developments should solely be built into all future planning for future developments, but should not encroach on existing estates/communities that have maintained their open spaces through residents own financial contributions and need to have the integrity of their communities maintained (like small rural areas do). In many cases new developments seek to access the open spaces of existing estates to avoid their own responsibilities in providing adequate and sufficient open spaces in their own developments; this should never be tolerated and only leads to unnecessary ill feeling/ anti social behaviour.
b. Sporting and healthy exercise facility availability
a. In larger urban areas, sporting clubs are competing with development-land prices to try to keep their facilities going. Sporting clubs in these areas need further planning support: for example, while Naas has grown hugely as a town with a lot more land to be developed in the near future, Naas GAA is becoming increasingly landlocked by housing development and is trying to serve a huge and increasingly accelerating membership on a very limited and insufficient footprint. The Council in its planning should include measures to allow it to increase its footprint as an urgent healthy place measure that needs to be addressed.
b. As today's deadline day is international womens day, KCC should be supporting sports facilities for ladies in the county. Kildare Camogie, with a membership of over 3,000, should at a minimum, have its own central training facility for its teams as does the same sport have in counties like Clare, Cork and Tipperary, with support from their local County Councils. Kildare LGFA would also warrant similar.
The above are some points that I believe should receive further and early consideration if KCC wishes to meet its identified objective of "Healthy Place Making".
The very best wishes in your future steps.
To whom it concerns, please see attached letter which details our submission.
Please see submission attached.
I welcome the opportunity to input to the development of our new County Development Plan. This is a huge opportunity to set out an ambitious vision and transformative plan for Kildare that resonates with the needs, aspirations and hopes of Kildare residents.
It is very positive to see that the framework of the new development plan will be framed around the positive principles set out in the RSES: Healthy Placemaking, Climate Action; and Economic Opportunity and also framed in the context of climate adaptation and mitigation. I also urge the plan to put the UN Sustainable Development Goals at the core of our planning process with the aim of achieving a sustainable future for all.
My comments below acknowledges the contribution and views of others in submissions to this consultation and aims to highlight some additional points. It also acknowledges that this plan will set the policy framework through which the needs of Celbridge will be protected and enhanced as a community.
With a new development plan comes an opportunity for a new vision. I look forward to a vision of Kildare that is transformative - a strong vision that is meaningful and memorable by the residents of Kildare. The plan should resonate with hope and solidarity in the face of a difficult decade ahead. It should also reflect on the values that are important to us as a community and put a joyful emphasis on our young people.
Healthy Place-making: People and Communities
With regard to the theme Healthy Place-making: People and Communities, the goal of compact growth will be delivered against the background context of the very damaging SHD process. We continue to see the impact of SHD’s in our communities, that not only are putting enormous pressure on community infrastructure and resources, but also reducing communities’ sense of place and power. A recent report shows that a high percentage of the Board’s decisions have been overturned by the High Court. Our development plan needs to ensure that we have strong and detailed policies informed by the experience of SHD’s to ensure that the right development happens in the right place for our county and towns.
The plan should use clear and unequivocal language in its requirements on standards for infrastructure before development is permitted, and in its standards on the protection of heritage. In the same vein the Draft Plan can be specific about where positive development and growth of our county can happen.
Types of development
New developments should be a positive addition to a town in terms of their contribution to community, landscape, connectivity, vibrancy and service delivery. Development should not come at the cost of quality of life for residents. The Draft Plan should adopt the Heritage-led approach but be very specific in regarding heritage as holistic with intangible and irreplaceable dimensions. It would be ideal to scenario-test assumptions and approaches in the development of the draft.
New developments should have a higher requirement for open space, have higher standards of landscaping promoting urban greening, meaningful space and play areas for children. Mature trees and hedgerows must be retained as a priority and built into the design of the development to the maximum extent possible. All developments should have a maximum riparian setback and landscaping features to maximise any natural features.
Socio-spatial justice
Our analysis for our development plan in terms of place-making includes demographics, with socio-economic factors only discussed within LECPs. The development plan does not talk about inequalities, or socio-spatial disadvantages. Yet this is a key factor in ensuring just and inclusive spaces that achieves the goals of fair and sustainable planning. Spatial justice involves “the fair and equitable distribution in space of socially valued resources and opportunities to use them” (Soja, 2009). In developing the new Plan, a lens of socio-spatial advantage/disadvantage is critical to achieving fairness. For example, some communities such as Celbridge lack basic provision of health services for which they have to travel to Naas or Athy with no public transport. Within communities there are also gaps in the accessibility of services. The perspective for development of our county should be on the enhance of social equality through planning, the enhancement of community and social capital, fostering of young people and the promotion and protection of culture and the environment as common and central goods to be delivered through planning.
Community and connection
The new draft plan is an opportunity to pilot an anti-loneliness (or pro-connection) approach to our town centres. The Covid pandemic has put a spotlight on our need for connection and the importance of our local spaces. Planning for our town centres can put the focus on relationships and meeting and accessibility - creating plans that promote human relationships. These are of enormous value in themselves while also critical to building social capital, empathy and inter-generational cohestion in the midst of huge challenges. The Community Call was a wonderful example of community mobilisation and connection. It would be an ideal opportunity to explore what can be learned from our Covid experience to promote community connection, with a specific focus on lonliness & social connection through the new Draft Plan. This has potential further benefits in terms of the relationship between planning and public health.
The Plan should also include objectives on Universal Housing Design and facilitating lifelong living, especially for older people, in their own homes.
Alternative housing types
The Plan should set out an objective to support the option of low cost and eco-friendly alternatives to housing. There are planning challenges with alternatives but there is also a huge opportunity to address the housing crisis we face with more flexible housing options. Given the shortage, the difficulties of families to rent or purchase a home, the Plan needs to be both ambitious and creative in exploring ways to support alternative types of accommodation. The Plan must set out to create the space to allow for challenges to be overcome in a way that supports the right to housing as well as achieving sustainable and proper planning of an area in the context of our national strategies.
The Draft Plan should ensure that all new proposals for development should be fully permeable for walking and cycling. For existing neighbourhoods, the plan should set objectives for the retrospective implementation of walking and cycling facilities, in consultation with stakeholders. This will significantly add to the attractiveness of walking and cycling as trips can be shorter as well as safer for children and young people.
All new residential developments should in addition ensure filtered permeability, that is – they provide for walking, cycling, public transport and private vehicle access only. Private car through trips must be discouraged in designs.
All towns and villages should be developed for mobility for our most vulnerable users, elderly and children. Adopt a pedestrian- and cyclist-first approach to planning and prioritise the needs of cyclists and pedestrians and their safety in the preparation and implementation of all local plans.
With regard to EV charge points, a clear methodology should be established for assessing demand as this seems to be a block in rolling out points across the county. To support the transition to EV’s charging points are essential infrastructure yet while funding is available, the is very little uptake. Kildare should take the lead in establishing and communicating a methodology that will allow for the best access and uptake of charging points around the county.
In terms of prioritising active travel and reducing the reliance on cars, the Draft Plan should specifically prioritise the reduction of urban congestion. This is already laid out as a strategic priority by the Greater Dublin Area Strategy. The Plan should aim to provide for the sustainable movement of people and goods in a way that is equitable and aims for maximum impact on the national transition to net zero carbon by 2050.
The Plan should also include a policy that focuses on how a person uses a transport system from start to end. Currently, a user's perspective on their journeys from any point, is not sufficiently regarded. A seamless user experience is important to support behaviour change resulting in the required modal shift. An objective in the new plan would be to work with the NTA and other stakeholders to drive a human-centred approach to the provision of transport infrastructure to accelerate a modal shift.
In addition, the Draft should include a clear objective and target for providing the infrastructure for safe travel to school. An objective should also be included for incentivising and enabling new measures to support active travel to school.
The Draft Plan is also an opportunity to bring forward proposals for the creation of new public rights of way to promote walking and enjoyment of our natural environment.
The European Green Deal should be referenced in the Draft Plan as the roadmap for achieving a sustainable economy for the EU and as our framework for promoting economic transition and development. The aim is to turn climate and environmental challenges into opportunities across all policy areas while ensuring a just and inclusive transition for all. In this regard we should pursue economic development in a way that promotes not only innovation but also incentives transition from old practices of consumption, production and product lifecyle.
Innovation
The Draft Plan should include a policy to support cross-sector collaborations between Maynooth University, local businesses and communities in developing green technologies and social innovations.
Ecosystems are the drivers and supporters of new ideas and emerging approaches and technologies. In aiming to support economic activity that will be constantly adapting to the changes we face, the Draft Plan should support the development of all type of ecosystems that enable the sharing of ideas, data, knowledge and supports among people in businesses, communities, education establishments, public bodies and local government.
Tourism
With regard to Tourism, the Draft plan should promote sustainable tourism in a way that directly has a positive impact on the environment and accelerates Kildare’s move to a circular economy. The Draft Plan should have strong policies and objectives around the circular economy and include a clear definition both of the concept and its relevance and positive impact on communities and local economies and environment.
The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy should also be referenced and objectives included for ambitious achievement of the goals of the WAPCE. It has particular relevance for local businesses. Policies put in place to support the national objectives laid out in the plan and incentives for Kildare businesses to take the lead on transitioning towards developing and integrating circular economy practices into all aspects of their businesses including consumption, product lifecycle, services and/or production methods.
Kildare Council should set an objective to develop strong links with tourism providers to encourage and incentivise environmentally conscious and responsible tourism.
Live-Work-Play communities
Other counties are pursuing the development of 'live-work' communities. This sets out a positive new vision for communities that addresses changing living and working habits not only as a result of the pandemic, but in response to climate change. Communities would benefit from:
Our Draft Plan should aim to achieve 'live-work-and-play' communities. As part of the change to remote working the Draft should also include policies on remote-working hubs.
There are a number of objectives in the current development plan related to protecting our natural heritage. However, given the urgency of our climate and biodiversity crisis, the language in these objectives needs to be much stronger.
For example:
NH 1 Facilitate, maintain and enhance as far as is practicable the natural heritage and amenity of the county by seeking to encourage the preservation and retention of woodlands, hedgerows, stonewalls, rivers, streams and wetlands. Where the removal of such features is unavoidable, appropriate measures to replace like with like should be considered, subject to safety considerations.
This example demonstrates the weakness of the objective. Already, the legislation protecting our woodlands, hedgerows and wetlands is extremely weak. Our new development plan should set out very strong policies and objectives on the protection and recovery of nature and wildlife. There is an opportunity with the current review of the NWPS and also the new National Biodiversity Action Plan which is likely to be more ambitious given the outcome of the independent review. The Draft Plan should seize the opportunity provided to support national moves to conserve and protect our national heritage through ambitious and unequivocally strong objectives.
NH1 should be reworded therefore as:
Facilitate, maintain and enhance to the maximum extent possible the natural heritage and amenity of the county through the preservation and retention of woodlands, hedgerows, stonewalls, rivers, streams and wetlands. Where the removal of such features is unavoidable, appropriate measures to replace like with like must be provided.
Further examples:
NH2 should be stronger:
Carry out habitat assessments to inform the design of new developments in order to ensure that proposals for development integrate the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and landscape features to the greatest extent possible, by minimising adverse impacts on existing habitats (whether designated or not) and by including mitigation measures, as appropriate.
NH3
Should state that compliance with Article 10 of the Habitats Directive is mandatory with regard to [..] the management of features in the landscape which are of major importance for wild fauna and flora
NH02
This objective should remove the reference to ‘subject to the availability of funding’. Rather the objective must be clear in implementing the actions contained in the County Biodiversity Plan through the identification of priority actions and this can be achieved ‘by working with all stakeholders and mobilising all resources to ensure achievement of the targets’. There should be no statement around nature recovery and protection, nor climate action that implies that less than the highest ambition and maximum standards are required. The plan must reflect the reality that the period of the new plan must result in a huge restoration of natural environment and an annual reduction in carbon emissions of at least 7% p.a.
NH03 is another example.
Instead of ‘integrating considerations’ the new plan must Ensure that all Local Area Plans, programmes and activities prioritise an expansive recovery of nature and wildlife in a way that promotes biodiversity.
Trees
Also
Amenity & Arts
Protected Structures
The statement that the Plan needs to ‘mainstream climate action through all policies and plans, and integrate into all operations and functions of the local authority’ needs to be much more specific. What does it mean exactly? These ideas must be made concrete, understandable and practical. In doing so they will be visible and measurable and answer the question - are we achieving what we are setting out to do?
This plan must be unlike no other. It should reflect the urgency of the situation we are in with regard to climate, nature degradation, wildlife loss, pandemics and the rapid social and economic change we are in. It should deliver within its term the concrete achievement of 7% p.a. reduction in carbon emissions as a minimum in a way that places community and equality at its heart.
The new Plan should also set it as a key goal to contribute, to the maximum extent possible, our share of the national commitment to protect 30% of the Earth's lands and seas by the end of the decade. This is a commitment we made in January 2021 to under the 'High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.' This commitment is in the context of the world having failed to meet a single target to protect our natural world and wildlife in the last decade. This restoration will contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change as well as ensuring a moral and just reorientation to how we live with nature, while protecting the ecoystems that support all life.
The Draft Plan should state clearly these key targets on climate emission reduction and protection of lands and measure all actions in the plans against their contribution to deliver on these targets. In addition, the Draft Plan should aim to align with the expected level of ambition in the new National Biodiversity Action Plan. Clear objectives should be set out pursuing in clear and definitive language our obligations and commitments to new targets for recovering our county's natural environment, wildlife and biodiversity.
Buildings
Some industries are particularly intense carbon emitters. These include the building and cement industries. The Draft Plan has an opportunity to pursue low carbon and sustainable materials for development. There should be policy coherence across all aspects of Local Government activities and investments. There are examples and a large body of work on opportunities in developing with low carbon cement, built in rainwater harvesters, wooden frames and other sustainable materials.
Metrics
The plan should include an objective to use the new guide for local authorities to develop CO2 baselines to provide measures of where we need to get to, progress and achievements. These should be communicated to the public in addition to other targets and progress indicators.
Decarbonisation zones
The plan should include an ambitious target to increase the number of decarbonisation zones in Kildare, following the initial pilot in 2021.
Climate Action Plan and Climate Adaptation Plans.
The plan should reflect and amplify the objectives and aim to exceed the objectives and ambition in the CAPs, SECAP, and CAPs. The plan should introduce a new approach by focusing on adapting and learning based on the feedback from current plans and changes through the lifetime of the plan. The context of the impacts of climate change likely to require regular review of actions and understandings in what works best in terms of objectives for climate action. New methodologies are being developed and the Plan should spotlight the need to incorporate new learnings and methodologies for continuous improvement and achievement of targets. The Plan should set a specific objective to incorporate new methodologies, data and insights as they become available and to use this to actively adapt actions to achieving our climate, biodiversity recovery and land protection targets.
Peat
The new Draft should include strong objectives around the protection and conservation of our bogs and wetlands. Bogs are considered among the most valuable of ecosystems because of their value for biodiversity and their natural ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon. The Plan should clearly protect the county’s designated peatland areas and landscapes as a priority. It should also clearly state an objective to conserve the ecological, archaeological and cultural heritage of bogs. The Draft Plan should also support, working with stakeholders and national bodies, the phase out of peat extraction for horticultural use. There should also be objectives around working with communities on bog restoration and conservation projects.
All actions in the Draft Plan should prioritise those actions such as bog preservation that have a high impact on carbon emissions reduction and nature and biodiversity recovery. Bog conservation should be highlighted in the plan one of those priority actions.
Sustainable and clean energy
The new Plan should seek to stimulate and provide opportunity for innovations and trials in the energy sector. It should also actively promote and support Sustainable Energy Communities and work with public bodies and government to develop the programme to help communities to increase awareness and participation in local outcomes.
With regard to Creative Places: Social Community and Cultural Development, the Draft Plan is an opportunity to shift towards a more transformational view of planning, where communities are empowered through the planning process. Local Authorities have a powerful role in acting as catalysts for community empowerment and capacity development. This is particularly critical given the unknowns and future impacts of climate change and the need for communities not only to adapt but to mobilise for mitigation and developing a positive shared vision of the future. Developing this plan is part of that, but the process over the next two years can really aim to rethink and support the relationship between experts, officials and local knowledge. Often planning is seen as delivering a framework for material development. However in doing so, we can also increase communitys' capacity and knowledge in identifying approaches to its own needs and visions for the future of its place.
In these terms, the language of planning could be more community centred. A simple example is making the language of our plan focus more on human and community meaning around the material 'developments' achieved. As one example, in detailing the achievements of the last development plan, new playgrounds are listed. However, playgrounds as material structures themselves are not an achievement, rather the opportunity for communities and children to have new spaces to meet, connect and safely play is the achievement of the plan. It is a small change but one that can be helpful in focusing the plan on the core goals of development and spatial planning in terms of healthy and sustainable places, people, communities and environments.
Public consultation & engagement
With regard to the importance of community development, the Draft Plan is an opportunity to put specific actions around public consultation and engagement. Specifically, the plan should incorporate objectives to adopt the Gunning Principles in all consultations. These are:
Gunning 1 – Consultation must be at a time when proposals are still at a formative stage
Gunning 2 – Sufficient reasons must be put forward for any proposal to permit “intelligent consideration” and response
Gunning 3 – Adequate time is given for consideration and response
Gunning 4 – The product of consultation is conscientiously taken into account
Engagement of Young People
Also with the aim of transformational planning and building capacity and resilience of communities, the Draft Plan should set an objective to support the new pilot engagement framework that will be developed in the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District. This will be a forum of students and representatives from schools and other bodies working with young people to establish open channels of communication for young people to: enhance their learning about council & planning and how it can help them; increase their awareness of all opportunities through the council to actively participate in the development of their town and county; and to enable young people give their feedback on the form of engagement methods.
Citizen Science
The Draft Plan should include an objective to support, promote and use open data created by communities. Communities have deep knowledge of their area and an interest in developing quality information. Already communities such as Celbridge are developing air quality sensors which are being installed by other communities around the county. Celbridge also is developing a detailed and comprehensive Open Street Map that developing a detailed record of all built, accessibility and natural environment features (see openstreetmap.org). Minister Noonan highlighted the importance of citizen science for biodiversity over the coming decade and our new Plan is an ideal oppotunity to enable communities develop knowledge on their areas, communicate their needs using that data, and use it to explore options and approaches with relevant local government departments and public bodies.
The gathering, creation and use of local data also creates cross connections between a wide range of community groups and interests in a common cause which is a powerful tool for community development as well as for informing policy, measures and planning.
Our new plan should also contain a commitment to commissioning data in an Open Data format with no license limitations on reuse by communities. Licensed spatial data and the related restrictions are a barrier and this is particularly felt in the GIS spatial data space by communities, ecologists and other specialists. Open Data has a transformative effect on the ability to innovate and adapt quickly. For this reason it should be considered, along with citizen-science and transformative planning as cross-cutting enabling themes in the Plan.
Inclusive communities
There is an opportunity to explore ways to make communities more inclusive. A Town-Centre first policy is a positive framework for ensuring that all communities feel welcome and can equally access services and facilities. However, more can be done. In recognising the increasing diversity of our communities, the Draft Plan could include objectives to celebrate diversity in our places. Including additional languages or pointing to where translations can be found on signage or policies would also help to create places that create awareness of our growing and diversifying communities.
Towns should be developed from the perspective of our most vulnerable users, specifically children, the elderly and those with disabilities. In viewing mobility, facilities and access from these lenses our communities will become more positive spaces for all.
With regard to the minority communities, the Plan should have stronger objectives to ensure that all policies and plans proposed by the Council do not negatively impact on minority and minority ethnic communities. In the UK all new policies and plans must be accompanied by an equality impact assessment. The policy development process also engages specifically with stakeholders that are likely to be most affected by the proposed change. It would be a transformative step for the Draft Plan to include an objective on equality proofing the Draft Plan and all planning related proposals or policies.
I look forward to your consideration of the above points and to your work on an ambitious and positive new plan.
Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
Bord na Móna has played, continues to play and has the potential to play a significant role in the economic development of County Kildare. As set out earlier, because of the unique nature of our landholding, i.e. industrial, remote and with access to key infrastructure, opportunities exist to support industries that require scale which is not readily achievable elsewhere in the country let alone the county.
In addition, as outlined previously cutaway peatlands have enormous potential to provide quality recreational areas for both local and national users. By developing cycle and walkways the greater region has the potential to become more accessible to all sections of society including for tourism and recreational purposes. If done in conjunction with a well thought out tourism plan there is real potential to create sustainable tourism jobs within the local communities.
That said, it is important to maintain a balance which recognises the suitability of a particular site as a potential future amenity or as a site which can be developed for the purposes of commercial activity, which will also have the effect of strengthening local rural economies and communities.
Bord na Móna are pioneers in the development of community benefit schemes providing significant funds for investment in catchment communities for rural, town and village regeneration supported by the commercial renewable energy developments such as Mountlucas in County Offaly.
Such funding presents a major opportunity for communities near wind and solar farms to benefit from flexible, long-term, private sector investment with the potential to draw in additional matched funding under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). With the Government target of 70 per cent of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030, it is conservatively estimated that the cumulative value of community benefit contributions from 2020 to 2030 would be approximately €250 million for wind energy alone.
This is not just an opportunity for the communities living close to renewable energy projects; it is a green opportunity – a significant portion of the money invested in community benefit funds will be used to drive the decarbonisation of communities, to cut energy bills for families and fight fuel poverty, invest in the green economy infrastructure and create jobs.
In conclusion, this period of significant transition for Bord na Móna is by extension a period of significant change for Kildare County, in particular, the significant impact this transition will have on the economy and employment. While there are many challenges, there are also many opportunities and in framing our future County Development Plan, we need to be cognisant of these opportunities and ensure that the final plan supports this potential.
Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaptation
Renewable Energy
The scale of the climate change challenge and the need for decisive, positive action to mitigate climate change is reflected in the Government’s decision to declare a climate emergency in May 2019, followed by the publication of the Government’s Climate Action Plan in June 2019. The ambition behind the plan is to:
… deliver a step-change in our emissions performance over the coming decade, so that we will not only meet our EU targets for 2030, but will also be well placed to meet our mid-century decarbonisation objectives. This Plan [, the Climate Action Plan,] underpins this ambition by setting out clear 2030 targets for each sector and the expected emissions savings that will result.[1]
Central to the Government’s plan is the acceleration of the transition to renewable electricity generation with an overall target of achieving 70% renewable electricity by 2030. Achieving this will involve:
…phasing out coal- and peat-fired electricity generation plants, increasing our renewable electricity, reinforcing our grid (including greater interconnection to allow electricity to flow between Ireland and other countries), and putting systems in place to manage intermittent sources of power, especially from wind.[2]
Specifically, the Government are targeting increased electricity generated from renewable sources indicatively comprising:
at least 3.5 GW of offshore renewable energy
up to 1.5 GW of grid-scale solar energy
up to 8.2 GW of onshore wind capacity[3]
Furthermore, the National Planning Framework, Project Ireland 2040, (NPF) contains a specific objective for Ireland to transition to a competitive low carbon, economy by the year 2050 and to shift from predominantly fossil fuels to predominantly renewable energy sources. This is echoed in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midlands Region which calls out the need for us to “better leverage [our] natural resources to increase our share of renewable energy… and harness the potential for a more distributed renewables-focused energy system”.
The potential for utilising the extensive Bord na Móna landholding to support renewable energy generation is specifically called out in the National Planning Framework:
Harnessing the potential of the region in renewable energy terms across the technological spectrum from wind and solar to biomass and, wave energy, focusing in particular on the extensive tracts of publicly owned peat extraction areas in order to enable a managed transition of the local economies of such areas in gaining the economic benefits of greener energy. [4]
Bord na Móna recognise this potential and have worked and continue to work to harness this potential: we have developed Mountlucas Wind Farm in Offaly, Bruckana Wind Farm in Tipperary, Laois and Kilkenny and Oweninny Wind Farm Phase 1 in Mayo. We have secured planning permission to develop Phase 2 of Oweninny Wind Farm in Mayo, a 63 MW wind farm at Cloncreen County Offaly, a 96 MW windfarm at Derryadd in County Longford and a 70 MW solar farm in Timahoe, County Kildare. We are planning to develop other projects including Derrinlough Wind Farm in West Offaly, Oweninny Phase 3 in Co. Mayo and Ballivor Wind Farm in Counties Meath and Westmeath. We have also recently announced our intention to develop a wind farm at our Ballydermot Bog Group which straddles Counties Kildare and Offaly. This project will be known as Ballydermot Wind Farm and represents a significant opportunity to co-locate a commercial development alongside peatland rehabilitation and an extensive amenity network.
It is our view that cutaway bogs will play an important role in the generation of renewable energy into the future and it is our intention to continue developing renewable energy projects on our bogs Given the unique nature, character and scale of Bord na Móna's cutaway bogs we believe that the future use of these lands has the potential to make a significant contribution to national policies and objectives across a range of sectors including renewable energy, industrial development and job creation in rural areas, ecosystem services and biodiversity as well as tourism, amenity and recreation. In many cases these uses can be co-located thereby providing enhanced economic benefits to the areas in which such developments are located through direct and indirect employment opportunities. The optimisation and the realisation of the full potential value of the company's land bank is dependent on national, regional and local planning. (mention just transition)
There remains potential to develop a range of activities on these lands and it is our view that the County Development Plan should consider all beneficial uses of Peatlands including energy, commercial, social and environmental.
[1] Climate Action Plan, 2019 at page 12
[2] Climate Action Plan, 2019 at page 53
[3] Climate Action Plan, 2019 at page 53
[4] Project Ireland 2040 at page 35
Enhanced Amenity and Heritage: Landscape and Green Infrastructure
The Action Plan for Rural Development Realising our Rural Potential highlights the potential of activity tourism to contribute to economic growth in rural areas. It states, “Outdoor adventure tourism is a key growth sector worldwide and has been identified as a priority for Irish tourism in future years. The development and promotion of this sector provides opportunities for growth, in rural areas in particular, by facilitating businesses to leverage the tourism assets in their area in a sustainable way to support recreational activities such as canoeing, cycling, angling and hill walking”.
The Government has recently committed to supporting a Peatlands Climate Action Scheme (PCAS) with Bord na Móna. This scheme will look to use enhanced rehabilitation measures to optimise climate action benefits by developing suitable hydrological conditions for re-wetting and setting sites on a trajectory towards becoming naturally functioning peatland ecosystems. Re-wetting to optimise climate action benefits can be integrated and balanced with other land-uses. The Scheme will naturally provide other benefits for biodiversity and amenity.
County Kildare is endowed with a rich natural landscape including peatlands, lakes and forestry offering significant potential to deliver a unique and expansive ecotourism experience. Central to the development of an integrated ecotourism experience is the provision of quality cycling, walking and hiking routes connecting strategic tourism infrastructure, towns and villages
Bord na Mona’s future development and decarbonisation strategy presents potential amenity opportunities that were previously unattainable. These opportunities are very much aligned with the Action Plan for Rural Development, Ireland 2040: National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan 2018-2027 which recognises that the development of Greenways, Blueways and Peatways offer a unique alternative means for tourists to enjoy rural Ireland. Existing amenity enterprises operating in Kildare have an opportunity to expand and diversify availing of the connectivity opportunities presented.
Bord na Móna’s landholding presents an opportunity to develop safe off-road access to a rehabilitated landscape. Walking and cycling tracks have been successfully integrated into the rehabilitated cutaway landscape at Lough Boora Discovery Park. Bord na Móna have continued to support the amenity development of the Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park. Cutaway was leased to this group that has now been developed into amenity wetland with walking trails, a board-walk and a bog railway. Bord na Móna worked closely to supply rail infrastructure for this project, which is a fantastic example of the potential of the cutaway to be used for amenity.
Furthermore, as demonstrated at our wind farm site in Mountlucas, Co Offaly, it is also possible to deliver on amenity objectives in perfect harmony with achieving other policy objectives with respect to climate action and biodiversity while leveraging commercial opportunities, in particular, renewable energy generation and supporting indigenous, compatible new commercial opportunities.
We also understand that some sites of particularly high biodiversity value will be not be developed but need to be conserved. An example of this is the Lodge Bog remnant (intact remnant of raised bog), whose ownership was transferred to the Irish Peatlands Conservation Council.
In time, as natural peatland habitats develop, bogs with residual deep peat have potential to develop in part, as carbon sinks when peat-forming conditions re-develop. Some bogs in Co. Kildare that formerly supplied horticultural peat have these characteristics. This will contribute significantly to climate action in Kildare. It should be noted that typical Bord na Móna cutaway does not have the capacity to be restored to raised bog in the short-term, as so much peat has been cutaway and the environment has changed so significantly. However, they can develop a range of other peatland and wetland habitats. Cutaway sites will naturally re-wild and provide space for species that are under threat in the wider landscape, such as ground-nesting birds, and create new habitats like wetlands, which have been impacted by many different land-uses. Bord na Móna also engage with local communities and other stakeholders in relation to the future management. For example, with Butterfly Conservation Ireland to promote butterfly conservation of a piece of cutaway at Lullybeg and Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Centre as mentioned previously. .
The new Kildare County Development Plan should acknowledge this potential and stand positioned to support appropriate commercial and industrial development on Bord na Móna’s land and can do so, secure in the knowledge that given the scale and spread of Bord na Móna’s land and property assets, suitable commercial and industrial development can be harmoniously co-located within a biodiverse and ecologically rich rehabilitated peatland landscape.
Future BnM land-use strategies and future BnM commercial development will support the Kildare County Development Plan in the development of green infrastructure.
Making it Happen: Infrastructure, Energy and Communication
With respect to the Circular Economy, the Bord na Móna estate currently supports nationally and regionally significant waste management and resource recovery infrastructure, including landfill, brown waste composting, recovery and recycling of municipal and construction and demolition waste, tyre recycling, and plastic film recycling all of which enable the transition to a more sustainable future and support the circular economy. For example, Bord na Móna has converted the former Littleton briquette factory to accept, process, and recycle up to 23,500 tonnes of waste plastic from the agricultural sector and Bord na Móna’s peat production activities. Pelletised material will be exported offsite for reuse as a raw material in the manufacture of other plastic products.
The current and future focus is on waste prevention, reuse, maximising recycling, and using waste as a fuel instead of fossil fuels; all elements of the circular economy strategy to boost competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth, and generate new jobs. Given the geographic location, nature and physical characteristics of the estate, there remains significant potential for Bord na Móna to support further resource recovery operations and enable the transition to a more sustainable future.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
In addition to this I would like to draw attention to the following other considerations:
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
On behalf of Richard Godsil and Edward Frisby, owners of Leinster Mills, Naas, the following observations are made.
Our client recognises the requirement which will be set out in the Development Plan to protect heritage assets such as Protected Structures and conservation areas. However, it is requested that a pragmatic approach is taken to the adaptive reuse of such buildings. The following is requested:
Policies in the Development Plan should support the adaptive reuse of vacant and underused Protected Structures for a viable use. Ensuring a new viable use for such buildings would ensure that they are brought back into use and protected for future generations.
The Development Plan should examine the zoning of land in which undeveloped protected structures are located and examine if the extant zoning is sufficient to encourage development. If it is found that the existing zoning has not succeeded in encouraging the reuse or redevelopment of Protected Structures, a new zoning with more permitted uses should be considered. This approach would ensure a viable adaptive reuse of such heritage assets.
Iarnród Éireann welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 Pre-Draft Public Consultation. The new Development Plan comes at a critical juncture for the County in its adaptation to the challenges and opportunities of the ‘new-normal’ that emerges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Iarnród Éireann welcomes that ‘Sustainable Mobility’ and ‘Climate Action’ are within the key themes that the Council consider forming part of its vision for Kildare County. This submission will take the shape of Iarnród Éireann’s core objective, progress we have made in developing rail in Kildare, and our priorities for the future.
Please see attached the Department of Education's submission to the Issues Paper for Kildare CDP 2023 - 2029
See Issues Paper Sub 08.03.2021 attached.
A Chara,
Please see my attached submission below which addresses the Strategic Themes in the Issues paper.
Mise le meas,
DS Breathnach
Kildare West Wicklow IFA are contacting you in relation to a number of points on the pre-draft Kildare County Development Plan. As agriculture plays a significant role in the economy in Co. Kildare, we have a huge interest in the roll out of the county development plan.
Refer to written submission attached.
Refer to written submission attached.
I wish to lodge my objections to an element of the county development plan review namely the construction of the inner relief road ( gallops ave). The reasons for objection are the following
• congestion and heavy goods vehicles using this route close to Kingscourt estate.
• construction of concrete boundary wall creating an unsightly fortification in a fine area.
• noise and exhaust pollution on a constant basis passing close to established houses and pedestrians
• lack of a safe pedestrian walk way close to passing HGVs
• highway will be used for hazardous material transport in HGVs passing into Naas road chemical storage area, itself to be considered a high risk let alone the transport of same through an area with young families in close proximity
• access and egress into established estates along the inner relief road will become both difficult and hazardous for the residents, to mitigate this risk will mean both traffic lights and speed ramps which will invariably cause further congestion.
Refe to attached written submission.
I would encourage KCC to explore the possibility of developing the walkway around Balinafagh Lake, Prosperous. It is a beautiful, under utilised nature walk approx 3-4 km in length. Currently walkers park in the existing council park and walk around the lake where the walkway is soft and undulating especially in Winter. The COVID pandemic has introduced the physical and emotional benefits of walking especially where walkers are in such natural surroundings. Local walkers are very keen to support and many would volunteer in the walkway development if it was to proceed. The investment required would be minimal for the potential benefits for walkers, locally and beyond.
How can the plan support our transition to a low carbon climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy?
The Kildare County Development Plan can support the transition to a low carbon climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by promoting renewable gas and Anaerobic Digestion (AD). Farm and food wastes mixed with other feedstocks can be converted to biomethane which is a renewable gas. This renewable gas can in turn be used by farmers and food companies in their operations. As outlined in the EU methane strategy[1], through the anaerobic digestion process non-recyclable human and agricultural waste (i.e. manure) and residue streams can be utilised to produce biogas which can then be upgraded to biomethane for injection into the gas grid. As well as this, a by-product from the AD process, known as digestate, can be used as an effective nitrogen fertiliser on land with a low environmental impact. Digestate from the anaerobic digestor can be returned to the land as a fertiliser thus completing the cycle. This is one of the key benefits of AD.
AD plants can utilise a wide variety of feedstocks ranging from food wastes, to animal slurries to specifically grown energy crops such as grass silage, breaking them down to produce biogas, which when upgraded to remove the CO2, produces biomethane which can then be injected into the gas network at appropriate points and transported to all gas consumers.. Anaerobic digestion is a way of minimising wastes and contributing to the circular economy with the production of renewable gas and digestate/bio-fertiliser.
Renewable gas was first introduced to the Irish gas grid through an injection point in County Kildare, supplied by Green Generation, in August 2019. A recent deal between Tesco[2] Ireland and Green Generation sees Tesco supplying 6,400 tonnes of food waste per annum to Green Generation for conversion to renewable gas. This renewable gas is injected into the gas network at the Kildare injection point. In turn Tesco purchases this renewable gas and uses it to supply six Tesco stores. This results in carbon savings of 1,200 tonnes per year for Tesco and supports the circular economy.
GNI suggests that the Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaptation section of the new County Development Plan includes a section with wording supporting renewable gas as follows:
“Renewable Gas
There is potential to produce renewable gas from the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes and residues from the agriculture sector and from domestic/commercial food waste. Renewable gas is carbon neutral and identical in function to natural gas so the existing network can be used, and gas customers do not need to change their boilers or gas-powered appliances. There will be a presumption in favour of applications for anaerobic digestion plants provided planning and environmental criteria are satisfied.”
Industry and transport are also key areas that can help Kildare transition to a low carbon economy. Compressed renewable gas provides a carbon neutral alternative to diesel for heavy good vehicles (HGVs). Renewable gas can play a key role in decarbonising aspects of the transport sector – see section 2.2 Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport for more detail. Companies with large energy requirements can significantly lower their carbon emissions by switching from heavy fuel oil and coal to natural gas. Converting to gas also provides these companies with the opportunity to use renewable gas in the future without any further changes to their boilers or gas-powered appliances. This is particularly important to companies / industries with high thermal heat requirements which cannot be met by other forms of energy.
How can the Plan increase the levels of renewable energy production and energy efficiency in the county while protecting the environment, the landscape and public amenity?
As mentioned in the response to the question above, GNI believes that support for renewable gas production and AD can increase levels of renewable energy production. The production of renewable gas has many benefits both to the economy and the environment. The AD process captures greenhouse gases and therefore, agricultural sector emissions are reduced that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere. Renewable gas can help Kildare reduce its carbon emissions, thus protecting the environment.
GNI believes Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Micro CHP can improve energy efficiency in the county and would welcome its inclusion in the county development plan. CHP utilises a primary fuel, such as natural gas, to produce electricity and heat simultaneously. It is ideally suited to domestic and commercial users with electricity and heat requirements, and this onsite generation can reduce a customer’s reliance on the national electricity grid. [AMC1] This can be particularly advantageous to industries where a consistent and reliable source of electricity is key to their activities. As well as this, CHP has several benefits such as reduced energy costs, reduced CO2 emissions and lower carbon taxes[3] and CHP and Micro CHP can be used in both domestic and commercial settings. According to the Cogen Europe Study[4], “The benefits of Micro CHP”, states that “(Micro-CHP) decarbonises heat and electricity production. Micro-CHP is a highly efficient way of using gas for heating and power production. It saves carbon dioxide now, and can save even more in the future, due to the use of renewable fuels and/or biogas injection into gas networks.” GNI also believes Photovoltaic (PV) Panels can increase production of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency and more details about this are provided in the response to the next question.
What methods should be encouraged to maximise renewable energy provision for commercial developments and individual homes?
To maximise the provision of renewable energy and to provide more secure and low carbon forms of energy, the Development Plan should set policy and objectives to support PV Panel technology. The current SEAI grant schemes[5], provide homeowners with real opportunities to self-generate renewable energy with the added benefit of reducing emissions, increasing energy efficiency and immediately improving the BER rating of their home with little or no additional works. GNI is currently recommending all homeowners located on or close to the gas network, with oil fired central heating systems, to upgrade their homes using a “fabric-first” approach. This approach focuses on insulation (attic, cavity walls, hot water cylinder) when switching from oil to hydrogen-ready high efficiency gas boilers[6] (ready for blends of circa 20% hydrogen) and installation of Solar PV. Using this combination of insulation, oil to gas changeover and solar PV installation can bring homes up to a BER B standard at a significantly lower cost than alternative deep retrofitting activities.
How can the Plan support sustainable energy communities in County Kildare?
GNI believes support for AD would support sustainable communities in Kildare. In addition to wind and solar farms, communities can benefit from the establishment of AD plants to produce renewable gas. Renewable gas produced by AD is a renewable and carbon neutral fuel that can be used in heat, transport and electricity production. The production of indigenous renewable gas in Ireland enhances security of supply and supports the circular economy and sustainable agriculture. It can also bring employment and additional revenue to rural communities.
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/eu_methane_strategy.pdf
[2] Irish Times – Tesco to cut emissions by converting waste food from Irish stores to gas: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/tesco-to-cut-emissions-by-converting-waste-food-from-irish-stores-to-gas-1.4271907
[3] https://www.gasnetworks.ie/business/gas-benefits/combined-heat-and-power/
[4] http://www.cogeneurope.eu/medialibrary/2015/05/19/d6648069/miro-CHP%20study_merged.pdf
[5] https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/solar-electricity-grant/
[6] https://www.cibsejournal.com/technical/fuel-for-thought-hydrogen-gas-boilers/
Is new or improved transport infrastructure required in the County and, if so, where?
GNI believes CNG infrastructure is required in County Kildare. Currently, there are no operational CNG filing stations in Kildare, however there is one planned for Monasterevin, Co. Kildare. As the use of CNG vehicles increases, the necessary infrastructure needs to be in place to support the technology and a modal shift in the HGV sector, in particular. This aligns with the RSES for the Eastern and Midland region[1] which states that improved transport infrastructure “should be supported by increased availability of low carbon fuels/biofuels such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as well as implementation of the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland.” It is important to address the transport emissions produced by HGVs as they are responsible for a disproportionate amount of transport emissions. As mentioned earlier in this document, CNG and CNG infrastructure can help in the pursuit of lower emissions in this area. HGVs comprised 4% of registered vehicles nationally in 2018, however, SEAI estimates indicate that they produced 14% of total transport emissions[2]. Decarbonisation of HGVs is particularly challenging as electricity is currently not a viable alternative to diesel. CNG has the potential to address these transport emissions with reduced carbon emissions relative to diesel. When the injection of renewable gas is increased on the gas network, and utilised by CNG vehicles as bio-CNG, carbon neutral transport can be achieved. Kildare already has a renewable gas injection point increasing the prospect of carbon neutral transport in the region.
GNI suggests that the Transport and Sustainable Mobility section of the new County Development Plan includes wording to support CNG infrastructure as follows:
“Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
CNG is natural gas that has been compressed to fit into a vehicle’s tank and is particularly suitable for use in commercial vehicles. The development of CNG infrastructure will enable fuel switching from diesel to CNG for HGVs and buses. CNG is an established technology that is used in many countries around the world. CNG contains virtually no particulate matter (PM) and also has low emission levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx)[3] which is beneficial from an air quality perspective. CNG vehicles can be run on 100% renewable gas which is a carbon neutral fuel, produced using AD technology from existing waste streams and a variety of sustainable biomass sources, including grass, animal waste, crop residues and food waste. Infrastructure development for CNG is already underway in Ireland, with 14 fast fill CNG stations being installed across the Core TEN-T road network via a project called the Causeway Study that is supported by the European Commission through the CEF Transport Fund[4] and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
The Council will support the use of gas in transport by a presumption in favour of applications for CNG refuelling infrastructure, provided planning and environmental criteria are satisfied.”
[1] https://emra.ie/dubh/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/EMRA_RSES_1.4.5web.pdf
[2] In calculating this figure SEAI include all goods vehicles over 2 tonnes
[3] https://www.ngva.eu/policy-priorities/air-quality/
[4] CEF Transport Fund: https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport
How can the Plan support the relevant external agencies in the provision of electricity, gas, water, wastewater, renewable energy, telecommunication and broadband infrastructure?
The County development plan can support the provision of gas by encouraging projects such as upgrading and expanding the gas network, renewable gas production and CNG infrastructure for the transport sector. The RSES for the Eastern and Midland Region highlights that it is important that the “gas networks can be upgraded to provide appropriate capacity to facilitate development” GNI believes continued support of the gas network in Kildare can help sustain development in the region and help the county in realising its climate action objectives.
To whom it may concern,
Please find attached a written response to the CDP 2023-2029 Issues Paper for consideration.
Kind Regards
Cllr. Kevin Duffy
Please find An Taisce's submission attached.
This submission relates to Sallins, Co. Kildare and in particular the following:
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Now more than ever we need to have open spaces that people can access for their physical and mental health.
Request that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Extract from Eastern River Basin District – Programme of Measures Pilot Studies. The Plans and POMs of the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) were finalised as far back as October 2009 but were not followed up. (Ist RBMP)
“The discharge of Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant located downstream of the Goldenfalls Reservoir should be kept under surveillance as an increase of the aluminium concentration has been noticed in this water."
"The aluminium concentration downstream of the discharge stays under the limit of 0.2 mg Al/L required by the Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC), and table 3.1 of the EPAs Interim Guideline Values for Characterisation list of parameters as sourced in Irish Drinking Water Regulations 2000 SI 439 of 2000, EQS for the Aquatic Environment, EPA Discussion Document, however, lower concentrations can be toxic for fish populations (JJ Bowman, JJ Bracken, 1993).
A study of the health of the fish population on the Lower Liffey River should be carried out.”
Comment: The study of the health of the fish population was never carried out.
“Finally, the sludge created by the water treatment is not a threat for the water quality of this area because it is disposed in a landfill at Kilcullen (Kildare).” (It now goes to County Cavan)
Comment: Not true. As stated above approx. 3.7 tonnes of the sludge per month are washed down the slipway discharge to the Liffey at Ballymore Eustace.
Also: The aluminium concentration no longer stays under 0.2mg Al/L
To Whom it may Concern:
We wish to have the existing motorway service area and associated land holding zoned appropriatley to reflect the established use. Currently the land area is zoned agricultural however the existing services have been in operation sice 2011 and would be better served to have approriate zoning which would reflect the existing usage. Having examined the county development plan and associated LAPs it is our opinion that the most suitble zoning would be retail/commercial.
the relevant area is outlined in blue on the attached map for reference and identification purposes.
Regards,
John J Whyte
for and on Behalf of Lidon Ltd.
We would like to see the new Development Plan reflecting the importance of play for children and allocating spaces and in some cases, specific facilities, to allow this to happen.
Our open spaces and town centres should be safe places for children and young people of all ages, places where multiple generations of families can gather comfortably and which allow children to freely express themselves through play. Playful urban design and landscaping is enjoyable for all ages and creates an attractive, creative environment for people. Our towns and villages need more child-friendly public spaces that are accessible, inclusive and conducive to play.
There should be a balanced allocation of play facilities across the county, the design of which should meet the needs and specifications of the location in question. Where possible a mix of formal and natural play spaces should be provided. All should reach the highest possible standards of inclusitivy and accessibility.
Children and families especially should be given a voice in the location and design of local play facilities.
New residential developments should all include safe play spaces proportionate to the size of the development. A portion of Development Levies should be allocated to providing funding for play spaces in town centres and public parks.
In the specific case Newbridge there is currently only one playground in the town which is outdated and not up to the standards of playgrounds that have been developed in other parts of Kildare over the last number of years. During periods of lockdown in 2020, the lack of a modern playground facility has meant parents are travelling to Carragh, Sallins & Naas in order to access playgrounds.
Given the size of Newbridge and the growth in recent years, the facility is required to meet the needs of the parents and children of the town. Any new playground in the town should be a facility that all children should be able to access - it's important that children and parents living with a disability should have easy access to the playground and catered for in terms of the playground facilities.
I'm a resident of The Gallops (1997 to present) and previously Lakelands (1981). I am a past pupil of CBS Naas (as is my son in more recent years).
I'm sick of protesting. This proposal has been democratically defeated on at least three occasions over the past 20 years including on Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 which was rejected in June 2019.
The proposal is ill-conceived and will result in moving not mitigating congestion.
The idiots in KCC or their consultants have failed to process the clear message from the people who would be affected by this proposal. Build the outer ring road which is clearly required for the sustainable development of the town.
The town will continue to grow and faster than any projections you are tracking. Make the correct long term decision, build the outer relief road.
You've already destroyed the town centre with the extensive developments that have been granted on the "ring road" which has been downgraded as a result to a main arterial route. The general planning for the development of the town over the past 25 years and the failure to deliver on the Town Centre is an indictment to all the public and civil representatives tasked with making this a better town. Build the outer ring road.
It is clear that, in the face of sustained local oppostion this latest effort is intended to divide and conquer the pockets which have successfully blocked using democratic means and effecive local campaigning. On this occasion take on Gallops and Racecourse Gate. Later Paddocks, Woodlands and Sundays Well. This approach is wrong in every respect.
BUILD THE OUTER RING ROAD.
I woud like to request that KCC commits to a feasibity study that looks into the reopening of the Corbally Branch to Navigation along with delveloping it as a Greenway.
I believe that the Water and Biodiversity crises pose an even higher threat to our future than the Climate crisis.
Please see attached PDF document submission on behalf of the Kildare Social Democrats Group
Catherine Murphy TD, Cllr. Nuala Killeen, Cllr. Aidan Farrelly, Cllr. Bill Clear, Cllr. Chris Pender
The work of Kildare County Council underpins the sustainability of our communities and as Social Democrats, our single biggest aim is to improve public services, because it is public services that drive equality, promote sustainability, reduce costs for businesses and families, and provide a fair chance for everyone.
We believe that planning can make a huge contribution to community development and place-shaping.
Social Democrats don’t want to build just homes – we want to build communities.
That means making amenities, infrastructure, transport services, schools, retail, accessibility and environmental sustainability central to every single development that the Council sanctions.
The Social Democrats also believe clear commitments to people with disabilities should be embedded in this County Development Plan
Attached is proposal to increase the Reality Area of Poplar Sq.to almost double.It is consequent on a one way system being introduced in Naas
It would greatly increase leisure area AND return much needed parking spaces to facilitate access to vital shops,chemist,doctor etc especially for the Senior Citizens of Naas.It would also facillitate the complete safe crossing of the public from Friary Rd.right across Main St. to Sallins Rd.
Please refer to enclosed submission
Meath County Boundary
Our borders present a challenge through much of the county with Meath countryside adjoining Kildare urban areas and large developed parts of County Dublin directly across the border. In particular the Meath boundary in Maynooth and Kilcock cause particular challenges where Meath can plan for housing and industry that uses the facilities of Kildare.
Special attention is needed to ensure this does not come at the expense of good planning and the cost of services and infrastructure in Kildare. There is a clear risk that this puts further stress on these rapidly growing towns or creates a perception among Kildare citizens of uncontrolled development. Can provisions be added to the plan to address these critical border areas.
Please see attached
We would hope that any present or future Wind Farm proposals / projects respect and do not damage the growing benefits of tourism to the Peatlands, the attractions and to the Communities living around them.
We see it as essential that one industrial landscape is not replaced by another, that impacts to the panoramic views used to promote the Peatlands around the world (please see attached) are at the very least minimised and that respect and care is given to the environmental progress and value of both rehabilitating and pristine peatlands and the communities living around them in West Kildare.
We would ask that consideration be given in the County Development Plan to the designation of a network of Peatlands in Kildare linking with other Peatlands across the Midlands as a National Peatlands Park. This will ensure the protection of Peatland biodiversity and it's vital role as a carbon store while also acting as a catylyst for future tourism growth and the benefits this will generate socially and economically for the surrounding communities.
Dublin County Boundary
There is a very large development area in West County Dublin with Adamstown, Grange Castle and new commercial/industrial zoning adjacent to Kildare boundary near Lucan-Celbridge Road. This presents and opportunity and a challenge for planning in Kildare.
There are positive planning opportunities for DART+ service and station serving a new residential centre similar to Adamstown on the quality rail corridor – providing the potential for good sustainable community development adjacent to the employment provided by the developments in Co. Dublin. A location east of Celbridge near Ballyoulster and another near Kill represent potential locations for additional DART+ stops and planning for residential, commercial and village development with positive rail connectivity. These locations would also have good proximity to the existing centres of Celbridge, Kill and Clane providing more positive transport and community options for many residents in this growing area.
The area also presents the overdevelopment challenge see elsewhere in Kildare with a need for transport, infrastructure and services planning to support. A ten-year strategy for this rail corridor for residential, commercial, village, green-space and amenity space is very important to support planned sustainable growth.
Please refer to the attached report.
To Whom it may Concern:
We wish to have our land holding zoned appropriatley to reflect the location. Currently the land area is zoned agricultural however we believe given its proximity to Kildare town it would be better served to have a more approriate zoning. Having examined the county development plan and associated LAPs it is our opinion that the most suitble zoning would be retail/commercial.
The relevant area is outlined in blue on the attached map for reference and identification purposes.
Regards,
John J Whyte
for and on Behalf of Lidon Ltd.
I recently visited the Hill of Allen for the first time and I have to express my shock and disgust at the destruction of this site.
Roadstone have been given free reign to demolish half a hill side of huge cultural and historical importance! This beggars belief. Disregarding the destruction of the environment and heritage of the area, the fact that a national monument that if utilised properly could bring in much needed tourism and the sustainable income this would provide to the county, is allowed to be annihilated is nothing short of criminal.
No doubt the benefactors of this distruction will rely on the development predating the Planning and Development Acts 1964, disregarding the protections afforded by the National Monuments Acts.
I implore those considering these submissions to prohibit any further destruction of this site and furthermore insist that measures are put in place to attempt some sort of restoration of the damage already done.
This site could be huge benefit to the community if utilised correctly. Ireland has a massive international cultural footprint and amenities like the Hill of Allen are a huge opportunity to bring in further tourism to Irelands Ancient East.
I am surprised that this egregious act has not been the subject of legal action, something I hope that will be rectifed in short order.
Please refer to the attached submission document.
Please refer to the attached submission document.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare Co Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On the basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal inthe new Kildare Co Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019. The Gallops Avenue, which was introducted in the recent non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naqas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in the very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates. Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas/Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that the Gallops Avenue will relieve "congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road" Congestion will merely move from the current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sundays Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas. The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the "Green Lung" portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for the future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. At this state the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road/The Gallops Avenue is an apporximately 30-year-old proposal which is, completely totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this state that Kildare County Council continue to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
It is therefore requested tha the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objection:
To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas to cater for by-passing traffic , linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin Road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. The outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the County development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive site onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
I am concerned about an article I read in The Leinster Leader regarding the proposal of a new Data Centre in Naas https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/home/592670/kildare-data-centre-proposal-on-the-cards-for-naas-area.html
The surge in Irish data processing will require significant new energy infrastructure and increase emissions and makes it much harder for Ireland to achieve it's climate objectives.
By 2028 data centres and other large users will consume 29% of Ireland’s electricity, according to EirGrid, Ireland’s state-owned transmission system operator. Worldwide data centres consume about 2% of electricity, a figure set to reach 8% by 2030. Few countries, if any, will match Ireland’s level.
It is already Europe’s data centre capital, with Amazon, Google and Microsoft siting operations there. Dozens of centres have opened in recent years, bringing the total to 54, with a combined power capacity of 642MW.
Ireland faces a dilemma. The expanding web of data centres is part of a strategy to anchor tech companies that drive economic growth. They have been designated as “critical infrastructure”, facilitating planning approval. “Data centre presence in Ireland raises our visibility internationally as a technology-rich, innovative economy,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DoBEI).
But the boom will exact a price. Ireland is one of the EU’s worst carbon emission offenders and faces fines of more than €250m for missing 2020 targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Missing later targets will trigger steeper fines.
A report by the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) has estimated data centre expansion will require almost €9bn in new energy infrastructure and add at least 1.5m tonnes to Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2030 – up 13% spike on current electricity sector emissions. There are serious contradictions in policy whereby Ireland wants to lead in Data Tech and also meet climate targets and the concern is that how can that achieved without serious cost to the environment.
Ian Lumley, Built Environment and Heritage Officer for An Taisce, says: “Bord Pleanála hasn’t woken up yet to the implications [of these figures] because it keeps on rubber stamping new applications”.
“How Bord Pleanála treats these is they give permission for a data centre building and they don’t attach any conditions as to the energy source,” he claims.
“If you look at the environmental impact statement undertaken by John Spain Associates for a new Amazon data centre development near Swords, the only climate impact addressed is the truck movements for the construction phase.
No new Data Centre should be considered for Kildare without a very thorough look at the impact this will have on the environment and our climate change targets and how these Data Centres can be powered by renewable sources of energy and what the impact will be on the use of water services in the area. There is concern that these centres don't really bring much to local employment except during the construction phase but very little in terms of long term sustainable employment.
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Community Gardens and Food Waste Facilities, composting etc - It would be great to see public parks and spaces used to encourage cummunity based schemes which would educate and encourage communities in the practices of sustainable living.
Housing:
Housing for older people:
There is an ever increasing need for housing for older people.
There needs to be choice in housing to allow older people to age in place. This choice should be open to all older people in Ireland, not just those who qualify for social housing or who can afford to avail of more costly private options. There is a need for a ‘spectrum of housing’ that not only takes into consideration the needs of older people from a health, community and social inclusion perspective but also the importance of community based supports. These supports need to be in place on the ground to enable the older person to overcome challenges and difficulties they encounter, as well as to access the benefits and resources that will enable them to remain living at home within their community.
Sheltered housing in town centre locations needs to be considered in the County Development Plan to reduce the incidence of older people having to remain in acute hospital settings long after they are ready for discharge, due to lack of housing options available or long delays in housing adaptations being carried out.
Reduce the numbers of older people moving to costly nursing home provision due to lack of alternative housing with supports. It is estimated that the cost to the ‘Fair Deal’ scheme will increase by an additional €729m annually by 2031, as a result of demographic changes. To also reduce the pressure on the private rented sector and reduce what will be an increasing pressure on the HAP Scheme.
Affordable Housing:
KCC and all departments of housing delivery in Ireland need to define what is meant by "affordable" in terms of housing. Housing affordabilty should be determined in relation to a persons income, not having reference to a market price. There is a serious lack of affordable housing in Kildare for those who's incomes are above the threshold to qualify for council housing and yet are not earning enough to get a mortgage.
Kildare County Council should engage with approved housing bodies such as O'Cualainn Co-Housing Alliance to deliver proper affordability to those in need of housing in Kildare.
Kildare County Council should focus on building public housing on public lands.
Kildare County Council should increase the threshold for incomes to double it's current threshold to about €70k pa and build large scale mixed income housing developments on a deferential rent scheme where those who can afford to pay more will pay more.
End the practice of long term leasing which is very expensive for the state, does not transfer the asset to the state at the end of the term and is also costly to administer. Instead directly build housing using directly employed labour and building contractors.
Outdoor spaces
Well done on the transformation of the Square in Kildare Town. It has been such a positive addition to the area especially since covid-19. In the aftermath of Covid-19 Kildare County Council should look at developing outdoor such as this in all areas of the county. I would suggest going further with the square in Kildare Town and adding water and electrical outlets in places around the square to develop a vibrant modern market square that might allow for food markets, festive and seasonal markets etc.
Kildare should look at encouraging trade and apprenticeship education centres in the county.
Encouraging business to Kildare so that residents don't have to travel to Dublin to get well paid jobs therefore improving the work life balance.
Provide for more fast electric vehicle charging points.
Electric public transport.
Improved rail capacity with cheaper fares to encourage sustainable travel.
Improve cycle lanes in particular around schools.
Improve bus shelters in the area, particularly in rural areas.
Co-locate childcare with care for the elderly.
Provide more community childcare facilities.
Outdoor adult exercise equipment co-located with playgrounds.
Community facilities for teenagers.
Covid-19 has highlighted the need for outdoor spaces for familes in Kildare. Please continue to develop and open Cherry Avenue in Kildare Town. There are very little amenities within the 5km of Kildare Town other than The Curragh.
Improve walking and cycle routes around The Curragh Plains. There is a huge opportunity to include historic/heritage trails in this area.
Please see attached
Climate change
A climate emergency has been declared, and in this light, we need to urgently reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Therefore we need:
Dealing with Rapid Growth in North Kildare
North Kildare is the fastest growing part of Ireland and has benefitted from a vibrant economy over the past 3 decades. The MASP plans present a risk and opportunity for the towns of North Kildare requiring a special focus and careful balanced growth plan with adequate and sustainable infrastructure, services and transport options available to match any growth planned. We have suffered too often from infrastructure last developer led processes. These pressures are increased with the massive growth pressure of the MASP area and the valid need for a huge increase in the national affordable housing stock.
Examples for Investment in Critical Infrastructure for the region include but are not limited to:
We request the Council reaffirm its policy in the current Development Plan in relation to Carton Demesne which states " EO55 Recognise the sensitive and unique quality of Carton House as a tourism facility of national and international significance and to ensure that its integrity is protected. The Council will support and encourage further appropriate development of the tourism and recreational facilities at Carton House, having regard to its status as a House and Demesne of international heritage importance."
Carton has an established and successful residential community within the estate and the intention is to complete the original plots within the masterplan where further residential style development was envisaged and supported by Kildare CC through policy EO55 along with the completion of the conservation and protection of Carton Demesne's woodland and protected structures and heritage.
The vast heritage of the canals network offers economic, tourism and development opportunities in the process of future proofing the waterway. To do so can bring much needed prosperity to the regions through which it travels and will crucially adapt and merge this historic navigation with current needs of boat tourism and growing liveaboard communities based on the canal.
Please see attached submission.
I propose that Kildare County Council give consideration to the following suggestions in adapting its County Development Plan for 2023-2029.
Regional Convention Bureau
Explore the feasibility of establishing a regional conference bureau (RCB) for Kildare. There are 5 RCBs in the Republic of Ireland, none of which specifically covers Kildare. Many Kildare-based properties are members of the Dublin Convention Bureau, but the DCB’s remit is to bring business to “Ireland’s capital city”.
A dedicated RCB will source and support business tourism events (as distinct from leisure tourism), such as:
Business tourists have an average spend of €1,600, almost three times that of a leisure tourist.
Kildare does not have the infrastructure to compete with Dublin or Cork (which is in the process of creating a convention centre), but it can source business that not only fits its existing resources but also capitalises on the international profile that Kildare enjoys in certain fields of enterprise, education, sports and culture.
An RCB’s proactive mandate would inevitably identify further potential in the Kildare tourism offering.
Connect Kildare Tourism
Establish a charter to connect and unify Kildare tourism operators.
The Kildare tourism product is rich and varied. The potential to benefit from its existing attractions, as well as the opportunities arising in environmental and outdoors tourism, is significant. But tourism providers in Kildare face numerous challenges. An over-arching one is disconnection:
The custodians of Kildare tourism need to adopt the “county jersey” approach. We all need to know the Kildare tourism story in depth so that we can share it with our visitors and encourage them to keep their business in our county. We need a “Keep it Kildare” mentality and the team spirit that goes with that identity.
A charter for the network of Kildare tourism operators would inform and educate its members and oblige them to support fellow properties and services. With a shared goal, revenue and employment will increase. That will strengthen the Kildare story and bolster RCB efforts to attract international events to the county. It will also boost domestic and overseas leisure tourism numbers.
Tourist Office
Examine the feasibility of setting up a tourist office in one or both of Kildare’s key towns, i.e., Naas and/or Maynooth.
A county with the geographical spread and transport challenges of Kildare would benefit from customer-facing services. We have to engage with visitors, share the Kildare story and do everything reasonable to ensure that they spend time in the county. For many, it’s a county to be passed through on the way to or from Dublin. For those who stop, there’s a lack of centralised and co-ordinated information.
Kildare, like any other counties, has a climate and biodiversity crisis to deal with and improve upon, though also social and economic matters. As such, my submissions relate mainly to biodiversity, climate change and some general issues.
Biodiversity:
Biodiversity can only be protected, increased and safeguarded by protecting and managing our landscape efficiently to ensure a healthy ecosystem and environment for the benefit of all; humans, flora and fauna alike. Ireland has signed up to the Landscape Convention (2000) and Kildare should/could be the leading county in implementing the measurements as outlined in the Landscape Convention (https://www.coe.int/en/web/landscape), as follows:
Article 5 – General measures
Each Party undertakes:
a to recognise landscapes in law as an essential component of people’s surroundings, an
expression of the diversity of their shared cultural and natural heritage, and a foundation
of their identity;
b to establish and implement landscape policies aimed at landscape protection,
management and planning through the adoption of the specific measures set out in
Article 6;
c to establish procedures for the participation of the general public, local and regional
authorities, and other parties with an interest in the definition and implementation of the
landscape policies mentioned in paragraph b above;
d to integrate landscape into its regional and town planning policies and in its cultural,
environmental, agricultural, social and economic policies, as well as in any other policies
with possible direct or indirect impact on landscape.
Article 6 – Specific measures
A Awareness-raising
Each Party undertakes to increase awareness among the civil society, private organisations,
and public authorities of the value of landscapes, their role and changes to them.
B Training and education
Each Party undertakes to promote:
a training for specialists in landscape appraisal and operations;
b multidisciplinary training programmes in landscape policy, protection, management and
planning, for professionals in the private and public sectors and for associations
concerned;
c school and university courses which, in the relevant subject areas, address the values
attaching to landscapes and the issues raised by their protection, management and
planning.
C Identification and assessment
1 With the active participation of the interested parties, as stipulated in Article 5.c, and with a view to improving knowledge of its landscapes, each Party undertakes:
a i to identify its own landscapes throughout its territory;
ii to analyse their characteristics and the forces and pressures transforming them;
iii to take note of changes;
b to assess the landscapes thus identified, taking into account the particular values
assigned to them by the interested parties and the population concerned.
2 These identification and assessment procedures shall be guided by the exchanges of
experience and methodology, organised between the Parties at European level pursuant to
Article 8.
D Landscape quality objectives
Each Party undertakes to define landscape quality objectives for the landscapes identified
and assessed, after public consultation in accordance with Article 5.c.
E Implementation
To put landscape policies into effect, each Party undertakes to introduce instruments aimed at protecting, managing and/or planning the landscape.
Aside from the Landscape Convention and the up-coming National Biodiversity Plan, KCC should be pro-active, rather than reactive in adopting and implementing positive biodiversity actions. The following should/could be taken into consideration regarding the biodiversity crisis in the county’s development plan:
If, however, estate walls and walls between new houses are incorporated, there should be ‘holes’ or ‘fauna gateways’ in the estate and dividing walls to act as corridors for fauna, and the walls be covered in suitable climbers (other than ivy), otherwise more and more loss of green corridors is inevitable, thus habitats and specie’s number decline is imminent
Hedgerows:
Hedgerows are a part of the Irish historical landscape due to complex reason, but are a rich source for biodiversity: for fauna an important, diverse habitat, green corridor connections, foraging areas, nesting sites, shelter, hibernation, and so on; for flora a sheltered habitat that can contain up to a hundred different native plant species.
Trees:
The decimation of the tropical forest, the lungs of the world, for growing produce for our consumption, is not only reducing the CO2 uptake, but also the O2 out-put. Ireland still has the lowest amount of tree coverage in the EU, with just between 12 and 13% of the land coverage, and only 2.5 % of that consisting of native trees. Trees act as and support vital and immense habitats for fauna, nesting sites, hibernation places, food sources, green corridors, amongst other benefits. In many areas, such as north-east Kildare, instead of planting more trees, there is a continuous upwards trend in cutting down trees, with or without felling licenses, and without replacing many removed trees at some other place. This situation is unsustainable and extremely unsatisfactory.
Pollinator plan:
Allotments:
Lights:
KCC and stakeholder’s biodiversity talks:
Man-made Heritage
Grand Canal
http://thehelpfulengineer.com/index.php/2013/09/overengineered-the-unique-grand-canal-overflow/
Climate Change
Roof tops:
Trees, hedgerows, parks etc:
Lights:
Other
Ireland up to the mid-nineties had an ecological footprint less than its own land area. Despite the low population increase, within less than 10 years Ireland’s ecological footprint is now greater than 7 times its own land area. This is totally unsustainable, environmentally degrading and causes an unsustainable increase in rubbish
There is a need to reduce the numbers of supermarkets in the county, or at least not allow anymore to be build. Local businesses suffer as some of their products can be sold cheaper in large-scale supermarkets.
Town and village centres are being abandoned by commercial businesses, leading to an increase in travel to shops in banal shopping centres for what should actually be locally available, such as book, music, jewellery, bakery, shoe and clothing shops, etc.
Affordable houses
Kildare County Council should thus legislate for the inclusion of Tiny Homes/Houses in their various designs for their county development plan for many towns/villages. These tiny homes are very sustainable, energy efficient, non-intrusive, and indeed very much affordable to anyone who cannot afford an affordable house, as great examples can be seen all across the world from Australia to Japan USA, Canada, Europe (www.tinyhomes.ie, Living in a Tiny House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ7ZihueEe0)
All aspects considered within Kildare’s County Development Plan should be in in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
Thank you for your consideration.
Submission on behalf of the Donovan Family C/O Helen O’Brien,11 Roselawn, Lucan, Co Dublin.
Please find all observations on all themes in attached PDF.
1. Healthy Placemaking
The Pandemic & its Consequences
The Covid19 pandemic must and will affect our county in every aspect of life from education to business recovery to mental and physical health. In large part, it will be the prism through which future development is made and lived. The virus and its handling have exposed the fault-lines in how we are living now; of the strength and fragility of the ties that bind. Reasonably, we will be several years adjusting to the realisations of How We Live, versus How We Would Like To Live and be given the opportunity to do so. It’s clear that the days of undertaking planning (and indeed politics) over people’s heads are over. We must decide, together, what we mean and desire when we talk about ‘a good life’.
I believe this County Development Plan must be like no other, in prioritising and planning for the psychological welfare of the community in the time ahead, as it deals with the trauma, current and delayed, of Covid19. The local authorities will have to work closely, and with alacrity, with central government to ensure there are psychological services locally, of sufficient quantum and quality, to deal with the inevitable fallout of the isolation, fear, loss, anxiety and the changed economic and social circumstances arising.
Critically, there are those in our county, be they family, friends or neighbours, who will not live at all in the lifetime of the new plan, though they had the reasonable expectation, and a desire, to do so. Their absence and the circumstances of their deaths from Covid must be addressed and accommodated in this plan, so we avoid a repeat of such unnecessary loss. Our outstanding Coroner Dr Denis Cusack called each of these men and women “unique and loved”. I would like to see our new plan make some official recognition of all in our community who lost their life to Covid19. A park, woodland or similar natural amenity would be a living and life-giving way to honour their memory and their social, economic and community legacy to us all. It could be a valuable reminder that since, we are all merely passing through, we might seek to live as well, healthily and ‘richly’ as possible in our beautiful county, in the time we have.
Housing & Inequality
The pandemic virus has exposed another dangerous virus already endemic in our society: inequality. Even in the 21st-Century we have too many excluded from opportunity and prosperity, which is bad for our physical, financial and mental health. This is particularly evident in our housing crisis where hundreds of thousands of working people are condemned to overcrowding, or to the stark realisation that they will never own even a modest home of their own, and so face a lifetime of renting. Our County Development Plan must take close account of this reality in the matter of lands, planning and re-zoning. Current housing delivery, far from addressing this issue, is not even making a dent in the rapidly-growing lists, where people can face a 15-year wait. Kildare County Council must make it clear to central government that this crisis in housing must be tackled and urgently.
Older People
The Plan must also address the future housing crisis facing our older people given the Old Age Pension was designed to address financial need exclusive of accommodation costs. Unlike earlier generations, many thousands will now be paying mortgages into their 70s or rents until they die. Both the buyers and the renters are unlikely to have private pensions to rely on, given the exorbitant costs of accommodation and the immediate costs of child rearing and education.
In terms of Healthy Placemaking, planning for our older people must be particularly attentive to the mix and accessibility of their housing needs. I would be especially anxious that housing for our older people facilitate the keeping, or acquiring, of beloved pets; a cat or dog often being a sole – and indeed soul - companion in a person’s life, bringing company, love, reassurance. It can be immensely, and unnecessarily, distressing for an older person to surrender a companion animal in order to be housed. Equally, I believe their accommodation should have access to growing areas, be they plots or containers, for food and flowers, both individually and co-operatively. In our elder years we have gained the wisdom of living. If we are lucky, we will all live to be old. It is in all our interests to ensure wisdom is valued and our older people not infantilised by removing their choices over relatively minor matters that can, in fact, mean the world.
I am also anxious that we move away from the privatised, commodified and commercialised care model for our older people, where huge international funds are operating for profit, what I believe is a civil right to be cared for, in our old age. It is inevitable that some of us will require nursing-home care, but we must plan for our older people to remain in their homes, and in the community, for as long as possible.
Single People
We must pay particular attention to our single people’s housing needs, since, increasingly, they are excluded from the rental and mortgage market where two salaries are necessary to secure even the most modest home. In the 21st -eCntury it cannot be the case that being in a relationship decides our capacity to live alone and independently.
Planting
Critically, I believe all our housing developments, public and private, should be heavily planted, including with mature trees in order to absorb pollution, improve air quality, encourage flora and fauna, facilitate drainage, increase community pride and quality of life. I believe every child, regardless of their parents’ means, should be able to experience the seasons’ changing through the trees on their own street or road.
Community
Community Centres
Every town in Kildare needs its own, dedicated community centre, where people of all ages can gather for a variety of needs and interests from health to learning to leisure.
North Kildare Area Swimming Pool
I regard the long-awaited swimming pool for the North Kildare area, in Maynooth, as central to development but still absent from the plan as presented.
Primary Care Centres
The pandemic has shown the importance of public health in our communities. It must be made clear to central government that our Primary Care Centres across the county must be adequately staffed, with the requisite services readily available to all age groups, as befitting a 21st-Century community with a 21st-Century economy. An audit of such centres and their capacity, condition and need for upgrade, should be undertaken within the plan.
An Ghaeilge
Our language is integral to who we are and imagine ourselves to be. For our wellbeing in all aspects, our Plan must make every effort to promote the use of the an Ghaeilge in our business, sporting, artistic and civil life.
Early Learning, Primary, Secondary Education, SEN & Childcare
The excellent Census resource data and AIRO report from Maynooth University should inform and drive this vital aspect of our future. For healthy, sustainable living and placemaking, we can have no housing development without planning, in tandem, for primary and secondary schools within easy and safe reach by bus, foot or bicycle. There is too much parental anxiety locally about the dearth of school places for children and the length of waiting lists. Equally, accessible, affordable childcare must be planned for vis-à-vis every housing development. Sinn Féin is anxious to guarantee first-class, affordable childcare in the community, for the community, operated publicly and to the highest standards.
Liveability & Transport
Healthy Placemaking involves easily-accessible work, housing and amenity. A first-class, affordable, clean transport system, opening up the county internally to the community, and for better business opportunity and more jobs, is vital for our shared prosperous, sustainable future. Sinn Féin is proposing free public transport for all under-18s. Equally, free public transport for all of the community will have to be a consideration in the near future, with the need for fewer car journeys – including in electric vehicles - in order to lower emissions.
To meet our emissions targets, protect our environment for our children and theirs, electrifying our national rail service is inevitable. Our county, within the capital commuter belt, is rich for further development. Rather than waiting, I believe we should be bold and act immediately to instigate and extend electrification nationally and locally. I am especially anxious that we extend the electric rail line to Kilcock to improve opportunity, accessibility, and quality of life. With electrification extending to Maynooth, it makes financial and common sense to take it to the stone’s throw to Kilcock at the same time.
Equally, we need guaranteed walking, cycle and bus access between housing developments, rail links and workplaces. Residents’ associations and secondary schools should be encouraged to canvass young people’s views when it comes to accessibility and permeability in housing estates. Our bus routes must service housing estates at the edge of our towns, and do so generously, so that public transport becomes the natural and obvious choice for as many as possible, be it for work, socialising or school. It is also vital that we have a well-developed and generous bus service from rural parts of our community to Naas General Hospital and our university.
New Awareness of the Local Environment
A Healthy Placemaking challenge and opportunity for the Plan, is to address the new and growing concern for the local environment, with our community intent on protecting and preserving our local flora and fauna for future generations. Early in the Lockdown people noted the quality and benefits of silence. Quality of air is growing as a special concern, with much awareness of the impact of fossil-fuel pollution and particulate matter on lung, cardiac and neurological health. The national Thoracic Society is warning that we face a crisis in lung health, partly due to lack of adequate respiratory care, even without Covid. All planning, and in every aspect, must reflect the need to keep our air as clean as possible and our environment and cultural heritage flourishing. In Healthy Placemaking it is vital that we see humans as part of nature, and not separate from it.
Réada Cronin TD
Sinn Féin
Kildare North
Our infrastructure - including broadband - is central to our economic opportunity now, and into the future. I note that long-awaited and much-needed infrastructure projects in the region e.g. the second bridge for Celbridge, the ring-road for Maynooth, an alternative ring-road for Naas are still not provided for. Engagement with central government is critical in this regard, both intrinsically for our county and to maximise the opportunity of our proximity to the capital. Equally, there must be a major improvement the quantum and quality of the broadband in parts of the county, with more people working from home and teaching and learning remotely.
While I believe that education must never be commodified and commercialised, our university at Maynooth is an intrinsic part of our economic opportunity in the years ahead. The ingenuity and creativity it offers and represents have major economic potential locally and across the state.
On an immediate and practical basis, our local business will require critical support from the local authorities through Covid and its aftermath, be it in the form of rate waivers of other supports. I’m especially concerned about efforts and plans to help our youth and our women who have been hardest hit in the pandemic. Equally, Covid has shown the importance and value of Big Government, particularly in the future we are facing post-virus with the Climate Crisis dead ahead and when the health, prosperity and welfare of the many must take precedence over the vast profits of a few.
Austerity cannot be revisited on our county and our community. Local authorities will need to be more demanding of central governments to ensure the economic, health and social investment necessary to breach the fault-lines long opened, but now exposed by the virus. In this regard I believe a social and affordable housing plan, of a scale unseen in our time, is a critical economic opportunity for all of us in Kildare.
Réada Cronin TD
Sinn Féin
Kildare North
Climate Change
If the virus has taught us anything it’s that we are interdependent people, living interdependent lives. Locally and globally, we live those lives fite fuaite. With weather weirding, increased storms and flooding, already we see and live the effects of Climate Change. As a member of the Climate Committee in Dáil Eireann, I am especially anxious that every aspect of development in the plan - housing, health, transport, education, infrastructure, industry, technology, commerce, retail, science, sport, forestry, woodland, waterways, amenity - be examined in terms of its environmental impact and opportunity.
Just Transition in energy and emissions is critical to our life in the future, and therefore, to the County Development Plan. It will take all of us together to make the shift. It cannot be the case that those who can afford the change can make it, while those who can’t are left behind. While we make the urgent and necessary transition, we must also take every care to engage with those for whom turf-cutting for personal use and attendant rights of way on bogs matter generationally and culturally. While there is not a moment to lose, there is also not a person to lose in our move, together, to clean air and lower emissions.
If the 20th Century was the age of consumption, the 21st must be about conservation, not in the museum or aspic sense, but in that we look after ourselves and each other in a more holistic and responsible way, for all the life on our planet, including humanity. As humans, Earth is the only home we have or know. Every country, every county has its role to play, its duty to fulfil. I am anxious that this plan reach out to the community reminding us all that every choice we make, no matter how small, from planting our gardens and window boxes, to wilding our greens, to feeding the birds, to building bat and bee boxes, to stopping our use of chemical pellets or weed-killer, has a profound impact not just locally, but globally. The change we need starts and rests with each of us.
Réada Cronin TD
Sinn Féin
Kildare North
Healthy place making has to be rooted in sustainable use of land and other resources. We can ensure compact growth and assist in the regeneration of towns and villages by only using brownfield sites for development. There are enough derelict and unused sites in every town and village in Kildare to facilitate new housing developments, retail and inductrial spaces without encroaching further on natural spaces with a "use it or lose it" approach taken in regards to empty properties. Owners should be incentivised to develop or sell unused sites and the Council could acquire these sites by compulsory purchase in some cases in order to free them up for new development. There should be a return to the use of apartment spaces over shops to encourage people to live and shop in town centres and supports for small local indigenous enterprises which provide far more employment than large multinationals.
The Covid 19 Pandemic has one main cause: the destuction of the natural world in an effort to pursue endless economic growth and unsustainable consumption where everyone except the extremely wealthy lose out. We need to learn from this and make our local areas more self sufficient and work with nature rather than against it. All new housing developments should have sufficient quality green space. Planning permission should be contingent on the following conditions: all planting needs to be suitable for the area with an emphasis on locally sourced native tree species, wildflower areas, and community garden spaces shoud be established within housing developments, artifical grass and plants should be banned in all developments and native hedges should be planted between gardens instead of wooden panel fences. There should be a complete ban on the planting of laurel or cypress hedging.
Suitable native tree species should be planted in towns and villages and given sufficient space to grow. In Emly Square Athy, London Plane trees were planted. Not only were they unsuitable for the location and then but they were then surrounded by concrete leaving no space for growth with the result that the roots underneath cause the cobbles to buckle. These trees were then all cut down in one go during the nesting season by Kildare County Council and the uneven cobbles put back in place. Urban trees need space to grow and need to be given enough soil to do this. There should be a complete ban on all future developments in flood plains with no exceptions. By incorporating nature into all of our rural and urban environments, we can ensure better air quality, better water quality and greater mental health benefits for everyone.
An excellent example of Healthy Place Making in action in Kildare can be seen in Newbridge's Liffey Linear Park. A mosiac of natural habitats while providing multiple other uses such as exercise and leisure. The People's Park in Athy is another good example of a well managed park in Kildare.
Elderly people need to be supported to live in their local communities rather than being sequestered in nursing homes. Retirement villages and community hubs should be facilitated where elderly people can be supported to live independently in the community with easy access to shops, security, healthcare and social amenities.
We need to completely change the narrative around Climate Change. We are constantly being told that we need to protect the economy and ensure growth when this model actually impoverishes most people and leads to increased stress not only on the environment but on peoples's health and wellbeing. Climate change is a very negative force is everyone's lives and climate change mitigation if done properly brings about improvements all areas of our lives but we are constantly being led to believe that Climate Change mitigation will make our lives worse. There are huge opportunities for jobs in areas that will enhance our environment and also improve our overall quality of life as well as ensuring that people can support themselves and their families financially. Some examples of sustainable jobs and industries that could be supported are:
We need to realise that Climate Action and action on Biodiversity cannot be separated and that Climate Change mitigation is far more important than Climate Change Adaptation. The best way to mitigate against climate change is to strengthen our protection of the natural world. The following actions are urgently needed:
Living just 4 miles from Athy, it is impossible to not use a car for most journeys. The lack of employment opportunities within the county forces many to commute on a daily basis. The IDA as well as Kildare County Council LEO have a part to play in encouraging local enterprise and the strategic placement of foreign direct investment.
While Covid as curtailed the use of public transport in the county, increased use of public transport should be encouraged in a post-Covid world. Car pooling, shuttle buses and safe parking infrastructure needs more investment. If we are looking at a jobs environment where Kildare people have to travel to neighbouring towns or cities, we need to have convenient commuting options available. In the county we have examples of cars parked on the hard shoulder near motorways where people leave their cars while car pooling. Many don't park in these locations as the are unsuitable or unsecure. Perhaps more people would car pool if parking infrastructure was provided.
The establishment of Community hubs would help bring about a more more sutanable local communties. Existing community buildings such as Schools, Sports facilities or Church buildings could be used for this purpose. They could offer support such as the following:
The use of existing buildings for services such as this increases their value within the community. St. Laurences's GAA is a great example of a community using exisiting infrastructure for many different uses
Multi-generational Integrated Communities
We are alarmed at the continuous harm done to our hedgerows in Kildare by contractors and landowners - the overcutting not only of roadside hedges but also those that form field boundaries. This overcutting often right back to the tree trunk and in many cases slicing the bark. These trees cannot regenerate and eventually die.
Hedgrows are an extremely important part of our heritage , being linear forests and act as wildlife corridors. They also provide a carbon sink. Established hedgrows are approximately 200 years old and contain species which are 10,000 years old. They are vital for our county's biodiversity providing food and shelter for 99 types of bees as well as moths, butterflies other pollinating insects, hedgehogs, shrews and other mamals. 35 different types of bird depend on them to nest in and provide food.
The grass margins under roadside hedges used to be home to a huge variety of our wildflowers. Again due to being repeatedly cut too low they have been destroyed - another serious loss of habitat for our wild life. We ask that Kildare Co. Council will take urgent action to prevent and further damage and loss of this biodiversity in it's new County Development Plan.
We would like KCC to include a plan to take steps to further conserve and restore the habitats of Ballinafagh Bog and Lake. Ballinafagh /Prosperous Bog is an SAC but as it is still being continually drained it is drying out more and more.
In its natural state a bog is 95% to 98% water. Drainage removes water and increases the dry matter content of the peat. This causes shrinkage of the peat. Drainage removes water from the peat lowering the water table. Drainage also causes the bog pools to dry up with the result that the associated plant and animal communities also disappear. The dry conditions in the bog caused by drainage also make it more susceptible to fire damage. The bog is just starting to recover after its last serious fire.
The Sphagnum mosses which are responsible for building bogs can not regenerate on this drying peat. Therefore at present this bog and all drained bogs are deteriorating as habitat. Intervention is necessary. We ask that KCC follow the IPCC guidlines on restoration of peatlands of blocking drains and monitoring. Similar intervention is needed for the ajoining Ballinfagh Lake. It is also drying up and urgently needs action to prevent the loss of all the water species that depend on it.
Ban on Laurel
We are asking KCC to include in its New Development Plan a ban on the planting of Laurel hedges within the county. We would like KCC to take a lead on this matter and to be the first Co.Co in the country to place a ban on the planting of Laurel. Laurel hedging are replacing our native hedgrows up and down the county at an alarming rate. The public need to be informed of why this plant should not be used. It is the new green wall , which provides little or no benifit to our wildlife, when our natives species provides for literally 100's of different forms of insects, invertabrae, birds and mamals. It allows no other plants to grow underneath it and is often seen as toxic.
Planning Conditions.
We ask that in the new Development Plan a condition of any new industrial, commercial or housing development Planning Permission be that - only native Trees be planted on site. Any trees or hedging removed must be replaced by native ones. Also that no boundary walls be built where a new hedge would suffice. This must be monitored.
Also that for one of housing that native hedgrows or trees on site cannot be removed unless absolutely necessary.
We ask that KCC employ an inspector for biodiversity.
Round Up.
We ask for a ban on the use of Round Up in all Public Spaces including private housing estates. For the protection of peoples health and biodiversity.
We ask that native trees be planted in all villages and towns in our county, wherever space is available. In parks, playgrounds, main streets and approach roads.
Please se attached submission on Development Plan Standards and the development of Naas as a sports and outdoor lifestyle hub
The Transport SPC requests that the Development Plan should include the below elements of the workplan agreed by the Transport SPC of KCC.
1.Electric Vehicles – Effectively set out a plan for on Electric Vehicles charging points
2.Rural Public Lighting- Rural Public Lighting Scheme. Examination of the issue of rural lighting in terms of installation and lifecycle costs and in the context of the current requirement on Kildare County Council to reduce its energy costs in line with the EU Energy efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU).
3. Access & Disability – Access and Disability Progress – Development of Accessible Public Realm Streetscapes.
4. Permeability local – Permeability between Housing Estates and within towns
5. Cycling – Ensure that sustainable travel with cycling is a key feature of the Development plan. This should include planning and the links of segregated cycleways both within and to all towns in Kildare.
6. Transport links -Policy and Planning on effective transport links across towns in Kildare.
7.Rail Network- Plan on Integrating rail planning into County Development plans including appropriate park and ride.
8. Bus Services – Policy on increasing capacity and identify express bus routes of support commuters through working with the NTA, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus.
9. Public Parking- That the council review the policies around public parking in the context of urban renewal, cycling and pedestrian amenity with associated benefits to health and wellbeing, changing economic models and the transition towards carbon-neutral societies.
10.Cycle and walking signage- That in a bid to increase driver awareness of walkers and cyclists, that the council would invest in and roll out cycle and walking friendly signage, solar powered speed signs with particular emphasis around the schools.
11. Greenways & Blueway’s -Focus on Royal and Grand Canal Greenways and Barrow Blueway to a high-quality standard plan amenity to make them into thriving connections and tourist destinations.
12. Road Network and Congestion- Focus on road developments that allow us to reclaim our town centres, develop town centre, communities, vibrant main street and reduce congestion and pollution in our towns.
Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
Submission :
The “Issues Paper” identifies in turn, the regeneration of towns and villages, delivery of multigenerational housing schemes, higher density housing developments which are attractive, practical and viable and places that could accommodate taller buildings as key issues to be resolved around this theme. We believe our experiences and our own geography as a mature community within the boundary of the town center enables us to offer some insights. We have been pondering how some of the multiple questions which arise can be resolved and would now like to offer some solutions here.
Regeneration of Towns
The regeneration of towns and villages is a significant issue all over Ireland. The challenge it poses can only be met by the repopulation of town centres. Key to this is families living in the town centres and not a transient population. KCC has the opportunity to become the national leader in town and village regeneration, in particular town centres, given the desire of people in turn to live in close proximity to Dublin whilst enjoying "country living", the availability of public transport, high quality schools and property affordability. To achieve this, the KCC must ensure that its strategic plan for towns and villages focuses on long term sustainable living and not in turn, the first time buyers who will inevitably be forced by family growth to move on nor the provision of private rented accommodation for an on-going transient population.
Facilitate family living in Towns
Also town centres are ideal for older residents who wish to downsize and have easy access to shops, amenities and public transport. To make this practical and viable the concept of high density, high rise small apartment living will not work. To attract families, whatever their size or age demographics, to live long term in town centres the developments must be capable of meeting their needs for sufficient living space, which must include individual outdoor spaces and storage areas and sufficient green spaces to meet the needs of growing families, namely being safe, secure and of sufficient scale to allow children and older persons to enjoy the space in harmony.
Provision of amenities be conditional
In addition to the appropriate housing conditions, Town Centre dwellers must have access to the amenities that will sustain and encourage long term stay in their development. These amenity needs must be identifies as part of the strategic development plan. Their provision must be conditional to the granting of development permissions.
Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
Create Unique Identities of Place
We would like the Draft Development Plan for Kildare to recognise the unique characteristics of each town - the ‘DNA of place’- and to actively drive resourced policies which will engage communities, businesses and institutions in driving forward a nuanced local plan into the future. It should draw up a unique vision for that place, drawing upon learning from around the world. Given the nature of a rapidly changing world we should draw on the insights of new citizens, cultures, businesses and institutions coming to our County and build the capacity to deal with rapid change whilst avoiding any negative impact on the character of the place – car culture, high density developments. A plurality of views and social bridging is a key aspect of town resilience. There are multiple pathways to future success of each and every community – one size should not fit all.
Transforming Towns
Placemaking
We should aim to develop good quality architecture, complimentary of the local vernacular and conscious that high density development is not always appropriate e.g. Maynooth Heritage University Town, in every location throughout the county. Place-making should be facilitated and developed, with all stakeholders involved, focused on a thriving future for smaller towns and villages in Kildare. It is evident, in a post Covid-19 world, with a population becoming more urban, our sensitivities on rural Post Office closures, the shuttered businesses on the high street of our towns that we need a new approach to deal with these issues. We need to move beyond saving and preserving and to move forward to re-think how to be responsive to the needs of the future County of Kildare.
We feel the principles that should be at play to transform our towns are to focus in turn on people, place and processes. We feel that the building blocks should seek to understand the character of a how do people in the locale work, live and play in our communities. Gaining an understanding requires engaging with communities which should work towards a co-design and preferably be community led.
Getting a sense of place requires KCC mapping and gaining an understanding of existing social, cultural, economic and sustainable attributes via fieldwork, surveys and interactive assessment kits/events which tease out a profile of the community- which the community recognises.
The processes will involve best practice in urban design, architectural practice and good planning guidelines as appropriate. In developing a vision for towns like Heritage Town Maynooth we envisage that the use of questionnaires, the make up of possible project models with the active participation of the community, the KCC and architects/urban planners should be utilised. In urban towns we want to value and make the most of the existing built environment. We want street furniture to be repaired or re-used, to de-clutter poorly maintained
Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
sites, review annually the connections between the built environment and the local green spaces.
We would like to see KCC Development Plan at local level develop, envision and facilitate local communities to have a “big project” to help transform their community. The future in a post Covid world, the implications of climate change for sustainability will ask many questions for KCC in a changing policy landscape which will, no doubt, challenge its ability to consolidate present assets and come up with solutions for business closures, closures of banks or library services and the provision and location of schools. Local consolidation of emptied buildings, sites and voids in the urban space will require discrete interventions where old or new private/civic buildings will involve combining functions (old bank to new hot-seat workspace, old library to youth club) in a form of urban acupuncture. Whilst the “big project” idea will try to address developing the heart of a town, linking the green spaces and living well in our town centres, it is an incremental process which supplies the vision, gets real support from KCC and asks local civic groups (Tidy Towns) to help deliver.
In summary, a long term (10 year) budgeted approach is required which identifies the timelines and scales of projects which will require strong leadership by KCC with the agenda of improving public infrastructure for the built environment. This is a place specific approach which calls for a fine grained specific project approach which is evidence based taking town centres first which makes them capable of being lived in and worked in. This suggestion is to build resilient places.
Urban Acupuncture--- Light Touch Interventions.
Work Patterns.
In a post car, post covid world and with the on-going changing of work place patterns there will be a need for innovative moves of urban acupuncture to be envisioned. Whether through natural business failures or the cold impact of cyclical business cycles our town centers need this urban acupuncture approach which is a deft response to the vagaries of the market.
Work Hubs/Spokes.
Beyond the cities, flexible office areas will be needed which may be facilitated by using closed businesses, post offices, public houses, closed civic buildings. There is a necessity to support this hot seating by providing high speed broadband. The post Covid world will plausibly see people who will want certain new work arrangements to remain in place – working from home. The “Work Hubs” (Hub-and-Spoke Model*) idea requires the re-purposing empty buildings.
* The hub-and-spoke organization design is a model which arranges service delivery assets into a network consisting of an anchor establishment (hub) which offers a full array of services, complemented by secondary establishments (spokes).
Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
Urban Acupuncture--- Light Touch Interventions.
3rd. Places.
In implementing urban acupuncture initiatives we will see that our new found needs for public space – post covid - can be nurtured. Third spaces are critical and crucial in this new world and will be needed in the towns of Kildare going into the future. In community building, the third place is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace (“2nd. Place”). A third place is especially important because the modern home has effectively become a place of social isolation, particularly outside of major cities. Homes are set up to be a place of total retreat from the world, where you can zone out and exist in a bubble you construct for yourself. Third places facilitates what we Irish do best – talk and exchange ideas – a realisation of identity and community realized through language. We have a growing sense of valuing our outdoor spaces because we need these places to live, work and play. Third spaces need to be cultivated that facilitate our meeting/encountering informally. Notwithstanding future spending cuts on the civic side, the future of the “pub” as a third space may not be as central, we require high quality outdoor third spaces – safe public spaces.
Holistic Overview
We would like the Kildare Development Plan to provide space to bring people together, creating destinations that are a hub and will appeal to all ages not individual elements that divide people into groups. We would like a “Place” with meaningful physical connections that allow people to access destinations easily. We would like a “Place” where your locale is walkable to either work or play to a town centre or the adjoining communities and which encourages people to move in between communities
Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
KCC should develop on going links with Maynooth University. Agree a 10 year plan for a business profile of competencies for what niche businesses the larger and smaller towns should be developing in the locale with a complimentary fit, liaison and provision of the supporting 3rd level curriculum.
Support local economic development, by think differently and driving change –e.g. What are the unique selling point’s (USP’s) or the clear competencies of every town or locale e.g. Maynooth Heritage Town / University. We propose that instead of focusing on “Land Use” schemas and zoning, we should have instead a “Business Planning” focus. There is scope for differentiation of towns within networks, maximising comparative advantages. Focusing on the assets and strengths of a place, we should build an economy of smart specialisation around towns and regions.
- Sharing Information
We need the Draft Development Plan to put together knowledge architecture with open
systems which collects local current data and facilitates the open sharing of knowledge
in and between towns in the county via e.g. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and
LIS (Land Information Systems).
Promote sustainable circular economy opportunities in local areas which are worth embracing – where waste product being produced locally could be used as a raw material by someone else nearby..
Creative Places: Social, Community and Cultural Development
Cultural initiatives.
We would like to see specific investment funds identified in the Kildare Development Plan, in line with the National figure in excess of € 1 billion to enhance arts and culture centres throughout the county, develop the sustainable tourism potential of our culture and heritage infrastructure and improve Kildare’s outdoor recreation infrastructure and natural heritage.
Enhanced Amenity and Heritage: Landscape and Green Infrastructure
Public Swimming Pool for Maynooth
When we first came to live in Maynooth in 1979 there were funds raised towards the cost of a public swimming pool, it would be interesting to know if the funds raised are still available for the public swimming pool, we are now living in Maynooth 41 years, it is a long time to wait.
Youth Centre for the young people of Maynooth
The youth of Maynooth need somewhere where they can meet up throughout the year and have amenities available to them in a safe environment.
A Peoples' Park for Maynooth
A park where the residents of Maynooth could have an active part in it planning and maintenance. The past year has shown us all how important public space is. We have a lovely playground for the younger children, Carton Walk and the Royal Canal for walks and cycling, however, with so much emphasis on the environment and residents taking an active part in their environmental surroundings a public park would be a great addition for the people of Maynooth. The Peoples' Park in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin is a perfect example of what can be done. Not only does it provide a relaxing environment but allows for crafts and quality food stalls plus musical events throughout the summer months.
Making it happen: Infrastructure, Energy and Communications
Utilise the “Fifteen Minute City” concept
We would like to submit that over the period of the Kildare Development Plan that this concept of ”The Fifteen Minute City” be embraced as a shorthand for the type of response Kildare County sees as germane and see it as appropriate to address the related thematic issues.
The 15-minute city is a simple enough concept that it resonates with a wide range of people. It was used as a cornerstone of Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s successful re-election in Paris, France, in 2020, and lately former HUD secretary Shaun Donovan has adopted the concept as a key to his New York City mayoral candidacy. The “15-minute city” may be defined as an ideal geography where most human needs and many desires are located within a travel distance of 15 minutes. We believe the implications involved in its use are attainable. It is socioeconomically equitable. The need for transportation is minimized—and therefore the reduction in fuel mitigates global warming. Human-powered transportation (bicycle) improves health and well-being is promoted. The outcomes of convenient location of services, accessible by multiple modes, saves time and improves quality of life. (See included diagrams).
It implies a specific higher density and a connected network of thoroughfares (streets, passages, paths) and small blocks knitting together the neighbourhoods The 15-minute city is an influential idea because it relates the walkable city to all who live according to the metric of time. Everyone can imagine the benefits of having all of their needs available by means of human locomotion. This takes planning and transportation down to the personal. It emphasizes access to things that people need in their daily lives in a way that can be understood by nearly anyone. It also avoids arguments over cars.
Making it happen: Infrastructure, Energy and Communications
“Fifteen Minute City” – Diagrams (2)
End
Introduction
The individual submissions here draw on the considered understanding and life experience of some of the residents in Parson Lodge Estate, Parson Street, Maynooth, County Kildare (PLRA).
It reflects our keen interest in what is best for our locale and a wish to realistically address the broader key issues and concerns for the county of Kildare in the context of national decisions over the next decade and beyond. The PLRA shall submit some ideas thematically as flagged by the Issues Paper from each contributor, above. In some instances we shall highlight some particular short-term social and service infrastructural deficits germane to Maynooth and its hinterland, whilst also suggesting broader initiatives for the longer term attention of County development Teams.
Our endeavor’s here is to position our submissions locally in space and place and also in the broader world view of best practices highlighted in urban planning, architecture, sociology and increasingly public health and to then flag with examples which are plausible and timely in an ever changing world.
As a change vehicle we are very much aware of the planning development team’s work in organizing this forum to feed the particular needs of the Draft Development Plan for Kildare in the context of the National Planning Framework (NPF) for public capital investment from 2018 to 2027 and Project Ireland 2040 with its particular focus on the strategic investment priorities out to the year 2040.
However, PLRA feel that whether it is the implementation of specific historical infrastructural defecits or major cross County initiatives, the KCC Team will require close auditing of the realities and feasibility of possibly generating wish lists or desired programmes for implementation as opposed to addressing real needs. Aware of being too directive, we appreciate the need to factor in “our” desires into a vision document for future of change and the imperatives of controlling future budgets based on the Public Spending Code (PSC).
In essence, our focus in making a submission to this Plan is that the final compiled and published document shall focus on “real needs”, as opposed to desires; which should be read as being made up of specific, measurable achievable, realistic and time bound objectives for the betterment of the people of Maynooth and Kildare.
It is our intention to present our ideas based on the Issues Paper and to focus thematically on the following 5 areas only:-
Chairperson PLRA
Newbridge Family Resource Centre aims to respond to the needs of the community through the provision of support and services for families most at risk of social exclusion. We offer the community of Newbridge a variety of family support, community development and counselling services. We also provide a quality affordable childcare service.
Core to the work of the Centre is the provision of a friendly and accessible drop in facility where information and support is available and where, if required, we can refer to other services, we also where necessary, advocate for individuals or families.
We deliver Preparing for Life, One to One parenting supports, Play therapy, Counselling, Strengthening families, Homework club and Youth club. We also support Women’s groups, Men’s groups, Adult learning and a variety of other community groups.
We are a part of the National Family Resource Centre Programme which is Ireland’s largest family support programme delivering universal services to families in disadvantaged areas across the country based on a life-cycle approach.
Newbridge Family Resource Centre welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to Kildare County Council County Development Plan 2023 - 2029.
Our Communities Vision for Kildare
Following discussions and consultations with our community our vision for Kildare over the next 10 years is one where our unemployment rate is at a minimum, our community is connected to each other, to services, businesses and recreational amenities in their locality, and one where our community is a supportive and inclusive place for all.
Newbridge Family Resource Centre is based in Dara Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare. We have identified great potential to partner with statutory, community and voluntary agencies to reach the potential growth in many of the recommendations listed below. Our centre is an ideal location for looking at developing to facilitate community development, family support, youth development and childcare. We have a vision of what is required to meet the needs of our local community here in Newbridge Co Kildare. Our vision involves Newbridge Family Resource Centre being central to any developments in this area. Our links with the community of Newbridge allows us to access to the voice of our community to create ‘Nothing about Us Without Us’ approach to developing services. Here at Newbridge Family Resource Centre we plan for the most vulnerable in our community and this in effect benefits all.
In order to achieve this vision we recommend the following;
Our vision for Newbridge in the next ten years is to have places where our community members can go to help them be happier and healthier. This comes at a time when we have been in our environment a lot of the time and a poor environment can have an effect on a person's health and well being. The people of Newbridge should be able to have availability and opportunities to have exposure to a healthy environment with social interaction for all of its community members. To lead a healthy life the community needs an environment that can make this possible.
Newbridge Family Resource Centre is based in Dara Park, Newbridge Co Kildare. We have identified great potential to partner with statutory, community and voluntary agencies to reach the potential growth in many of the recommendations listed below.
With regard to Healthy Placemaking we recommend;
Persistent long term unemployment and most particularly youth unemployment presents as a challenge. Newbridge has many opportunities for work in some big companies. There is a need for the easy accessibility of the knowledge of what skills are needed to work in these companies. There is also a need to teach young people different skills and to provide opportunities to gain experience in different areas of employment. Being able to provide more opportunities for experiential learning allows individuals to identify their interest and open up new opportunities.
With regard to Economic Opportunity we recommend;
The climate is changing and the weather is becoming more severe each year, stronger winds, rain and hotter summers and colder winters. There is an increased need for the increased resilience of roads and transport infrastructure. Nature has a significant role to play in climate change. Biodiversity and ecosystem services help to adapt and mitigate climate change and are a crucial part of the effort to combat climate change.working with nature and protecting it will bring multiple benefits .
With regard to Climate Action we recommend;
Transport plays an important role in an area's environmental performance and the sustainability of its development. It has many effects on human health as well as the environment. Some of the negative effects transport can have are air pollution, noise,congestion and accidents.
With regard to Sustainable Mobility we recommend;
Newbridge Family Resource Centre aims to respond to the needs of the community through the provision of support and services for families most at risk of social exclusion. We offer the community of Newbridge a variety of family support and community development services. We also provide a quality affordable childcare service.
Core to the work of the Centre is the provision of a friendly and accessible drop in facility where information and support is available and where, if required, we can refer to other services, we also where necessary, advocate for individuals or families.
We deliver Preparing for Life, One to One parenting supports, Play therapy, Counselling, Strengthening families, Homework club and Youth club. We also support Women’s groups, Men’s groups, Adult learning and a variety of other community groups in creative ways.
We are a part of the National Family Resource Centre Programme which is Ireland’s largest family support programme delivering universal services to families in disadvantaged areas across the country based on a life-cycle approach.
Newbridge Family Resource Centre welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to Kildare County Council County Development Plan 2023 - 2029.
Our Communities Vision for Kildare
Following discussions and consultations with our community our vision for Kildare over the next 10 years is one where our unemployment rate is at a minimum, our community is connected to each other, to services, businesses and recreational amenities in their locality, and one where our community is a supportive and inclusive place for all in creative spaces.
Newbridge Family Resource Centre is based in Dara Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare. We have identified great potential to partner with statutory, community and voluntary agencies to reach the potential growth in many of the recommendations listed below. Our centre is an ideal location for looking at developing to facilitate community development, family support, youth development and childcare. We have a vision of what is required to meet the needs of our local community here in Newbridge Co Kildare. Our vision involves Newbridge Family Resource Centre being central to any developments in this area. Our links with the community of Newbridge allows us access to the voice of our community to create a ‘Nothing about Us Without Us’ approach to developing services. Here at Newbridge Family Resource Centre we plan for the most vulnerable in our community and this in effect benefits all.
In order to achieve this vision we recommend the following;
There is a big need for the community of newbridge to have spaces where they can be social and come together to be creative and help the people of newbridge thrive and develop. Newbridge should be accessible to all who live and work in the community.
With regard to Creative Places we recommend;
Heritage plays an important role in maintaining a high quality of life by promoting biodiversity ,providing areas of interest and giving character and identity to our community. It can include the rivers, buildings,trees and landscapes. There is great social benefit for the community due to the enhancement of amenities and heritage of Newbridge, such as the creation of jobs, more integrated transportation, enhanced tourism, better health and well being and better recreation opportunities.
With regard to Enhanced Amenity and Heritage we recommend;
The infrastructure, energy and communication in Newbridge is of great importance to enable societal living conditions and to maintain the surrounding environment. There is a growing number of new houses being built in the Newbridge area and there are not the amenities required to sustain the rising population numbers. As stated previously there is a great need for better transport as this can be a barrier for the community, stopping someone from getting to education, employment and health services to name a few.
With regard to Making it Happen we recommend;
Please see attached submission from the Irish Peatland Conservation Council.
Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in the number of people walking on BNM lands – along old railway lines and gravelled service roads. Nevertheless, these railway lines, gravelled roads, represent a unique but hidden green network across parts of County Kildare, which stretches across county boundaries to the Shannon and beyond.
Kildare Co Co is the Planning Authority for the County, and the body which facilitates the co-ordination of state agencies and other stakeholders. It is uniquely placed to maximise the impact of efforts to preserve raised bog remnants and manage rewetted cutaways. Leading and/or facilitating this process will not only increase the amount of land acting as a carbon sink and the range of wild-places in the county, but it will open up new tourism/employment opportunities.
This is a layered landscape which holds many histories. The most recent of these stretches back to the mid-1930s and the establishment of the Turf Development Board, the hand-won turf schemes of ‘The Emergency’ years, the establishment of Bord na Mona and its 70 year-long partnership with the ESB. This has had multiple impacts on the area from the seasonal migration of workers accommodated in camps and hostels, to the permanent migration of families to the area which was facilitated by the building of workers houses and which resulted in both the creation of new communities and the reinvigoration of existing ones..
There was also the development of a network of railway lines to service the Briquette Factory at Lullymore and the sod-turf fired power stations in Portarlington and Allenwood. (These railway lines were later reorganised to serve the Edenderry Powerplant)
What are the main environmental issues that currently face the county?
How can we promote co-ordinated spatial planning to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of our protected habitats and species including landscape and heritage protection?
Co-ordinated spatial planning to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of our protected habitats and species including landscape and heritage protection requires collaboration and engagement with neighbouring counties through Regional Structures and - in the case of bogs owned by BNM - through maximising the potential for collaboration via the Just Transition Process -
Are there any buildings or structures of special interest in your area that should be added to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS)?
How can greater access to the natural, built and archaeological heritage be facilitated, while having regard to the sensitive nature of many sites?
How can we enhance, integrate and protect our arts, culture and heritage assets to promote creative places and heritage led regeneration?
see attached
Kilcullens poor transport links resulted in me being forced to leave my job in Dublin and find a job closer to home. This resulted in a salary drop and reduced my family's quality of life and future security. Something must be done immediately to open Kilcullen residents to reach further and better job opportunities. It is unacceptable.
The young adults of Kilcullen have a gloomy outlook on their current lives as there are limited access to health and fitness/wellbeing facilities here. This will improve mental health and future outlook. As a town with 5 pubs, we need to draw their attention to other options : ie gym, skatepark, outdoor amenities, walks,
Improved Transport links to other cities to broaden their horizons and open up better job opportunities.
Irish Green Building Council Submission
DEVELOPMENT PLAN - ISSUES PAPER
March 08, 2021
INTRODUCTION
The following document is the Irish Green Building Council’s (IGBC) response to the Council’s Draft Development Plan Issues Paper.
The IGBC is a unique network of over 200 organisations spanning the entire value chain of the built environment. We represent all stakeholders in the construction and property sector from building owners, developers, architects, engineers to local authorities. As a member of the World Green Building Council, we draw on best practices internationally in delivering high quality, sustainable homes and commercial buildings. The Irish Green Building Council is the Irish national partner of the Renovate Europe.
The IGBC welcome the publication of the Council’s Issues Papers and the opportunity to support the shaping of the next Development Plan. This plan will be critical in ensuring and managing local delivery on Ireland’s commitments made under the Paris Agreement on Climate and EU burden sharing, translated at national level by the Climate Action Plan, National Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies, Sectoral Adaptation Strategies and local, county level Climate Action Plans. This DP nests within this framework however it must be designed so that all its actions, objectives and policies are aligned with the overall national objective of reducing carbon by 30% by 2030[1] or by 7% per year incrementally[2] and then to a position of net zero carbon, by 2050. These targets mean that work needs to happen immediately so that the costs of transition can be minimised and so that the opportunities presented by this huge challenge can be maximised through employment and innovation.
IGBC – CROSS CUTTING PRINCIPLES
The IGBC’s mission is to address decarbonisation within the built environment and the construction sector. This means that the focus of this submission is largely to address the requirements of the built-environment sector. Nonetheless a lot of the measures suggested in this submission are cross-cutting. The IGBC believe that the transition from a “carbon culture” to a “climate culture”, in terms of both policy and practice, will require a multipronged approach that is sense-checked to avoid hidden rebound effects[3]. It is vital therefore that Development Plans are designed with this in mind so that one policy does not override or counteract the objective of another. If Ireland is to reach its climate target of a 7% reduction in emissions annually, there should be a singular focus by all state actors, particularly at County Council level. Furthermore, as each county has a unique emissions profile which should be detailed in their respective county Climate Action Plans, Councils have a responsibility to lead by example and oversee decarbonisation in their own area. Planning policy and development control plays a key role here and it is crucial that it sets the correct framework that aligns with local Climate Action Plans. Local carbon management, through local policy, will play an important part in our transition to a zero carbon society.
Figure 1: Ireland’s National emissions buildings, transport, agriculture, energy profile. Source. EPA: https://www.epa.ie/ghg/currentsituation/ accessed 04/03/21
The emissions profile for each Council area will be different across the country. For example, in some rural counties there may be a higher proportion of agricultural emissions or building stock may have lower BER ratings, given that there are more detached houses in rural areas[4]. In cities, the profile will lean more towards transport, buildings and energy. For all counties however the public sector building stock will have a specific profile (see SEAI Display Energy Certificate (DEC) for details[5]). Tools to measure local carbon impact are being developed in the UK[6]. and could become part of local monitoring and management in Decarbonisation Zones, which are required to be developed in counties as part of the Climate Action Plan, in Ireland[7]
Figure 1(a): Example: Dublin City Council GHG emissions per sector. Transport, social housing, municipal, waste, wastewater, water, residential, commercial. Source. DCC Climate Change Action 2019-24
The IGBC is proposing that a set of 'first principles' for cross-cutting action to mainstream the principle of net zero emissions and circularity should be applied across the plan. Net zero or ‘Whole Life Carbon’ means reaching net zero during operation and for all embodied carbon (“carbon capital”) emitted during the building lifecycle – cradle to cradle.[8]
It is acknowledged that the Council has stated that climate is considered a cross-cutting policy theme in the Development Plan. The IGBC believe that the Plan should be written on the basis of the following ‘first principles’ in order to ensure that the goal of zero carbon is fully aligned across all of its policies:
This submission sets out a number of suggested actions and measures with the aim of addressing some of the topics that should include in the Draft Development Plan. IGBC believes that the objective of reducing emissions within the built environment should have positive outcomes for other sectors, if appropriately actioned and managed.
Figure 2: Cross Cutting Actions & Outcomes for the Built Environment.
Source. IGBC, 2020
Local Authorities, the Built Environment & Climate
The Irish government plans to build 26,500 homes each year until 2030. Local authorities (LAs) will be driving this delivery in conjunction with the Housing Agency, Department of Housing, The Land Development Agency and Home Building Finance Ireland. County Kildare will be under pressure to provide housing to cater for the expected growth in population in the next 10 years. It will be vital for the Council to ensure that any growth is sustainable, based on principles of good carbon management and design for all building stock (new and adapted). It critical also that sustainable transport becomes the norm and that good permeability for cycling and walking becomes a key feature of any new housing schemes and masterplans. Towns should be assessed against sustainable mobility criteria and new measures should be put in place for testing under BETA programmes similar to that of Dublin City Council[9].
LAs are responsible for place making and the identification of appropriate areas for zoning for commercial and residential properties, for master planning, for the creation of good public realm, green infrastructure and sustainable neighbourhoods. Local Authorities are responsible for setting the planning framework for all of development, therefore Council’s play a pivotal role in the built environment and climate. As public sector bodies, Councils must also act as exemplars of good practice under the DEC and are also responsible for driving the national objective of energy efficiency in the built environment.
Figure 3: Public Sector, including Local Authority Primary Energy Consumption (2018). Source SEAI Annual Report 2019 Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance
A coherent and integrated approach to reducing the carbon emissions from the built environment is critical to the achievement of Ireland’s climate targets.
Figure 4: Relative efficiency of different types of homes - Climate Emergency Design Guide - LETI (London Energy Transformation Initiative)
Measuring Carbon across the full life cycle of a building.
IGBC believe that the Council should begin to consider whole life carbon as the key metric as a measure for buildings. This should be integrated into planning consent and procurement policy, right across the board, for all development. The forthcoming revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) suggests that the key metric will be carbon, not energy. IGBC has proposed key carbon targets for new homes and other documents such as LETI and RIBA benchmarks can be used to set targets for non- residential buildings. The Council should begin to review their own key metrics and begin to establish how to measure carbon for both domestic and non-domestic buildings (see over).
Figure 5: Riba benchmarks: domestic and non-domestic buildings & all buildings[12]
Development Standards
The Council has the opportunity now to review its development standards to convey and act upon a commitment to delivering on zero carbon. In addition, it can act to send a message to developers by adding specific clauses to zoned areas. IGBC’s recent submission on Dublin City Council’s Issues Paper proposed that new development standards should apply in their proposed Decarbonisation Zones[13], to ensure that for example, development consent could be conditional on meeting net zero standards. This principle, to include new development control standards to account for net zero, could also apply within the County Kildare.
The next London Plan (development plan) is introducing carbon, over energy use, as the key metric. The plan includes measures that aim to bring new criteria into play for developers to ensure that new builds, over a certain size, deliver on energy management and a significant reduction in emissions (‘unregulated operational’, operational, embodied and end of life) so that London can achieve the goal of net zero carbon. Included in the proposals are measures to facilitate offsetting of carbon, annual reporting and energy management plans. See below summary of some of the key measures that may be considered for the Council’s Draft Development Plan:
Policy S11
New developments standards for air quality and If a development can demonstrate that it has exploited all relevant on-site measures it may be possible to make the development acceptable through additional mitigation or offsetting payments (9.1.9)
Policy S12:
A. Major developments should be net Zero (see Glossary for definition).
B. Major development proposals - include detailed energy strategy to demonstrate how target will be met within the framework of the energy hierarchy.
Figure 6: Energy Hierarchy. Source GLA (2020). The London Plan (Dec. 2020)
C. Boroughs establish a carbon offset fund - ring-fenced to deliver carbon reductions - reported on annually.
DA. Development proposals should calculate and minimise carbon emissions from any other part of the development that are not covered by Building Regs.
DB. Development referable to the Mayor should calc whole life cycle through a nationally recognised assessment
9.2.1 Commitment to becoming a zero-carbon city - all development involving major refurbishment should aim to meet this
9.2.2. Energy Hierarchy should inform design, construction and operation of new buildings.
9.2.3. Developments should max opp. for on-site energy production from solar, innovative building materials and smart tech
9.2.9. Monitoring and reporting on energy demand is required for all major developments through DEC (public and private)
9.2.9A Operational carbon to make up a declining proportion of a development's whole life cycle emissions, given that operational energy targets become more normalised. Full capture of carbon impact must include unregulated emissions (cooking, appliances), embodied emissions, maintenance, repair and replacement right through to disposal. This is required for all developments referred to the Mayor of London.
9.2.10 Energy strategies for major development are required, where appropriate and contain: calculation of energy demand and carbon emissions; proposals to reduce emissions from energy efficient design; proposals for decentralised energy production, where feasible; proposals for use or renewables on site; proposals to address air quality risks; dynamic overheating modelling; proposals for demand-side responses and smart metering etc...proposals for reporting on energy demand and carbon post construction for 5 years min; proposals for future proofing the site to reach target for 2050; offsetting arrangements, if required; proposals for whole life carbon assessment; proposals to connect to heat networks
Net Zero Carbon Buildings
It is important to measure carbon, not just energy. The Local authorities should set a target for all new development to be Net Zero Carbon across the full building life cycle by the end of 2025. It should include zero operational carbon in the target and reduce the embodied carbon of construction, in as far as possible. IGBC has set out a definition of Zero Carbon Homes within its Home Performance Index technical manual.
The Council should also develop a policy on green procurement and introduce whole life carbon assessment for all construction.
To enable easy measurement and reduction in embodied carbon for all new development IGBC will launch, in June 2021, with the support of EPA Green Enterprise and the Land Development Agency, a free cloud-based State of the Art Carbon Designer tool to allow whole life carbon measurement. This will use typical Irish assemblies for wall, floor, roof and foundations and use generic data created specifically for Ireland. This will make it possible for all local authorities to require applicants to provide a basic carbon footprint measurement of any building seeking planning permission.
IGBC also runs an internationally audited Environmental Product Declaration Programme (EPD) for Irish manufacturers of construction products so as to facilitate a move to life cycle assessment of carbon and resource efficiency impacts.[14] It is also developing generic default product data for use in early whole life carbon assessment.
Measuring carbon as well as energy
‘Nearly Zero Energy Buildings’ (nZEB) as currently implemented is insufficient to meeting Ireland’s carbon targets. Ireland needs to move to net Zero Carbon buildings that consider not only the carbon emissions from operating them (operational carbon) but also the carbon emissions to construct, maintain and emissions arising at end of life/construction demolition/disposal stage. The Council should introduce the following actions to support the transition to zero energy in the built environment:
Embodied carbon – move to low carbon construction materials
Buildings account for 39% of global carbon emissions of which 28% is from the operation of the buildings and 11% from the embodied carbon (International Energy Agency (IEA)) associated with the transport, manufacture of products, materials and site operations over the building life cycle [17]. As part of a first principles approach the IGBC suggests that the Council should examine ways by which LCA can be mainstreamed through action at the appropriate level e.g., at procurement level, at planning consent level etc… The Council should, as part of their public procurement policy, consider the embodied carbon factor when tendering out development. This is in line with the government’s new Circular on Green Procurement which is a priority area for the delivery of the Climate Action plan[18]. The Council should consider the introduction of the following actions to address whole life carbon:
Figure 7: Embodied Carbon Reduction Pyramid. Source: One Click LCA
Density
Housing density and a proactive approach to limiting excessive home size play a large part of reducing emissions. Low density housing will generally have a higher carbon load due to combination of factors; these can include location and proximity to services; size, design and materials; positioning/siting; and private transport dependence [19]. A detached nZEB bungalows will have up to 4 times the heat loss as an nZEB apartment of the same area, with the same level of insulation. Density passively reduces heat loss via either sheltering or shared walls and floors.
The SEAI report (2018) which combines BER with CSO figures[20] show how floor areas for detached dwellings have grown since 2000, to an average of 241 m2 in 2016. This means that although the Building Regulations improved the situation in 2006, 2008, in 2011 this energy reduction was partially wiped out by the increased floor area. Average floor area for detached housing increased by 60% between 2000 and 2016 whilst the energy efficiency for new homes also improved by 60%. Planning policy should therefore encourage densification and infill development over new build, particularly for large detached and single housing, not only for sustainability and service efficiency reasons but also for energy efficiency and carbon management associated with building stock[21].
The integration of the Carbon designer tool outlined above will allow the setting of carbon caps for new home construction.
Sustainable homes and buildings
With the National Development Plan[22] predicting 500,000 new homes across Ireland and the Council proposing to increase housing stock significantly, it is imperative that planning policy ensures that homes are delivered within existing settlement boundaries and by means of renovation and/or adaptation of existing buildings[23]. Housing policy must consider proximity factors also so that work from home distance is reduced. Ireland 2040 requires that new housing (40%) be developed within existing settlement boundaries. IGBC is of the view that the limit to 40% is too low, given Ireland’s transport emissions linked to an overreliance on private transport.. The principle of walkable or cyclable accessibility to town and neighbourhood centres should also apply to all large rural towns. The IGBC suggests that the Council introduce a sustainable accessibility index and a minimum benchmark for all homes and buildings as a prerequisite for planning permission. The Irish Green Building Council provides such an index in the Home Performance Index-Sustainable Location criteria – Technical manual[24]
Water uses in buildings
Hot water is responsible for approximately 70% of all regulated energy in nZEB apartments according to the non-published Regulatory Impact Study carried out by SEAI. Furthermore, Irish Water’s public water supply is the highest consumer of carbon across the public sector[25]. IGBC’s experience of its Home Performance Index certification[26], shows that there is currently little incentive for developers and applicants to integrate efficient sanitary ware into new homes. The Council should examine ways in which it can be required, as a planning condition, to have efficient water systems in all buildings. The Building Regulations Part L compliance software DEAP [27] offers credits for efficiencies below 125l/person per day. Through Home Performance Index certification[28] homes can achieve low as 90l/person a day just by means of low-cost flow restrictors and aerators. There is little knowledge amongst developers and specifiers about water efficiency despite availability of data for most common sanitary ware through the European Water Label[29]. In this regard, the Council should as, as part of a new ‘Climate Communications & Capacity Building’ policy, make information on tools products and services available and to also organise the delivery of training on carbon management.
Figure 8: Public water services electricity consumption (2019[30]). Source: Public sector energy efficiency performance 2020 report. (SEAI, 2020).
Reuse & Renovate, Discourage Demolition
Every Council in Ireland is required to renovate and decarbonise existing stock as part of Ireland’s Long Term Renovation Strategy[31] and under the Climate Action Plan:
Kildare Council should lead by example, avoiding demolition and strongly discouraging demolition by developers unless there is a clear case to do so. In the UK for example, the London Borough of Camden’s Development plan[32] provides that a case must be made by applicants, by way of comparison of the full whole life carbon calculation, of the impacts of renovation against the proposed new build, as well as other criteria such as threshold of density achieved. It is significant to note that Dublin City Council, from its own analysis, found that renovating existing social housing has 1/8 of the embodied carbon footprint of constructing new homes[33].
In order for the rural towns to function as a vibrant, liveable place they must provide sustainable, flexible and adaptable housing. To make a better business case for renovation[34] and to show leadership, the Council should adopt the Build Upon Framework. This is a multi-level energy renovation framework that allows local authorities to better assess the impact of energy renovation, including its co-benefits as required by the EPBD and Ireland’s Long-term Renovation Strategy. The Framework has been piloted by Dublin City Council. Laois and Cork County Council are also participating in the project by providing feedback on the Framework. If used at scale, the Build Upon multi-level energy renovation framework, could help local authorities to capture the impact of energy renovation and its co-benefits, and to communicate it to the wider public.
Figure 9: Build Upon2 Framework. Source: https://worldgbc.org/our-renovation-strategy-framework
Circular Economy
The London Plan (development plan) LONDON PLAN DEC 2020 (see also appendix) has included a specific policy on the circular economy. The IGBC suggest that the Development Plan includes a standalone chapter on Circular Economy. Waste circularity is one of the linchpins of carbon management and for this reason must be addressed on its own. The following are samples of action being taken within the London development plan:
Policy SI 7 Reducing waste and supporting the circular economy
The policy aims to progress a circular economy by bringing circular economy principles into the design of developments and through the optimisation of site capacity through the design-led approach (see Policy D-3). It is also introducing Circular Economy Statements for certain planning applications (9.7.2 and 9.7.3) so that buildings are designed for adaptation, reconstruction and deconstruction.
Figure 10: Construction Waste Hierarchy[35]
APPENDIX: RESOURCES
IGBC Training & Information: Dublin City Council are members of IGBC and can participate in the CPD accredited upskilling events on IGBC’s Learning Hub[36]. Kildare Council could also consider IGBC membership, which brings with it many benefits:
Further information on IGBC’s projects is provided below and on our website: https://www.igbc.ie
Tools and supporting measures
As part of the Horizon 2020 Build Upon project, the IGBC has developed a multi-level energy renovation Framework. The Framework is a tool that allows Local Authorities to monitor and quantify the real impact of energy renovation. It breaks down the holistic benefits of renovation initiatives into three key areas: environmental, social and economic. The Framework is referred to in Dublin City Council’s Climate Action Plan (Action E32) and is currently being piloted by the DCC. Laois and Cork County Councils are also participating in the project by providing feedback on the Framework and will be trained in its use. If the energy framework is used at scale it would make it easier for Councils to communicate the benefits of energy renovation and to engage citizens more widely on this topic.
An integrated approach requires all factors that impact the built environment's carbon emissions to be measured. To this end, the Irish Green Building Council and its members have developed tools such as the Home Performance Index[37] system. This offers one coherent, integrated approach to reducing households’ carbon emissions. It can be used by policy makers, planners, developers and banks to procure, develop and finance low carbon homes[38]. It includes indicators to ensure new homes are truly resource efficient and enable their occupants to lead low carbon lifestyles. Thousands of homes entered certification using this system in 2019. The Home Performance Indicators could support government in tackling climate change under the National Planning Framework. It also makes it easier for banks and investors to identify green investments, allowing them to offer green mortgages like over 40 banks across Europe. To this end IGBC have been working with the European Mortgage Federation on the development of green mortgages in Ireland. The Home Building Finance Ireland also give homebuilders a discount of up to 0.5% on loans to homebuilders for developments certified with Home Performance Index certification.
To drive the shift towards truly net zero emissions buildings, IGBC has developed programmes to raise awareness about embodied carbon in buildings. For instance, we run an Environmental Product Declarations programme, EPD Ireland. This allows Irish manufacturers to create, have verified and publish the environmental impacts of their products.
The Irish Green Building Council participates in the Carbon Heroes programme to measure the embodied carbon of 1000 buildings across Europe including Ireland. This will help generate benchmarks for embodied carbon across Europe.
Case Studies and experience internationally
The Climate Neutral Cities Alliance/One-Click LCA Report[39] details 52 policies that cities can adopt to initiate a zero carbon approach to planning. These include:
1. Embodied Carbon Targets for Zoning Process - construction within this zoning designation must meet embodied carbon requirement
2. Building Regs - set limits on the Life-Cycle Carbon of new buildings - both public and private
3. Public Procurement - set max carbon limits for construction materials in publicly funded contracts
4. Waste and Circularity - require Design for Disassembly and Adaptability on publicly funded contracts
5. Financial - increase property tax for unused sites and buildings
6. Municipal - use carbon as a criterion for design competitions
7. Infrastructure - include Early Design Targets for Infrastructure.
The next London Plan[40] (development plan) is proposing a range of measures ensure that London can be a leader in climate. These policies focus on carbon as the key metric. Measures aim to bring new criteria into play for developers to ensure that new builds, over a certain size, deliver on energy management and a significant reduction in emissions (‘unregulated operational’, operational, embodied and end of life) so that London can achieve the goal of net zero carbon. Included in the proposals are measures to facilitate offsetting of carbon, annual reporting and energy management plans. See below summary of some of the key measures that may be considered for the forthcoming Draft Development Plan:
Policy S11
New developments standards for air quality and If a development can demonstrate that it has exploited all relevant on-site measures it may be possible to make the development acceptable through additional mitigation or offsetting payments (9.1.9)
Policy S12:
A. Major developments should be net Zero (see Glossary for definition).
B. Major development proposals - include detailed energy strategy to demonstrate how target will be met within the framework of the energy hierarchy.
C. Boroughs establish a carbon offset fund - ring-fenced to deliver carbon reductions - reported on annually.
DA. Development proposals should calculate and minimise carbon emissions from any other part of the development that are not covered by Building Regs.
DB. Development referable to the Mayor should calc whole life cycle through a nationally recognised assessment
9.2.1 Commitment to becoming a zero-carbon city - all development involving major refurbishment should aim to meet this
9.2.2. Energy Hierarchy should inform design, construction and operation of new buildings.
9.2.3. Developments should max opp. for on-site energy production from solar, innovative building materials and smart tech
9.2.9. Monitoring and reporting on energy demand is required for all major developments through DEC (public and private)
9.2.9A Operational carbon to make up a declining proportion of a development's whole life cycle emissions, given that operational energy targets become more normalised. Full capture of carbon impact must include unregulated emissions (cooking, appliances), embodied emissions, maintenance, repair and replacement right through to disposal. This is required for all developments referred to the Mayor of London.
9.2.10 Energy strategies for major development are required, where appropriate and contain: calculation of energy demand and carbon emissions; proposals to reduce emissions from energy efficient design; proposals for decentralised energy production, where feasible; proposals for use or renewables on site; proposals to address air quality risks; dynamic overheating modelling; proposals for demand-side responses and smart metering etc...proposals for reporting on energy demand and carbon post construction for 5 years min; proposals for future proofing the site to reach target for 2050; offsetting arrangements, if required; proposals for whole life carbon assessment; proposals to connect to heat networks.
Camden Planning Guidance (2019) Energy Efficiency & Adaptation Camden Planning Guidance 2019
IMPACT – Community Carbon Calculator
Figure 11: IMPACT – Community Carbon Calculator: Example: Chiddingfold Parish (UK). Source: https://impact-tool.org.uk/about ACCESSED 05/03
IGBC – CARBON DESIGNER TOOL
The IGBC are currently developing software based on the model of One Click LCA’s Carbon Designer tool. It will be targeted for the Irish new-build construction sector. It will have ready to use solutions for evaluation of common Irish building types using locally adapted construction data and average energy use data appropriate for Irish Part L Regulations. It will allow the end user to change their construction choices and energy choices from the available options to understand the carbon benefits of decisions made early in the design process.
USA – New York – capping of GHG at building level
Climate Mobilization Act in 2019* The act sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions for an array of building types with the goal of reducing emissions 40% by 2030.
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sustainability/legislation/climate-mobilization-act-
One Click LCA – Carbon Calculator for the Construction Cycle
The developer of One Click LCA construction carbon software, and Finnish Association of Construction Product Industries RTT’s group of thermal insulation manufacturers launched a free whole life-cycle carbon calculator for construction. The tool addresses both embodied carbon, or life-cycle impacts of materials and construction, as well as operational carbon, or carbon impacts of energy use during use, to give a holistic life cycle picture.
IGBC projects & how they can help local authorities
IGBC’s mission is to promote the decarbonisation of the construction sector in Ireland. To this end it is working on delivering various projects to help businesses and the public sector to understand what they need to do - through training/knowledge sharing in its Learning Hub (https://www.igbc.ie/learning-hub/) and developing tools to support monitoring and management of carbon consumption across the whole life cycle. In addition, it will be developing a National Roadmap for Whole Life Carbon (embodied energy) and green finance for the construction sector.
ENERGY RENOVATION
Supporting Local Authorities
BUILD UPON2 is an EU/Horizon 2020 research project which proposes to address one of the main barriers inhibiting proper public management, and consequent upscaling, of Deep Energy Efficiency Renovation, which is the lack of an adequate, widely shared Impact Framework nationally and across Europe. Buildings are one of the biggest contributors to climate change in Europe and account for 36% of CO2 emissions. To meet the EU’s Climate targets and long-term goal under the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) to decarbonise its building stock by 2050, renovation is crucial, and its rate needs to increase to at least 2-3% per annum.
National Renovation Strategies under the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) aimed to accelerate the rate of renovation; however, these have not proved effective. The 2018 ‘recast’ of the EPBD strengthens the role of these strategies and obliges MS to set out a roadmap to decarbonised building stock by 2050, supported by a suite of measurable progress indicators and milestones[41]. This project - BUILD UPON2 - proposes to work with local, national and European stakeholders to create a Multi-Level Renovation Impact Framework that contains a suite of milestones and measurable progress indicators for building renovation strategies, integrating data and insights from the city level. This Framework will serve as a tool for local authorities in delivering the EPBD and ensure that local initiatives are aligned with national and European policies. A methodology will be developed to indicate how the Framework reporting system can be integrated into Sustainable Energy Actions Plans (SECAPs), how to use the Framework and how data to support the indicators will be collected and used. The Framework has been tested with 8 pilot local authorities (including Dublin City Council) and the results of the testing phase will be used to update the Framework and create policy recommendations, ensuring that the Framework can be replicated across Europe and help local, regional and national authorities deliver on European energy efficiency goals. The Framework will be launched in Autumn 2021. Read more.
Making sure we have the right skills
BUSLeague is an H2020 project which aims at addressing and overcoming the challenges of the stimulation of demand for energy skilled workforce (demand side), along with hands-on capacity building to increase the number of skilled workforces across the building design, operation and maintenance value chain (supply side).
As part of this project and to drive demand for energy efficiency upskilling, the IGBC will support Irish local authorities interested in piloting a “training clause” as part of their public tenders. Such clauses are in use in the Hauts-de-France region in France, whereby any company winning a tender for a nZEB building (new or retrofit) must commit to upskill all employees working on the project in energy efficiency. The process has significantly improved quality assurance in nZEB buildings. Such clauses are legal under EU PP rules[42].
Setting the right standards
The IGBC is currently working on the development of a guidance document on energy renovation of traditionally built buildings on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Developing a one-stop-shop for energy renovation
As part of the Horizon 2020 funded, TURNKEY RETROFIT project, IGBC is developing as a home-owner-centric renovation journey, which will transform the complex and fragmented renovation process into a simple, straightforward and attractive process for the home-owner. It will include the initial technical and behavioural diagnosis, technical offer, contract development and agreement, structuring and provision of financial support, as well as the on-site coordination of works and quality assurance. It will be a service-oriented model where the home-owner is offered tailor-made solutions through the whole customer journey. The service will be accessible through a user-friendly digital platform and it will address drivers of building renovation that go beyond a desire to reduce energy bills and increase asset value, such as home improvement, increased comfort, enhanced health & quality of life.[43]
QUALITY HOUSING
Home Performance Index[44]
The Home Performance Index is Ireland’s first national certification system for quality and sustainable residential development. The label was developed by the Irish Green Building Council after extensive consultation with the industry. The Home Performance Index certificate demonstrates that the home has been designed and constructed with care to ensure low running costs, enhance the health and wellbeing of the occupants and minimise environmental impacts. The development of the Home Performance Index scheme was supported by the EPA. http://homeperformanceindex.ie.
Financing green new homes
The Horizon 2020 funded SMARTER Finance for Families (SMARTER) programme is creating ‘on the ground’ operational and self-sustaining Green Homes and Green Mortgage (GHGM) programmes in 11 European countries, including Ireland. While energy efficient mortgages exist, SMARTER brings an innovative approach with a heavy focus on addressing all key stakeholder motivations and concerns with a focus on the end consumer or families that must ultimately choose to use the green finance products created.
ADDRESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BUILDINGS ACROSS THEIR LIFE CYCLE
Mainstreaming Level(s) - LIFEforLLL(s)
The network of Green Building Councils (GBCs) involved in this Life funded project recognised that the most challenging indicators in the new European Framework for Sustainable Buildings - Level(s) - are, Life Cycle assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). To address this challenge, the IGBC is building capacity in the industry in Ireland to use these three indicators.
Developing a roadmap to address whole life carbon in the built environment #BuildingLife
This project leads a major campaign to mainstream whole life carbon in construction at a national and European level. 10 European GBCs are participating in the project including the Irish Green Building Council. The main objective of this project funded by the IKEA foundation and Laudes Foundation is to develop a national roadmap on whole life carbon in construction. Read more.
EPD Ireland – The Environmental Product Declaration programme
This is an IGBC’s programme for developing and verifying Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for local construction materials manufacturers. EPDs are the 3rd party verified declarations of the environmental impacts of a product and are the building blocks for measuring environmental embodied impacts of building to EN15978. It has developed a microsite www.epdireland.org for the publication of EPD in Ireland.
Circularity in the Construction Sector – Circular Life
The aim of this EPA funded project is to mainstream circularity in the construction industry. It will do this through education, adapting an early stage LCA tool for free use in Ireland, advocacy, testing and developing circularity indicators for use in the Home Performance Index and public procurement and development of a policy tool kit for use in development plans.
CAPACITY BUILDINGS
IGBC’s Learning Hub
Resources on green buildings (from nZEB, to circularity, health & wellbeing and biodiversity) are available through the IGBC’s learning hub: https://www.igbc.ie/learning-hub/.
Build up Skills advisor app
This app developed by IGBC and LIT enables building professionals and construction workers to identify energy renovation training courses that suit their needs in one click: https://www.igbc.ie/education/energy-renovation-upskilling/.
Digital Academy for a Sustainable Built Environment (DASBE)
This project aims to develop a hub for provision of education in the construction sector focusing on green building, circular economy and digital skills. This initiative will enable rapid design, development and deployment of training programmes for construction workers and professionals using a wide variety of on-line, blended and face to face approaches. Topics covered will range from low energy buildings design to the application of virtual reality in building surveying. This project has been funded under the Higher Education Authority, Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3. Read more.
[1] Climate Action Plan
[2] Programme for Government
[3] Rebound effect is associated with unintended or unforeseen behaviours that can circumvent effective policies, particular in energy policy. see: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230583108_9
[4] National BER map (SEAI) https://renewables.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=360f7b3f6f484d7d89b967b41231daef
[5] https://www.seai.ie/business-and-public-sector/display-energy-certificate/#:~:text=The%20Display%20Energy%20Certificate%20(DEC,energy%20use%20of%20a%20building.&text=The%20certificate%20shows%20the%20grade,and%20publicly%20owned%20large%20buildings.
[6] https://impact-tool.org.uk/
[7] Action 81 and 165 (p. 80) CAP : https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccb2e0-the-climate-action-plan-2019/
[8] See here for list of definitions: https://www.worldgbc.org/sites/default/files/WorldGBC_Bringing_Embodied_Carbon_Upfront.pdf
[10] Embodied carbon is defined as defined as carbon emissions from manufacture, transport, use and end of life of materials, including construction materials (Climate Neutral Cities Alliance & One Click LCA. City Policy Framework for Dramatically reducing embodied carbon. 52 Detailed Policies to reduce embodied carbon
[11] https://b80d7a04-1c28-45e2-b904-e0715cface93.filesusr.com/ugd/252d09_3b0f2acf2bb24c019f5ed9173fc5d9f4.pdf
[12] https://www.architecture.com/-/media/GatherContent/Test-resources-page/Additional-Documents/2020RIBAPlanofWorkoverviewpdf.pdf?la=en
[13] Action 165 Climate Action Plan 2019
[14] EPD Ireland – www.epdireland.org – EPD Ireland was launched in 2017 and has already published 17 Environmental Product Declarations covering nearly 40 construction for 5 producers. It has registered nearly 100 EPD for products used in the Irish market from international producers covering a large range of products from insulations to paints.
[15] https://worldgbc.org/commitment-signatories?cat=city
[16] https://www.igbc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/HPI_technical_Version_1.1_Jan_2018.pdf
[17] Bringing embodied carbon upfront – World Green Building Council https://www.worldgbc.org/sites/default/files/WorldGBC_Bringing_Embodied_Carbon_Upfront.pdf
[18] https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f633a8-government-takes-further-steps-to-promote-green-public-procurement/
[19] Energy Efficiency of Buildings: A New Challenge for Urban Models: Franz Fuerst and Michael Wegene
[20] Energy in the Residential sector 2018 - SEAI
[21] http://homeperformanceindex.ie/
[22] National Development Plan
[23] That is conversion/adaptation of office, student housing and large scale retail in the city that have become redundant and are now oversupplied.
[24] Home Performance Index Technical manual http://homeperformanceindex.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/HPI-technical-Manual-v2.0_with_corrections_since_publication.pdf
[25] SEAI public sector
[26] http://homeperformanceindex.ie/
[27] Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) is the compliance tool for building regulations and for generating BERs (Building Energy Rating)
[28] https://www.igbc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/HPI_technical_Version_1.1_Jan_2018.pdf
[29] The European Water label.
[30] See also https://psmr.seai.ie/Reports/PublicAnnualReportForPublic?customerId=4058&query=undefined.
[31] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a4d69-long-term-renovation-strategy/
[32] https://www.camden.gov.uk/documents/20142/3912524/Local+Plan+Low+Res.pdf/54bd0f8c-c737-b10d-b140-756e8beeae95
[33] https://www.igbc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Towards-a-fully-decarbonised-built-environment_Report.pdf
[34] See https://worldgbc.org/our-renovation-strategy-framework
[36] https://www.igbc.ie/learning-hub/
[37] Home Performance Index has certified or is in the process of certifying over 2000 homes in Ireland in the social housing and private sector.
[38] https://www.hbfi.ie/products/green-funding
https://www.igbc.ie/hbfi-hpi-green-loans/
[39] Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance & One Click LCA. City Policy Framework for Dramatically Reducing Embodied Carbon. embodiedcarbonpolicies.com
[40] LONDON PLAN DEC 2020
[41] The latest version of Ireland’s Long-Term Renovation Strategy is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a4d69-long-term-renovation-strategy/
[42] As part of the H2020 BusLeague project, the IGBC can support local authorities interested in piloting this clause.
Villages and towns should be planned and managed to be beneficial to the people who live in and around them, and should not be about facilitating the traffic that passes through them.
When villages are properly planned and managed living in one can promote a sense of well-being and community.
Heavy through traffic causes degradation of roads and building and also results in higher usage of private cars around the village - residents are less likely to feel safe walking or cycling to get around when they need to contend with heavy traffic and unpleasant exhaust fumes.
Planning has recently been granted for hundreds of new homes to be built in the village of Prosperous. It is critical that ahead of these homes being built and occupied, investment is made to facilitate residents getting around the village without using a car.
What is needed are cycle paths, traffic calming measures that actually work (speed ramps and cameras), wide footpaths, and a restriction on the volume of HGV going through the village – particularly at times when school children are walking to and from school.
Signage reminding people that the road is for everyone to use – pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Signage encouraging people to leave the car at home etc.
It is critical that KCC takes immediate action to protect biodiversity in the county. When considering planning applications stipulate that existing hedgerows and trees must be preserved. Enforce the hedge cutting ban by providing an emergency, out of hours number for people to call if they see illegal hedge cutting during nesting season. Ensure all contractors used have signed up to the code of ethics and understand their responsibility to uphold it.
Commercial conifer plantations of non-native species destroys the landscape, is terribly ugly when clear-felled and is often driven by misguided European policy. A programme of plantations of native species of trees would add to the recreational and beauty amenities of the county and would be supported by all, especially younger people. Plant now for the next generation. Enlist various groups in the tree planting aim, and it will be supported by a huge majority of people.
There is potential for many greenways for safe walking and cycling in Kildare. The pandemic has shown how much these recreational facilties are needed. The canalways and the Curragh could be developed for dedicated greenways that would bring tourism into the area, thereby bringing economic development with it.
Harness the energy and commitment of young people with real initiatives on climate action that they can get behind. Create a forum where their voices can be heard, not just giving the illusion of consulting them, but a real listening process that is followed up by action.
Commuting into Dublin by train from Newbridge and beyond is way too expensive. Not everyone can get a yearly ticket, for example for one day's work in Dublin, the cost is 24 euros + 4 euros parking at the train station. Not sustainable for most working people. Cost needs to be same as for Sallins, etc.
More bike places needed on trains.
Travelling by train from Kildare to elsewhere in Ireland (e.g. Galway, Ennis) often involves a wait in Portarlington of 45 minutes to catch a train that went through Newbridge or Kildare. Ask the transport authorities to reassess their decision to have the majority of trains passing through not stop in these towns. This makes taking the train more difficult than driving. All roads (or traintracks) should not just lead to Dublin.
Many more EV charging stations in all towns in Kildare with easy access to them. All new apartment blocks and new housing developments should have chargers for all car spaces. A plan for installation in existing apartment blocks and housing estates should be created and then implemented.
Make culture and creativity more accessible not just physically, but to all children, young people and adults by having arts office actions on same. The old library space and building in Newbridge is architecturally lovely, but no public access is allowed, this could be a lovely cultural space. More public facing space for library and arts centre.
Riverbank development is needed to bring the Arts Centre more into the public space, and made more accessible from the street. A cultural quarter focused around Riverbank with cafe spaces, arts exhibitions and the linear park could be realised and would add greatly to the town. Outdoor performance space in the linear park could be developed and linked to Riverbank and other programmes.
The skate park in Newbridge took years of citizen advocacy to get off the ground and is one of the only spaces where young people can gather for exercise outdoors. It is hugely successful, but is still a tiny amount of space given to young people and had to be fought for. The town should be designed with young people in mind, not to exclude them, building on the success of the skatepark. A consultation process with young people would yield key information in this regard.
Build a large public swimming pool for Newbridge, so that schools, swim clubs, swim lessons, aqua aerobics and other groups are not dependent on the largesse of other bodies to enable swimming as recreational and sporting activity. Work with Swim Ireland to develop this facility. Ensure proper swimming lessons for every child in the county, not just those who can pay for them.
High density housing needs to have facilities for recyling, drying washing, charging EVs, children playing, etc. In other European countries it is possible for families to live in apartments because of cellar/ garage spaces, washing and drying facilities, playgrounds etc. Management fees and admin also make apartment living here unattractive.
Newbridge and the Curragh are perfect for cycling, but the lack of any dedicated cycle paths (a tiny segment of the road that isn't safe doesn't count) means that cycling is not an option for most people. Separate, safe dedicated cycle paths would see a huge increase in cycling for all purposes.
Please see attached the OPR submission on the Issues Paper for the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029. Please note that this submission applies to the entirety of the isssues paper document.
I wish to make a submission regarding the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road/The Gallops Avenue. I have previously sent in submissions on both iterations of the proposed road. Regarding this submission, my objections to the project are as they were previously. To attempt to place a roadway on Route 2 of the original Naas Inner Relief Road will not solve the traffic congestion within the town of Naas. It will merely transfer it a very short distance to the east of the Dublin Road and pass it through quiet, mature housing and residential areas, namely, The Gallops and Kingscourt. The project would also impact negatively on Kingsfurze Avenue, Woodlands, The Paddocks and Elmwood.
Of particular concern to me is the impact the road would have on the KARE Naas Local Service Centre, which my sister attends daily. It is located to the rear of AIB Time House at what would be the road’s junction with the Blessington Road. The centre caters for adults with an intellectual or other disabilities/special needs. The KARE premises enjoys relative seclusion in this area, but a roadway such as is proposed will change all that and bring with it nothing but air and noise pollution as well as heavy traffic to the area. It is totally inappropriate and wrong to place such a road and junction there. In recent months I have been driving my sister to and from the centre daily and I cannot fathom how such a road project could be squeezed into the extremely limited space between AIB Time House, The KARE Centre, DEM Machines and Elmwood housing estate. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me. I have also witnessed the kind of traffic that the roadway would be carrying as there is hardly a day goes by that I do not see Hudson Bros. articulated gravel trucks passing by as well as J. Ryan Haulage trucks. These are heavy articulated lorries and the very idea of directing them through this route along with all the noise, dust, and air pollution they will generate is frankly unbelievable.
The Naas Inner Relief Road/The Gallops Avenue must no longer be considered as part of any local or county development plan. It has already been rejected by democratic vote of Naas Municipal District Councillors in July 2019 and that vote needs to be respected and upheld. It would be totally undemocratic to include the proposal in any future development plans.
The road would not achieve the congestion relief that it is supposed to bring and would simply transfer existing congestion a little further to the east of the Dublin Road, gumming up the new junctions at the Tipper Road and Blessington Road as well as the Dublin Road junction. The Ballycane Road junction will also be massively impacted by traffic as well as the Sunday’s Well entrance.
It is also vital that the area of Naas Racecourse that this road would pass through be preserved for future generations as the "Green Lung" portion of the town. It would be a total shame if this amenity were lost to traffic noise and air pollution. The residents of the housing estates in this area, namely The Gallops, Kingscourt, Kingsfurze Avenue and Woodlands should not lose the peace and quiet they have enjoyed for many years.
What is needed instead of this proposal is an Outer Ring Road that takes traffic well outside the town to the east and northeast side of the Naas. This should be designed to cater for by-passing traffic as well as providing a link between the Blessington Road and Dublin Road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. It is vitally important that such a route would not traverse or cut through existing residential areas and housing estates.
To whom it may concern,
Please note my strong objection to propose Gallops avenue/ road
• The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
• The Gallops Avenue, which was introduced in the recent non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy, as with its predecessor the Naas Inner Relief Road, will merely move thousands of vehicles, including large volumes of Heavy Goods Vehicles in very close proximity to quiet, mature residential estates.
• Page 120 of the non-statutory Naas / Sallins Transport Strategy outlines in summary that The Gallops Avenue will relieve “…….congestion on Main Street and the Dublin Road………...” Congestion will merely move from current traffic junctions to new proposed junctions at The Gallops, Tipper Road and Sunday’s Well. On this basis, it will not solve any traffic congestion in Naas.
• The route of the Gallops Avenue follows an almost identical line to that of the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road. A considerable portion of this route traverses by Naas Racecourse. The Naas Racecourse area must be preserved as the “Green Lung” portion of the Town for now and most importantly, for future generations. It must be maintained for recreational purposes and for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
• At this stage, the now defunct Naas Inner Relief Road / The Gallops Avenue is an approximately 30 year old proposal which is, in my opinion, completely, totally and utterly out of date. It appears very odd at this stage that Kildare County Council continues to receive Consultants reports recommending this route.
• It is therefore requested that the new Kildare County Development Plan include the following specific objective:
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Kind regards,
Emer
Our submission covers multiple themes at the heart of which is the desire to make our community resilient to all the challenges ahead. We believe that supporting retrofitting and renewable energy projects is a practical way of helping to achieve this.
A Chara,
Attached please find Nature Conservation recommendations.
People with Disabilities need to Access All Areas in order to fully participate in Family, Community and Work Life. KCC need to proof all plans to ensure we have created a 'Healthy Place for All'
Fáilte Ireland welcomes the opportunity to engage with Kildare County Council on the emerging Plan for the County. Fáilte Ireland is seeking to enhance the partnership approach between the Council and the National Authority and ensure that the expertise of both organisations is shared.
The preparation of this submission comes at a time when Fáilte Ireland are emphasising the need for land-use plans to manage all land uses and economic drivers – of which tourism is but one, in a more holistic, strategic and spatial manner to maximise the efficient use of resources and the achievement of greater outcomes for society at large.
We hope that this submission can represent a first step in a collaborative process that culminates in the adoption of the new Development Plan. We welcome future opportunities to collaborate with the Council and wish to see other meaningful partnerships with stakeholders in future. See attachment for full submission.
Dublin Gliding Club's submission relating to the heritage of Gliding in Co Kildare and the opportunities for further development and contribution to the local community
See attachment.
The following are some points covered from the failed ring road attempt and this is another underhanded attempt from Kildare CoCo to take the easy option rather than the practitial one.
The Naas Inner Relief Road was a Roads priority in the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023. This proposal was comprehensively defeated by a democratic vote of the Naas Municipal District in June 2019. On this basis, this democratic decision must be upheld. To include any such proposal in the new Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 flies in the face of the democratic vote of Naas Municipal District in June 2019.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
"To provide an outer ring road for the eastern/north-eastern side of Naas, to cater for by-passing traffic, linking the Blessington Road with the Dublin road close to the junction of the latter with the N7. This outer ring road will be so routed, so as not to traverse or cut through existing residential areas, and will provide a long-term development boundary to the east/north-east of the town of Naas”.
This objective is to replace the "inner relief road, Naas" objective in Table 6.1 of the current Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 (page 137 of the plan). Such an objective would be consistent with the existing objective MT 15 of the county development plan, which seeks to channel HGV traffic associated with landfill and extractive sites onto the regional and national road networks insofar as possible, which the defunct Naas Inner Relief objective does not.
Education: In recent times, there has been a considerable increase in the population of Naas arising from various new developments. Local knowledge is that there are now significant difficulties for parents in obtaining both Primary and Secondary school places for their children in Naas. The plan should include a requirement to include additional education campuses within the town’s environs, to encourage students to either walk or cycle to school.
Active Leisure: Welcoming the development of the Naas/Sallins Greenway, residents may see value in increasing the linkage between the Park at Kerdiffstown Park, the planned park at Sallins, the Greenway, and perhaps improved utilisation of the canal as a Blueway between Naas and Digby Bridge, ultimately heading for the river Liffey. Excellent for cycling, walking or running.
Development of downtown Naas: In line with the National Retail Guidelines, the plan should include a provision whereby development of retail over 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace should be prohibited outside the Centre of Naas. If necessary, Naas town centre should be designated as a development zone with incentives for the creation of "Living over the Shop" to encourage the revitalisation of the town centre.
How can we support and protect traditional on – street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
(i)Kildare County Council should put in a specific policy into the County Development Plan, that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing (i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted outside town centres. No sites should be zoned as district centres, as the definition of a district centre in the Retail Planning Guidelines is far too loose, and is unsuitable for towns of the scale that are encountered in County Kildare.
(ii)These town centres should, in turn, be specifically identified on maps in the various local area plans for the key towns of Naas and Maynooth, and also for the self-sustaining growth towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy and Leixlip, and the self-sustaining towns of Celbridge, Monasterevin and Kilcock. They can include, within the boundaries, brownfield lands where there is potential for regeneration, provided that they are genuinely located within the town centre areas (an example would be the lands between South Main Street in Naas and the Canal Harbour).
(iii)The County Development Plan should make it clear that all comparison retailing, and all but local convenience retailing ((i.e. up to no more than 1,000 sq. metres gross floorspace) is not permitted, whether by new build or by conversion, in any retail warehousing development.
Commentary. The experience with the development of the Monread shopping centre in Naas has clearly shown that permitting large scale retail in peripheral locations, outside town centres, has done huge damage to traditional on-street retailing in the town. The site in question was zoned as a “district” centre in the late 1990’s, yet was granted, on appeal, partly based on the argument that it was a “district centre”. Kildare County Council must make sure that such mistakes never happen again.
1. Healthy Placemaking: People and Places
Questions to Consider
What tools can be used to deliver compact growth to assist in the regeneration of our towns and villages?
How should we ensure the protection of the countryside and the regeneration of our towns and villages while providing for sustainable rural housing which meets the genuine housing needs of rural dwellers and protects finite environmental resources?
How can we encourage the delivery of multi – generational housing schemes to cater for our aging population and what models of housing can be developed to enable their preference to remain living in their own communities?
How can we protect and enhance the quality of our built and natural environment to enable a more active, healthier lifestyle?
How do you think vacant and derelict buildings can be brought back into use?
Are there measures we could include in the Plan to address the issues associated with the current housing crisis?
What lessons can we learn from the Covid-19 pandemic on how we use our buildings or land?
How can we move towards higher density housing developments which are attractive, practical and viable?
Are there areas of the County that could accommodate taller buildings?
How can we effectively address the Climate Change Crisis and the Biodiversity Crisis, through the Development Plan process?
and hence contribute to the global movement of migrant workers.
Currently throughout Kildare we see developments being built which are not climate proofed, are not built to current best practice, have no natural flood management systems installed, and are currently destroying hedgerows and other habitats.
This information could then be easily copied and pasted into more local awareness campaigns in towns and villages by community volunteers (to empower and facilitate communities, to avoid well intentioned community organisations giving out inaccurate information, to increase efficiencies and avoid having to reinvent the wheel.
2. Economic Opportunity: Innovation, Enterprise and Employment
Questions to Consider
How can we secure an economic environment for County Kildare which will future-proof its current jobs, attract new jobs into the future to provide an economic environment which is adaptable to change?
How can the Plan ensure a strong economy, supported by Enterprise and Innovation?
How can the Plan support indigenous small-scale enterprise, agriculture, the equine industry and rural enterprise?
How can the Plan support the education and skills sector?
What are the infrastructural shortfalls which are hindering economic growth and development in the County?
How can we support and protect traditional on-street retailing with the increase of online shopping and encourage new business looking to locate within our town centres?
How can the Plan best support new and evolving economies in an era of e-business, work patterns that reduce the demand to travel and promote home based economic activity?
What policies and developments can support Increased employment in the County, such as co-working hubs, ‘maker space’ incubation hubs, creative hubs/town initiatives and synergies with Maynooth University?
What can the Plan do to support tourism in Co. Kildare? Are there areas that have the potential to be developed for tourism and recreational purposes?
What measures are required to make our towns and villages more vibrant and attractive as places to live in, work in, shop and visit?
Are there economic opportunities associated with climate change mitigation that the Plan can harness?
3. Climate Action: Environment, Climate Change and Adaptation
Questions to Consider
How can the Plan best support the challenges of climate change?
How can the plan support our transition to a low carbon resilient and environmentally sustainable economy?
How can the Plan achieve a balance between the growth of the County and the protection of the environment?
How can the Plan address flood risk and build resilience to better cope with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events?
How can the Plan increase the levels of renewable energy production and energy efficiency in the county while protecting the environment, the landscape and public amenity?
What methods should be encouraged to maximise renewable energy provision for commercial developments and individual homes?
What are the main environmental issues that currently face the county?
What measures can be introduced to protect and safeguard the water quality of our rivers and groundwater?
Are there adequate recycling facilities in the county and if not, where should they be located?
Should we encourage greater use of green roofs, green streets or other green infrastructure approaches (e.g., tree planting) in new or existing development to provide solutions in relation to water management and the need to adapt to the predicted impacts of climate change?
What measures or strategies can be included in the Plan to support the protection and enhancement of our environment in our daily lives?
How can the Plan support sustainable energy communities in County Kildare?
4. Sustainable Mobility: Movement and Transport
Questions to Consider
What should be done to encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport more?
How can we reduce the need to travel and/or travel more sustainably beyond Co. Kildare, for example, for work, retail or recreation purposes?
Is new or improved transport infrastructure required in the County and, if so, where?
How should we manage private car access and parking in our towns while at the same time making our towns vibrant places?
How can rural living be more sustainable and rural isolation reduced with greater accessibility?
Rural living can only be sustainable if the people living there can find employment in their locality.
New one-off housing should not be allowed unless people are directly working in the locality.
Rural isolation is generally experienced by our elderly people who have lost community members. Supports should be in place for these people to connect with other elderly people, for example:
How can we create successful streets that easily facilitate the needs of cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles, in our towns and residential areas?
How best can we co-ordinate and integrate transport and land use planning in order to reduce the demand for travel and dependence on private car transport?
Do we need more Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points in our towns/villages? If so, where?
Where are the most suitable locations for Park and Ride or Park and Stride facilities?
How can we promote best use of Transport Infrastructure, existing and planned, and promote sustainable and active modes of travel?
Naas and Maynooth will benefit from their designation as key towns. Consequently, the Council must require higher standards for the level of bike parking especially at new schools compared to elsewhere in the county
5. Creative Places: Social, Community and Cultural Development
Questions to Consider
Are there adequate community facilities in our towns and villages throughout the County? If not, where are the deficiencies/gaps?
What policies should be included in the Plan to support and enhance childcare and retirement living options in the transition to nursing home provision throughout the County?
How can the Plan promote social inclusion and equality for all our citizens?
and hence contribute to the global movement of migrant workers.
Are the current standards for public open space provision associated with new developments appropriate?
What policies and objectives need to be put in place to ensure recreational and community resources meet the demand of Kildare’s growing population, while protecting existing resources from inappropriate development?
How can the value of existing community facilities be maximised?
6. Enhanced Amenity and Heritage: Landscape and Green Infrastructure
Questions to Consider
How can we promote coordinated spatial planning to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of our protected habitats and species including landscape and heritage protection?
How do we achieve and maintain a balance between development pressure and protection of our built and natural heritage?
How should we protect and enhance Green Infrastructure and ecosystem services and promote the sustainable management of farmlands, peatlands, uplands, woodlands and wetlands?
Are there any buildings or structures of special interest in your area that should be added to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS)?
How can the Plan encourage the reuse of Protected Structures that have fallen into disuse?
How can natural heritage and biodiversity be enhanced?
How can greater access to the natural, built and archaeological heritage be facilitated, while having regard to the sensitive nature of many sites?
How can we enhance, integrate and protect our arts, culture and heritage assets to promote creative places and heritage led regeneration?
7. Making it happen: Infrastructure, Energy and Communications
Are there infrastructural deficits which are inhibiting economic growth and development in the County?
How can the Plan support the relevant external agencies in the provision of electricity, gas, water, wastewater, renewable energy, telecommunication and broadband infrastructure?
How can we conserve and enhance our water resources to ensure clean water supply, adequate wastewater treatment and greater resource efficiency to realise the benefits of the circular economy?
What nature-based solutions are there for surface water management and how can these be integrated into the Plan?
Should the Plan give positive support to the development of renewable energy at the expense of other considerations?
How can we encourage the use of renewable energy sources?
Given the rapid expanse of the digital world, ecommerce, on-line shopping, social media platforms and cloud solutions, there is increasing demand for data centre developments – how can Kildare best respond to this emerging demand, space and electricity requirements?
Are there economic opportunities associated with climate change mitigation that the Plan can harness?
This will help identify threats and opportunities. Opportunities can translate to business and economic opportunity. Engage local community in all of these efforts. KWETB are already doing some of this. Make it organised. Take control of it. People know we have huge issues. They want to see local government taking radical direct convincing action. Just do it.
Transport Modal Shift and Active Transport
The EU & National direction on transport aspires to a modal shift to Sustainable Transport i.e. walking, cycling and public transport. The distribution of population is a huge consideration with rapid growth areas particularly in the north east which are amongst the fastest growth areas in the country. The commuting patterns whereby 40% of kildare residents in employment commute outside the county (¾ of these to Dublin) while 60% remain within the county have altered due to Covid. Nonetheless levels of car use are unsustainable. The Council should proactively engage with other stakeholders such as the National Transport Authority to develop infrastucture to accommodate modal shift.
Within Kildare the focus is in the north-eastern part of the county where there is a concentration of major employers. A focus on bus service planning providing a framework for bus terminals in each town, adequate space for bus stopping and waiting in villages and appropriate bus connections and space at rail stations and other places where modes of transport interconnect. Increased security for bicycle parking must be included at these nodes. Even more ambitious Rail electrification is required extending to Sallins, Newbridge, Kildare and Monsterevin and Kilcock on the Galway line.
Good quality cycling and walking infrastructure are paramount to achieving a 15 minute Town model. Active travel indicators can be used to monitor and annually report on usage. Cycle lanes should be adequate in width and shared paths with pedestrians should only be used in exceptional lower volume traffic areas. This will future proof the cycle lane and footpath design as usage and traffic volumes increase. Planners should embrace cycling infrastructure design features which have proved successful abroad such as the Dutch designs of cycle lanes on roundabouts. Development of the Greenways, The Barrow blueway and indeed routes through peatlands should not be limited to tourist and recreational use only.
To facilitate the modal shift traffic calming measures should be increased in towns and villages. Where possible heavy goods vehicles should be removed from town centres except for deliveries. Also develop infrastructure for electric vehicles i.e. EV charging points and E- scooters.
In many other areas of lower economic activity and deprivation, rural isolation, which is often experienced by the more elderly in our community can be addressed by providing Community Services which incidentally where mobilised to great effect during Covid.
Reliance on documents such as the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) provides mandatory guidance for all urban roads and streets within the 60 km/h urban speed limit. It seeks to address street design within urban areas (i.e. cities, towns and villages) and to put well designed streets at the heart of sustainable communities. The National Cycle Policy Framework (as part of Smarter Travel – A Sustainable Transport Future) (2009) sets out a national policy for cycling, in order to create a stronger cycling culture, a more friendly environment for cycling and improve Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, (NTA 2016-2035).The greater Dublin area Cycle Network plan (2013) lays out both a rural Cycle Network and proposed cycle networks in towns.
All towns and rural areas should be bicycle friendly. The Council should support sustainable forms of transport, public transport, walking and cycling. New roads provide access to new communities and economic development in areas; and − Improvements to the national, regional and local road network. Promote the sustainable development of the county through the creation of an appropriately phased integrated transport network that services the needs of communities and businesses. In supporting sustainable modes of transport by spatially arranging activities around existing and planned high quality public transport systems.
Significantly increased support for cycling and walking with increased design and engineering capacity including drafting technicians, engineering staff and administration staff in the roads and transport department. Focus is required on improvement of accessibility for all users by provision of ramps and lifts in public buildings and publicly accessible spaces such as parks and sports facilities.
Please refer to enclosed submission for details
The ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic has highlighted a number of housing suitability issues for our elderly members of society, and the potential problems of an increasingly ageing future population.
Apart from Care Homes, Hospitals/ Institutions, there are not sufficient supports to help our elderly citizens retire and age within the own home or neighbourhood.
For example - where an active elderly person suffers a minor injury affecting their mobility for a short period. They may not be able to remain in their home without some adaption. Without the benefit of previous house adaptions, or perhaps a carer, the elderly resident may have to go to a
Care Home - even though they may not really need to or want to go there. In many cases the problem is with their house and not with them.
By placing a relatively healthy person into a more costly care situation it takes up a space potentially required for a person who has greater need for such care.
The publications from Housing and Health Departments, Local Authorities, and various Public and Private organisations active in this field suggest that there is a good appreciation of these issues. Based on the current and projections, by 2040 the current population of over 65’s will have doubled to 1.4 million people, or 23% of the total population.
This suggests that anyone over the current age of 46 will be in that group. Logic would suggest while the main emphasis needs to be on finding immediate solutions to the current elderly population, there should also be significant emphasis on planning for the current 50’s and 60’s age group.
This cohort may be in better position to plan for this surge of older population in the future.
They may be at a time in their lives where they are in better position to make choices about what they want their retirement/age preferences to be, and perhaps have more ability to control and deliver their preferences by acting now.
This early intervention is a common recommendation of Public and Charitable organisations. Many people express the preference to remain living at home. The steps taken to achieve this are not always implemented.
The State and Local Authorities need to examine the feasibility of modifying homes, and an examination to see whether there are any more suitable options nearby. All new housing or significant home extensions may have to go beyond the current building regulations in order for the housing stock to generate resilience to this forthcoming ageing scenario.
My proposal is that the Kildare County Development Plan will adopt a policy to prepare for this predicted population surge in the over 65’s. With the aim of ensuring that this will be a positive experience for all concerned.
We specifically request that the policy of early intervention be included.
Celbridge Cycling Campaign is a member of Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network (ICAN), the federation of Cycling Advocacy Groups, Greenway Groups, and Bike Festivals on the island of Ireland. Cyclist.ie is the Irish member of the European Cyclists’ Federation (www.ecf.com). Our vision is that cycling will be a normal part of transport and everyday life in Ireland.
We welcome this opportunity to comment on the Draft Development Plan 2023-2029, and note that a comprehensive, safe, segregated cycling network is a key enabler for at least four of the strategic issues: Sustainable Movement, Placemaking, Climate Action, Natural Heritage and Biodiversity. Given that cycling provides the best Return on Investment of all transport modes, the enhancement of cycling infrastructure should form an important element of the plan.
To achieve the goal of creating ‘high-quality, well designed and well-planned neighbourhoods’ the County Development Plan 2023-2029 must:
SUSTAINABLE MOVEMENT
The council should produce a mobility plan for the county that prioritises active travel and public transport. This should include a network of safe, segregated cycle routes that are suitable for people of all ages (8 to 80+).
An estimated 12,000 bikes are stolen in Dublin each year, and many of the people affected do not return to cycling. Therefore it is essential that the plan includes safe, secure and sheltered bike parking that meets the Dublin City Bike Parking Guidance. This means
The plan should include:
There is very little safe segregated cycling infrastructure in Celbridge. There is great opportunuites to connect the historic village to the greenways on the Royal and Grand canals and also to improve acccess for cycling for all ages and abilities to local schools, sports clubs and parks. Celbridge needs a more cohernt network strategy to help improve cycling for small jounreys to schools, shops and to increase tourism opportunities to attract passing cycling tourits from the Royal and Grand Canals.
A good example would be to connect the Royal and Grand canal as described in more detail in this artilce on IrishCycle.com https://irishcycle.com/2021/02/06/34355/ This could work both ways by promoting cycling tourism from the Grand canal to visit Celbridge and visit local sites and restaurants and cafes. According to the ECF there is 44 billion Euros generated from the cycling economy.
https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/cycling-tourism-europe%E2%80%99s-44-billion-euro-gold-mine
As George Monbiot so beautifully put it “Transport has always been about so much more than transport. It’s about the way we live. “
And now is the time to make a real difference to the way we all live.
We have an incredible amount of support for active travel in the Programme for Government. More specifically this government has mandated for cycle network plans to be created within every local authority. Yet so far we have not seen any real leadership on this from our Minister for Transport, a man we know is a huge advocate of active travel.
Unusually the funding is available for cycling (which we of course welcome), but without the network plans there is a danger that the funding is unlikely to have an impact on the way people travel for everyday journeys – in our cities, towns, villages and countryside.
Not long ago our near neighbours in Wales passed a law which placed a duty on all local authorities to create and maintain not just road networks, but walking and cycling networks too. A world first. An exciting step change. Or so we thought.
Unfortunately the Active Travel Wales Act has not achieved what it should have in the years since it was ratified. Studies suggest this is down to a lack of leadership, a lack of funding and a lack of engagement/enthusiasm/understanding from engineers in various Welsh authorities.
With a mandate here in Ireland that has a similar ambition – to map networks of routes in every authority - let’s not make the same mistakes, let’s learn from our nearest neighbours. They too saw the value in network plans. Yet they haven’t made them a reality. Not yet anyway. But let’s not give up on them. Even better – let us show them how it can be done. With a clear mandate, a Minister of Transport who is fully supportive and funding available – what could stop us now?
Strategic cycle network plans have huge value. They matter because, if used well they can be key to making the changes we need in terms of funding, ownership, understanding, integration, engagement and, crucially, behaviour change.
Regards
Paul Corcoran
Celbridge Cycling Campaign
To Whom It May Concern,
The Wind Energy Ireland (‘WEI’) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the consultation on ‘ Kildare County Development Plan Issues Paper ’
Please find our submission attached.
If you have any questions please do get in contact with me.
Best, Denis
This Plan will no relief traffice through Naas.
A. The Irish Tax Payer has paid for the widening of M7M9 motorway a spur should be taken from this road south of B&Q/ Harvey Normans and connected to Naas-Kilcullen Road and further link to the Ballymore Road.
b. Naas is taking Lorry loads of Inert material from Dublin a levy should be imposed on every Cum. Meter of material deposited in Walshtown Inertlandfills.
CThe Gallops inner Relief Roud should be maintained as a Green Belt with walkways and cycle paths for the People of Naas.
d. A new junction on the Blessington -Naas Road would be unsafe for residence and traffic. Heavy vehicals useing this route going to Kilcullen will have to turn right and then turn left and head for Craddockstown Road adding additional traffic to a residentual route.
e. This plan flies in the face of Proper planning in relation to Heavy goods vehicals,it is unsafe and does not protect residence and residentual routes for local housing.
Regards,
Joe Colfer
Please see attached
I should like to state at the beginning that many of the policies and objectives in the KCDP 2017-2023 are praiseworthy and reassuring. I find, however, that the resolving of priorities of conflicting issues and objectives can be a cause for concern.
It would seem we are at a sensitive moment with regard to the environment, a time when people are realising the critical relationships of the natural world and are more ready to adapt accordingly. I would urge KCC, therefore, to take bold steps with regard to our whole environment with its irreplaceable benefits critical to our survival.
Celbridge has a wealth of natural and built heritage through which it can, and does, offer much valued amenity. In common with other villages close to the capital it has expanded enormously to meet the ever-growing population demands. While understanding these demands, especially in housing, I believe it is now imperative to identify Celbridge's assets in a comprehensive and holistic way. There is a real need to identify and protect our outdoor spaces to enable and encourage healthy activity. This last year has demonstrated the vital importance of our green environment. Bio-diversity is much better understood and significant advances have been made to reinstate what has been neglected or lost. People have become much more aware of their surroundings and are, I think, willing to change their thinking.
The Liffey is a wonderful part of the green infrastructure of Celbridge and should be afforded, by precise identification, the protections already in place for other sections of the valley. The policies of 13.10.4.1 should be strictly implemented.
Liffey Valley Park Policy 14.12.7 of the KCDP 2017-2023 should be strengthened and advanced. This would be of great advantage to tourism in Kildare and would also meet Green Infrastructure objectives as in 13.10 .
For the duration of the pandemic, the demesne of Castletown has been a lifesaver for the residents of Celbridge and many others. The combination of built heritage, designed and natural landscapes have been fully appreciated.
There are two other demesnes on the south bank, St Wolstan's and Donaghcumper. This section of valley is precious.
I propose a river, or natural park for Donaghcumper. This could be linked to the north bank and would provide the necessary extra space for the growing population of Celbridge.
Any further increase in the population of Celbridge not already provided for, should not be allowed without better infrastructure in all its aspects.
I fully support the establishment of greenways, blueways and peatways but as we wait for these to be delivered it will be imperative to include further objectives in the KCDP and to afford the identified areas protection.
To this end I would suggest the environs of the Grand Canal, the Royal Canal and the valley of the Liffey be afforded strong protection.
The extension of an SAC from Lucan upstream to Straffan would be an excellent first step.
The Grand Canal could be very easily transformed into a greenway/blueway as many of the towpaths are in good order
Celbridge has a wealth of architectural heritage in its immediate valley setting and its environs. This is increasingly appreciated by Celbridge people and tourists who, we hope, will visit the village as well as Castletown. Let us preserve the historic fabric of the main street and its environs by fulling implementing the proposed Architectural Conservation Area. The village is a lively place of community, not in any way unused or moribund. Celbridge Tidy Towns has worked hard to enhance and conserve the village and it is increasingly a vital part of the public realm.
Celbridge Tourism and Heritage Forum has also worked to highlight the assets of the town. A policy to further progress such initiatives is needed.
Environment, Amenity, Heritage and Green Infrastructure combine for Healthy Placemaking, economic benefits follow.
With a unified vision in making policy and a recognition that what we have inherited cannot be replaced, I ask KCC to have regard to the unique heritage of Celbridge and its true value in dtermining their policies.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Please find attached Meath County Council Planning Departments Submission on Issues Paper for the Pre Draft Stage of Kildare County Development Plan 2023 - 2029.
Kindly acknowledge receipt of same.
Many thanks
Louise
Planning for Communities not Housing
The key focus of the County Development plans needs to be around developing sustainable communities and not just around zoning for housing. The explosion in population Kildare over the last 30 years has left a dearth of community facilities that the councils are now playing catch up to. Growth towns such as Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth along with smaller areas like Straffan need to ensure that local GAA, Rugby and soccer clubs have the required space available to them.
Infrastructure
The Development plan needs to account for infrastructure including roads, waste-water and bridges etc etc. A real example of this is Celbridge where there is one river crossing in a town with a population of 21,000 people living on each side of the river. This bridge was built at a time when the town catered for horses and people and had a population of a couple of hundred people.
Heritage
We need to have a plan to ensure our key Heritage sites such as the Wonderful Barn, Tea Lane, Castletown House, The Oblisk are supported fully and protected through the correct rezoning and financial support.
Tourism
Our plan must ensure we have a developed tourism plan to showcase our aforementioned heritage sites and promote them where possible. Our Greenways are another great opportunity to develop and in the plan we need to show how we can link them up to our towns to bring benefit to the economy.
Sustainable travel
In my SPC submission I put in the points below but I just want to reiterate them.
1.Electric Vehicles – Effectively set out a plan for on Electric Vehicles charging points
2.Rural Public Lighting- Rural Public Lighting Scheme. Examination of the issue of
rural lighting in terms of installation and lifecycle costs and in the context of the
current requirement on Kildare County Council to reduce its energy costs in line
with the EU Energy efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU).
3. Access & Disability – Access and Disability Progress – Development of Accessible
Public Realm Streetscapes.
4. Permeability local – Permeability between Housing Estates and within towns
5. Cycling – Ensure that sustainable travel with cycling is a key feature of the Development plan. This should include planning and the links of segregated cycleways both within and to all towns in Kildare.
6. Transport links -Policy and Planning on effective transport links across towns in
Kildare.
7.Rail Network- Plan on Integrating rail planning into County Developments
Planning including appropriate park and ride.
8. Bus Services – Policy on increasing capacity and identify express bus routes of
support commuters through working with the NTA, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus.
9. Public Parking- That the council review the policies around public parking in the
context of urban renewal, cycling and pedestrian amenity with associated
benefits to health and wellbeing, changing economic models and the transition
towards carbon-neutral societies.
10.Cycle and walking signage- That in a bid to increase driver awareness of walkers
and cyclists, that the council would invest in and roll out cycle and walking
friendly signage, solar powered speed signs with particular emphasis around the
schools.
11. Greenways & Blueway’s -Focus on Royal and Grand Canal Greenways and
Barrow Blueway to a high-quality standard plan amenity to make them into
thriving connections and tourist destinations.
12. Road Network and Congestion- Focus on road developments that allow us to
reclaim our town centres, develop town centre, communities, vibrant main street
and reduce congestion and pollution in our towns
1.Electric Vehicles – Effectively set out a plan for on Electric Vehicles charging points
2.Rural Public Lighting- Rural Public Lighting Scheme. Examination of the issue of
rural lighting in terms of installation and lifecycle costs and in the context of the
current requirement on Kildare County Council to reduce its energy costs in line
with the EU Energy efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU).
3. Access & Disability – Access and Disability Progress – Development of Accessible
Public Realm Streetscapes.
4. Permeability local – Permeability between Housing Estates and within towns
5. Cycling – Ensure that sustainable travel with cycling is a key feature of the Development plan. This should include planning and the links of segregated cycleways both within and to all towns in Kildare.
6. Transport links -Policy and Planning on effective transport links across towns in
Kildare.
7.Rail Network- Plan on Integrating rail planning into County Developments
Planning including appropriate park and ride.
8. Bus Services – Policy on increasing capacity and identify express bus routes of
support commuters through working with the NTA, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus.
9. Public Parking- That the council review the policies around public parking in the
context of urban renewal, cycling and pedestrian amenity with associated
benefits to health and wellbeing, changing economic models and the transition
towards carbon-neutral societies.
10.Cycle and walking signage- That in a bid to increase driver awareness of walkers
and cyclists, that the council would invest in and roll out cycle and walking
friendly signage, solar powered speed signs with particular emphasis around the
schools.
11. Greenways & Blueway’s -Focus on Royal and Grand Canal Greenways and
Barrow Blueway to a high-quality standard plan amenity to make them into
thriving connections and tourist destinations.
12. Road Network and Congestion- Focus on road developments that allow us to
reclaim our town centres, develop town centre, communities, vibrant main street
and reduce congestion and pollution in our towns
I note the success of Greenway development all over the island of Ireland which is to be welcomed as amenties for locals and tourism alike. As these Greenways in Kildare are to be located along the canal routes (Grand and Royal) it would be wonderful to see increased usage of the canal for boating and watersports.
As a barge owner, I am very familiar with the sense of wonder an onlooker experiences when they witness a barge travelling the canal. Numbers of barge owners are increasing, but unfortunately the amenties and infrastructure is not there to support this. I suggest increasing the number of wooden jetties for boat owners to safely moor their boat, for example a wooden jetty on the west side of the bridge in Sallins. Also, I suggest restoration of the existing, infilled dry dock in Sallins as a location for boat owners to work on their boats. Alongside this infrastructure along the greeway routes for walkers, cyclists, etc. would be very welcome such as bins, service blocks.
I also suggest looking at the re-development of the Corbally Lines and Mountmellick lines of the Grand Canal for boat navigation and similar greenway development.
See attached
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Age friendly housing
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Bru Na Riogh Residents
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Specific
Priority Road Project; That Road Objectives for Kildare CC, specifically for Naas MD, should include a Road Objective to 'Complete the last Section of Naas Inner Relief Road', by selecting a previously considered and much favoured Route 6, through undeveloped lands between Blessington and Tipper Roads, through Naas RaceCourse farmland and onto the Naas-Dublin Road at the Fishery Lane Roundabout, since the Executive Promoted Route, was constitutionally overturned in 2019 and no alternative route has since been brought forward for members' approval.
General.
National Development Recognition;That Kildare CC Planning & Economic Development Section and SPC should prioritise an objective to obtain a Southern Axis Business Corridor Designation in the next National Development Framework Plan from The National Development Agency, for central Kildare, by promoting its economic development, workforce and educational base, 3rd level accessibility, its energy, water, communications, transport and public services supports, good and continuously available housing stock, by directly promoting those factors to the National Development Agency.
Representation to Planning Authorities; That Kildare County Council representatives to the Regional RSES Authority should be members who are fully informed on Kildare Economic & Planning Objectives
a) Nominees from the Strategic Policy Committee on Planning & Economic Development and
b) one each from North, Mid and South Kildare Areas and
c) they must promote the adopted SPC policy positions of Kildare County Council
Representation on Kildare CC Planning & Development SPCs; Again, I am calling on the Chief Executive and Directors of Planning & Development, to ensure that any economic or commercial body, invited to nominate a person on that SPC, should not nominate a person with vested property or fiduciary interests in any part of County Kildare.
Voting Coverage on LAPs: That the system of what appears to be deliberate over-lapping Municipal LAP considerations across two municipal boundaries to widen the voting requirement across a full county representation of 40 members, should be discontinued as an executive ploy to obtaining a way around a divisive or solid block vote against unrelated boundary matters in any one Municipal Committee.
Economic Development;.That Kildare CC should form its own high-powered promotional and marketing group, to encourage and bring high investment, national and international companies, supported by modern and futuristic logistics and technology, to base themselves in County Kildare, rather than waiting for a phone call from an interested body. Our highly populated county with a well-educated workforce needs to divert from its high dependency on Dublin based employments, towards a more wide based economic platform of sustainable jobs and businesses. Our County suitability needs to be promoted at the highest levels of national and international business against the backdrop of changing work patterns, with a worldwide employee base.
Tourism Industry;That Kildare CC Economic Development Section, engage a Consultancy Study that would consider a KCC spearhead on the formation of a Tourism Destination Centre, sited adjoining and in collaboration with HRI, DoD, Curragh Racecourse and Tourism Investor Groups, where a combination of equine and military related events, Casino, food exhibition and entertainment centre and the widespread availability of smaller local tourism attractions, could be combined with the calendar of bloodstock racing, as a Tourism Rendezvous Centre, similar to created tourism bases in Fota Island, Centre Parcs, Tayto Park or Titanic Centre, where no previous tourism related bases previously existed.
Yours sincerely,
Seamie Moore. Councillor Naas MD Kildare CC.
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NAAS COMMUNITY MENS SHED SUBMISSION TO KILDARE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Introduction
NCMS is one of 450 Men’s Sheds established throughout Ireland which have more than 10,000 members. The NCMS was set up in 2014 and now has 60 members. The Shed premises is located on the Dublin road at the entrance to Kings Furze estate. The Shed has two primary objectives
Our Vision:
NCMS members consider county Kildare a great county to live in and particularly Naas and its surroundings where most of our Shedders live. Our members are from all walks of life and are either retired or semi-retired apart from a small number are still in full employment. Our shedders would love to see Naas develop its infrastructure so that all its citizens and visitors would feel safe and secure whether walking, cycling, shopping, or socialising in the town environ.
NCMS Recommendations for inclusion in the plan to achieve our Vision.
Conclusion
The NCMS is very supportive of Naas town and our Shedders consider it a great place to live. Including the recommendations, we have made in the plan will further enhance its attractiveness and make it an even more friendly, inclusive, and smashing place to live.
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Submission attached below.
See sybmission below.
