Sandymount residents call for establishment of taskforce to co-ordinate works

Dublin Editor

Residents of Sandymount in Dublin 4 are calling for the urgent establishment of an inter-agency taskforce to co-ordinate the development of a cycle path, flood defences, and sewage works along Sandymount Strand.

The Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association (Samra) is urging Dublin City Council, the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Irish Water to form a single entity to deal with the large-scale infrastructure developments planned for the seafront.

In a letter to local TDs and councillors, Samra said an integrated and co-ordinated approach was essential to prevent “a perpetuation of works and a never-ending cycle of piecemeal development” along the Dublin Bay Unesco biosphere.

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The residents’ intervention comes as the council’s appeal against a High Court decision which stopped the development of a two-way cycle track along Strand Road began this week in the Court of Appeal.

The council in August 2020 announced plans for the cycle project, which would have turned Strand Road into a one-way route with traffic only permitted to travel outbound from city to facilitate a two-way cycle track.

However, following a legal challenge by local resident Peter Carvill, of the Serpentine Avenue, Tritonville and Claremont Roads Group, and Independent councillor Mannix Flynn, the High Court last July ruled that the council needed planning permission for the path.

The council’s appeal of this decision was scheduled take two days this week. However, on Thursday, the second day of proceedings, the three-judge court ordered the council to provide further information about how it adopted a plan for the path.

The court also wants the council to explain how a decision it took in February 2021 in relation to the cycleway was rescinded a few days later on March 2nd and how this was never raised before the High Court when a challenge was brought against the plan.

New affidavit

The court requires Brendan O’Brien, head of the council’s technical services, to swear a new affidavit detailing the process. The case is due before the court again at the end of July.

The taskforce “was essential regardless of the decision of the Court of Appeal”, Samra said. “The works need to be done and they need to be integrated rather than piecemeal.”

In addition to the cycle path, flood-defence and sewage-remediation works are planned for Sandymount. The council hopes to start work on the Sandymount promenade flood defences later this year. Regular beach clean-ups are undertaken by the council when heavy rain occurs, causing sewage to discharge from the stormwater drainage system.

In response to queries, the council said it was already working closely with the relevant statutory agencies in relation to the works outlined in the residents’ group letter. “There is a very high degree of coordination between the relevant agencies in relation to all proposed works. In addition, the city council engages in extensive consultation with stakeholders in relation to proposed works. In these circumstances it is not clear what added value the proposed taskforce would bring.”

The OPW said the council has “structures” in place to progress the flood scheme. “The OPW is a member of these and would not have any objection to their extension to assist the council’s co-ordination with other related projects,” it said.

Irish Water said it had regular engagement with the council in relation to “any construction works and we will continue to liaise with all community stakeholders and our other partners in relation to such works”.