SKERRIES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION LTD.

SUBMISSION TO FINGAL COUNCIL IN RELATION TO DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

AUGUST 2004

Skerries Community Association is an association that has among its objectives:

	to safeguard all that is good about our community and environment
	to support local effort to get the best quality of life possible from the community and environment
	to foster community spirit, including an appreciation of, care of, and pride in our community and environment.

This to be done for all who live, work or visit Skerries, both current and future generations.

In this context, we wish to make a submission in relation to the County Draft Development Plan. We wish to ensure that the Fingal Council Development plan for Skerries is consistent with our objectives. Hitherto, we have co-operated with Fingal County Council on many projects and have ongoing communications on a range of issues. We have encouraged the residents of Skerries to take an active interest in this planning process.

Our key objectives in relation to the plan are:

	to facilitate reasonable increase in population where it is consistent with other objectives
	to safeguard the character of the town and its natural amenities
	to ensure that all additional housing is provided only when and if all required infrastructure is in place to cope with the extra population
	to provide much needed community and social facilities for the town as part of the development process.

Overall development strategy:

The Council’s overall development strategy for Skerries should remain the same with minor modifications i.e.:

	“The consolidation of the existing urban form with some limited additional zoning for housing and social/community infrastructure”
	“The longterm development area for Skerries is based in the main on the existing development area”.

Local area objectives should include the development of the harbour and the library

	to develop the harbour as an amenity for the Community and visitors, and serve as a commercial centre for fishing etc.
	to ensure that the library and adjacent site is developed further to meet the needs of the community

Additional housing:

We recognise the need for additional housing throughout Fingal, and that it is reasonable that some of this should happen in Skerries. However, this expansion must only occur in a way that is consistent with our objective to safeguard the character of the town, supported by commensurate infrastructure improvement; and that funds be provided for new community facilities.

Character of town and natural amenities:

The following need to be protected as the town develops:

	The “Shady Lane” approach to the town
	The railway bridge
	The harbour and Red Island
	The strand
	The Monument and town centre architecture
	The town centre green belt and sports facilities
	The Mill heritage site and mill pond.

These define the character of Skerries. The railway line must also be kept as the natural boundary of the town, with no large scale development to the west of the railway.

The amenities in the environs also need to be protected and enhanced. We are particularly keen to see a network for safe walking and cycling connecting Skerries, Ardgillan and Balbriggan.

Supporting infrastructure:

To date, there has not been sufficient infrastructure to cope with the population increase in recent years in Skerries. No further development should happen until roads, rail and schools are able to cope with growth in population. We need:

	Implementation of a traffic plan to manage parking and traffic movement in the town centre
	Retail facilities to serve the basic needs of the larger residential areas (e.g. Kelly’s Bay) to limit the need for access to the congested town centre
	Improved road access between Skerries and M1 (without impact on Shady Lane or railway bridge)
	Vastly increased rail seating capacity (not standee capacity) at peak hours
	Investment in schools, both primary and secondary.

Community facilities:

Skerries needs the following facilities, which should be funded by the Council, with some of this funding coming from development levies:

	Sheltered housing
	Day care for the elderly
	St. Michael’s house special National School premises
	Nursing home including respite care
	Centre for Meals on Wheels
	Community playgroup
	Sports pitches for expanding population.

Location of future housing development:

We note the proposals for locations of additional housing. We note, in particular, the planning guideline that housing be located close to railway stations.

However, in the context of Skerries, we do not favour development either to the west of the railway, or in the Ballast Pit. The railway forms a natural boundary for Skerries, and this should be preserved for the long term. The Ballast Pit is an amenity, and is a wildlife habitat. No development should take place here either, unless there is the provision of a major facility as part of it (e.g. swimming pool).

Future housing should be located only in the areas north of Kelly’s Bay towards Barnageera; and south of Hillside towards the Golf Club (Hacketstown).

Bob Laird, Chairman Skerries Community Association Ltd.