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Fine Gael representatives Leo Varadkar and Eithne Loftus have welcomed a major change of heart by council officials on their draft plan for the future development Blanchardstown Village, the Blanchardstown Urban Design Framework Plan. The plan will be submitted to councillors next Monday for approval but council officials will propose major amendments to the draft on the night following a Fine Gael campaign and intensive lobbying from local residents.

 

Among the changes being proposed by the council official are the following:

 

• The council has abandoned its proposal for a pedestrian access through Summerfield and Springlawn estates due to ‘residents objections which render it non-viable’.
• Retention of the Tennis Courts at Hazel Lawn as an amenity even if Supequinn is re-developed.
• Abandonment of a proposal for a 5-6 storey ‘landmark’ building on the site of the Bell.
• A professional traffic management study to be done prior to the provision of new bus lanes or elimination of on-street parking.

 

‘The Urban Design Framework plan for Blanchardstown is a good idea. We have had too much piecemeal and developer-led planning in Blanchardstown. But it is important to get the plan right. With this in mind, Fine Gael was very active on the issue. We organised a leaflet drop to inform residents of the plans, hosted a public meeting and Cllr Loftus and Cllr Dennison succeeded in getting the deadline for observations extended to give residents more time to make their views known. While the officials in the council have not taken on board all of the changes we proposed, they have responded favourably to most of the main changes that residents asked for’, said Deputy Varadkar

 

‘Over 130 residents made a submission to the council on the Blanchardstown Urban Design Framework. It was a genuine exercise in local democracy. I will be seeking more changes to the draft but I very much welcome the council’s change of heart on the proposals for high-rise at the Bell and pedestrian access through Summerfield and Springlawn which have been cul-de-sac estates since they were built’ added Cllr Loftus.

Related Document: Council Document responding to the submission made by members of the public