GARDEN OUTING

The Annual Dalkey Community Garden Outing is taking place on Wednesday, 20 July.  The outing is going to County Wicklow and County Carlow, namely, Ram House, Coolgreaney, Co. Wicklow (tea/coffee, cake included in price), Rathwood, Tullow, Co. Carlow Garden Centre and Restaurant where lunch will be served (lunch not included in price) and Altamont Gardens, Tullow.  Entrance fee to gardens, coach and morning coffee included in price (lunch not included).  Price: €22. 

This day outing is open to all residents of Dalkey. 

The meeting point for coach is Cuala car park, Hyde Road at 09.45 sharp.  Returning to Dalkey at approximately 18-18.30 hours. 

Those interested please contact 285 0280

The Chairperson welcomed three new members to the Council, Bill Conway who will represent Castle Park Road, Paddy Lowry for Old Quarry and Leanne Murphy for Dalkey Avenue (lower).

Heritage: A considerable amount of restoration work is necessary to upgrade the old graveyard. After a lengthy discussion by the members it was agreed that an article would be published in the next Newsletter to highlight it’s neglected state and gauge the local community’s reaction to it. (See article inside)

Functions: The Garden Outing is 20th July and is open to residents in Dalkey.

AOB: A member brought up the problem of refuse collection from Church road where the truck has been unable to get access along the road due to parking on both sides of it. Unfortunately the residents opted to remain out of the parking scheme but may reconsider when the traffic review is held. Rockfort Avenue suffers from the same problem and urgent attention is required for the many potholes in the road. DCC will follow this up.

The parking on Tubbermore Road is proving an acute problem and residents are finding it difficult to get a space.

The meeting acknowledged Norah Hart who has left DCC after many long years of valuable service. She was always a very energetic and positive person serving as Chairman, Secretary and was a wonderful member of the Functions Committee. The Community Council wishes her all the best in the future.

As there was no further business the meeting ended.

The Dalkey Girls Under 16 Hockey made it into the Dublin Final.  Dalkey played Shankill to see who would represent Dublin in the next round.  The match took place on Friday, 27 May a lovely day for a game of hockey and with support from the girls’ families made it a great evening.  Unfortunately, after giving it their all Dalkey lost 2 – 1 in a very exciting match.  Dalkey received Silver Medals and for some it was the first medal they had ever won but most importantly the match brought out the true spirit of Community Games. The girls played as a team with ages ranging from 11 – 15 years. The match brought out all their strengths and how they supported each other and worked as a team.

Well done to all the girls and I hope to see you next year and one never knows it could even be gold                                                                                 
KAREN  HOGAN

PLANNING REPORT FOR AGM 2005
There were 140 applications for planning permission in the Dalkey area compared with 125 lodged last year. There were also 27 applications deemed invalid: this is a similar number to last year. There were 10 applications for retention, several related to the same property in some cases. Additional information was requested for 27 applications and supplied in 24 cases, some requiring further clarification. 102 decisions were made, of these, 90 were granted permission and 12 were refused;

24 applications were deemed invalid for a variety of reasons, often for incorrect site notices. A subsequent application was usually lodged within a month from the original application. 16 cases were appealed to Bord Pleanala. Of these, there were 6 - 1st party appeals against the conditions imposed by the County Council and 10 - 3rd party appeals against the grant of permission by the Council. We lodged an appeal in 1 case and sent in submissions in 2 cases. Bord Pleanala granted our appeal against the permission previously granted by the Planning Department. I will be referring to this application in more detail later.

The Bord handed down 16 decisions, of these, 13 had previously been granted permission by the County Council’s planning department and 3 had been refused.
Of the 3 cases refused permission by Bord Pleanala, all had previously been refused permission by the planning department. On average, it takes approximately 6 months for the Bord to reach a decision –a similar time scale as last year.

In regard to planning applications, I should like to stress to everyone, the importance of vigilance in respect of site notices. If one appears in your neighbourhood, it is important that you find the time to inspect the relevant plans for the particular application in the Planning Office in County Hall, Dun Laoghaire to find out if the proposal will affect your property. The applicant must lodge the plans within the following 14 days of erection of the site notice
Following the lodgment of plans in the planning office, the public has 35 days to submit their observations and objections, accompanied with a €20 fee. If you believe you will be affected, it is vital that you write into the planning department to voice your concerns. The planning authority will then make their decision.
Following the decision, the public has 28 days to appeal to Bord Pleanala if they had previously submitted the relevant objection to the planning department. The fee for this is €210. Following the lodgment of an appeal with An Bord Pleanala, the public has 28 days to submit their observations, the fee being €50 in this case.

There are several applications that are of general interest to which I shall now refer.

9 Dalkey Ave
I had reported at last year’s AGM that we were waiting for Bord Pleanala’s decision to our appeal against the decision to grant permission for three town houses on this site, the former Stuart’s Garage. We had felt that the development would be inappropriate on the grounds of over development of the site with inadequate parking facilities on a busy thoroughfare into Dalkey, inadequate private open space and overshadowing of the properties in Kilbegnet Close at the rear of the site amongst other reasons. Some of the residents in the immediate vicinity had also lodged their own appeal. The Bord subsequently refused permission in March, reflecting our concerns.
In August, a new development was proposed, consisting of three 2-bedroom apartments in a 2 and 3 storey block with associated car parking. Again, we had similar concerns as previously, especially with the overshadowing of the single storey houses at the rear of the site in Kilbegnet Close and the proximity to the railway line.
The Planning Department eventually granted permission for this proposal last month. We still have concerns about this development and have appealed to Bord Pleanala

The Tramyard
This site has seen two previous applications for a large apartment complex with underground car parking, one in June 99 and another in April 2001. Both of these applications were substantially the same, and both were eventually appealed to Bord Pleanala. Both times the Bord refused permission on the grounds of inappropriate design and excessive bulk in relation to the special nature of Castle St and the failure of the design to integrate with the town centre

In June of last year, a proposal was lodged for 28 apartments and 6 commercial units, a children’s play area, a facsimile tram, and an underground car park.

We were concerned again by the design and the bulk of the proposal amongst other problems. Several residents in the immediate vicinity also contacted us to express their reservations and we then submitted our observations to the Planning Department. The application was refused as it was considered that it would constitute a form of development out of character and unsympathetic to its location in a Conservation area in the centre of a Heritage Town and in close proximity to protected structures.

However, another application for a similar development was made in November and we felt that the scale, design and bulk of the proposal were still unacceptable. We therefore lodged our objections but the planning department subsequently granted permission for the development. We lodged an appeal with Bord Pleanala and await their decision in the next few months.

31 Castle Street
An application for a tearoom and wine bar and an apartment in a two and three storey building was lodged in December 03 at this address, which was the former Dalkey Dispensary. We were concerned that the proposal indicated that an additional storey was to be added to the rear of the building and that the entire site was to be built upon, leaving no external open space for the property. We were also worried about overshadowing and loss of outlook for adjacent buildings and the lack of any provision for parking for either staff or customers. We expressed our concerns to the planning department, but in April, they granted permission for the development. We were unhappy with this decision and subsequently appealed to Bord Pleanala. Their building inspector agreed with our concerns and recommended permission to be refused; however the Bord felt that the problems indicated by their inspector could be overcome by way of conditions imposed by them and they then granted permission with additional conditions in April 2004.

14 Castle Street
Another application causing us concern is a recent application at this address, the Tramyard Gallery. The landlord has lodged an application for change of use from a gallery to a “take-away” pizzeria. We feel that this is an inappropriate use of a Protected Structure in a Conservation Area in the only Heritage Town in the county, especially in light of the existence of several other take-away facilities in Castle St. We have submitted our concerns to the planning department.

In relation to Castle St, we have received many comments about the problems facing pedestrians and motorists at the junction of Castle St and Dalkey Ave. at the newly built apartments, Castle View. It is unfortunate that the planning authorities did not take the opportunity to set back the development and widen the pavement at this dangerous corner as visibility is limited for motorists, and pedestrians are in fear of their lives as they attempt to negotiate the junction. We have raised these issues with the Traffic Department.

Dalkey Park
This application for 40 apartments in four 3-storey blocks caused huge concern for the residents in this established neighbourhood. The plan proposed that the scheme would be built on the green space at the heart of this residential area, thus depriving them of this greatly used and enjoyed amenity. There was widespread opposition to the development, many residents voicing their concerns to the planning department directly as well as supporting their residents association in its resistance to the proposal.
We lodged our objections in support of the residents in the area on the grounds of loss of amenities, overlooking, inappropriate design and inadequate infrastructure amongst other concerns.
The planning department refused permission on the grounds of materially contravening the land –use zoning objective of the County Development Plan as well as confirming the reasons the residents and we had cited.

Nirvana, the Flags
This development has aroused serious disquiet over the destruction of part of our local heritage as during the construction phase of this large house, the Flags were damaged and the hedgerows removed. Vehicular access for construction traffic from Ard Brugh Rd to the site was created thus destroying much of this part of the Flags. There are also concerns about the many unauthorised alterations to the granted planning permission, the question of inappropriate design and scale, and overlooking of neighbouring properties. The developer applied for retention for these changes in December and we voiced our opposition to this to the planning department.

ESB Substation at the DART Station

In April local residents informed us of the intention of the DASH project to construct a 38-metre substation and switching apparatus along the DART line, south of Dalkey DART station facing Sorrento Drive and bounded by Ardeevin Rd in conjunction with the E.S.B.

We were aware that C.I.E. and the E.S.B. would normally have “exempted development” status for many of their projects, but this proposal involved the construction of a substation of 38kV, which would therefore not be exempted development under Section 29 of the 2000 Planning Act. We were involved in discussions with the Planning department, County Councillors, T.D.s and the DASH managers and personnel located in Dun Laoghaire station to attempt to have the proposal go through the usual planning process so that the public would be able to express their concerns. Unfortunately, this did not happen and we then tried to have the plans modified so that the proposed building was ‘moved’ farther down the line and not immediately in front of the bungalows on Sorrento Drive. Again we were met with complete negativity, although it was agreed eventually to face the structure with granite to attempt to disguise a very basic ‘design’. We find this a very unsatisfactory situation, as there is no possibility of the public being consulted.

We were therefore extremely annoyed when we discovered earlier this year that CIE have allowed Vodafone to increase the height and output of the communication mast adjacent to the newly constructed substation. Work initially began at the site, but has ceased for the last week. Residents were understandably concerned and have contacted local representatives to voice their opposition to the development.

However, C.I.E. have informed residents this week that the new mast will not be erected on this site.

Wind farms in Killiney Bay

We have learned recently of the possibility of a wind farm project to be sited in Killiney Bay. It would appear that a proposal for 14 wind turbines, similar to those off Arklow, are being proposed for the Kish Bank. Department of the Marine have confirmed that foreshore licences had been granted for initial exploration some years ago and contracts have been offered to companies to produce two offshore wind demonstration projects for the Kish Bank and the Bray Bank. This area stretches from the Kish lighthouse to just past Bray Head, so will be highly visible across Killiney Bay. Foreshore leases have already been awarded for the construction of 200 turbines on the Arklow Bank and another 200 on the Codling Bank off Greystones

A problem arises in that the permitting process for offshore wind farms, a relatively new phenomenon, is completely inadequate. Because they are situated offshore normal land based planning procedures do not apply. The permitting process appears to be one of the most lax in Europe as no offshore wind farms of a similar scale have been permitted so close to a heritage coastline anywhere else in the E.U.

Once a proposal for such a wind farm is proposed to the Department of the Marine, public notices are placed in the media and the public have only 28 day to lodge their concerns with them. Following internal consultations within the department, the Minister of the Marine makes the final decision. There is no appeals process; Bord Pleanala has no jurisdiction over marine applications.

While we appreciate the necessity for renewable energy, we feel that the impact and economic viability of such proposals needs further discussion and information, and a more transparent planning process devised.

We have been informed by the Department of the Marine that they anticipate this proposal for the Kish Bank to be put before them in the next two months. We will keep you informed of any further information we receive.

County Development Plan

As you will remember, we sent submissions to the County Council for the new County Development Plan that came into effect last year. We had looked for the introduction of several items pertinent to Dalkey; while there are references to Dalkey in the new Development Plan, we feel that they appear aspirational only.

We had asked for a Traffic Management and Parking scheme to be put in place. As you are aware, a Parking scheme has been introduced with varying success depending on whom one asks. However, it is obvious to everyone that enforcement remains a problem.

We believe that Dalkey is presently being examined with the aim of designating it as an Architectural Conservation Area within the lifetime of the Plan. This is to be welcomed, as it is vital that every protection is put in place to preserve our Heritage that appears to be under pressure from many quarters.

I should finally like to thank the members of the Planning Committee, Yvonne Fogarty, Ann Purcell, Nora Hart and Pat Egan for their time and hard work during the past year. We will continue to work to protect this beautiful area for all its residents and visitors alike.

Dr Susan McDonnell

(Chairman, Dalkey Community Council) 

In general regular weeding, watering and hoeing is the order of the day.
Lawns: Cut (but not too short so soil stays cooler and water regularly) and weed, also trim edges.
Vegetables: Sow carrot and lettuce, plant out broccoli, winter cabbage, winter cauliflower, leeks, sprouts and kale for winter use, protect summer cauliflowers by bending leaves over the curd, when you have lifted the early crops replace with winter vegetables, spray tomato plants to protect against blight and repeat every 7 to 10 days.
Flowers and Shrubs: Take geranium and carnation cuttings, remove faded hydrangea blossoms and take cuttings, prune delphiniums and other tall perennials and flowering shrubs as their blossoms fade, sow wallflowers, forget-me-nots and pansies, plant out biennials, prune clematis and wisteria when flowering is over, spray roses to prevent black spot and mildew.
Fruit: Prune currants and raspberries following fruit harvest, clear strawberry beds of straw and weed thoroughly, prune new blackberry canes, continue to spray for pests and disease.
PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER TO …………
………. Cut back any branches, hedges etc. that may be hanging over on to the path and cause difficulty and/or injury to neighbours and pedestrians.

This Scheme aims to address the problems of untreated sewage being discharged at Coliemore Harbour. To achieve this aim, DunLaoghaire Rathdown County Council propose to construct a holding tank, two new underground pumping stations and interlinking pipelines to transfer foul water to Bulloch Pumping Station for onward transfer and treatment to Ringsend.

Information Evening
Upstairs, Dalkey Library
Tuesday 5th & Thursday 7th July
5.30 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.

The dinner was held on 21 May in the Northover Hall, St. Patrick’s. It was a most enjoyable evening, attended by past and present members of the Council. Guest speaker Peter Pearson gave an enthusiastic and knowledgeable talk with slides of Dalkey and its environs. There were many wonderful slides of places and houses and the history of them. Our thanks to Reverend Ben Neill for the use of the Hall, Joan Davies for her help and all those who helped set-up and clear away.

Colette

• Avoid being in the sun when it is as its strongest – between 11am and 3pm.
• Wear t-shirts (with sleeves and high collars) and long shorts made from closely woven fabric.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect your ears, nose and back of the neck.
• Apply a high protection sunscreen (at least SPF 15), 20 minutes before going outside and re-apply at least every 2 hours – more often if swimming or perspiring.
• Wear wraparound sun-glasses to protect your eyes (European Standard EN 1836).
  

At the time of going to press we were experiencing some quite hot and sunny weather. We Irish, as soon as we see a few rays of sunshine, tend to rush out to make the most of it but please remember the following tips:

From Thursday, 7 July to Sunday, 10 July the Yacht clubs have combined to organise the largest sailing event in Ireland this year with an expected 500 boats and a full programme of entertainment and activities ashore ensuring a lively festival atmosphere around the waterfront and in the town.                                                               Courtesy DLRCOCO

Don’t forget that during the summer months we are being judged for the Tidy Towns Competition.  So please make that little extra effort to keep Dalkey clean.  If you would like to help at the regular clean-up days please see the notice board at Our Lady’s Hall for details. 

Following the implementation of the pay by weight for the bin collection service, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has now undertaken a review of the bagged collection service. Following this review, the Council is introducing a revised charging mechanism for Environmental Waste Charges for householders in receipt of a bagged collection service.
The standing charge of €80 per household per annum still applies unless the householder qualifies for the waiver. Householders on a bagged collection will be required to purchase a bag label for each refuse bag they present for collection. The label must be affixed to the refuse bag by the householder and only those refuse bags with a valid label will be collected.
From 28th June 2005 labels will be available for sale at the Finance Cash office, County Hall (10am-4pm). The Council will also facilitate householders by issuing labels by post when a cheque is sent, in advance to the County Hall. The minimum purchase is 3 labels at €4 each, the maximum is 20 at any one time. “Tag a Bag” collection will apply from 4th July 2005. In the meantime householders in receipt of a bagged collection service may continue to present their bags without a label.

DLRCoCo

Bandstand Summer Recitals is a new Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council initiative for afternoon music by the Ottoni Brass Ensemble every Saturday and Sunday during the summer months around the parks of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Come along and enjoy this wonderful Brass Ensemble free of charge from 12-4pm.

July

• Saturday 2nd, 9th, 23rd – Marlay Park Rathfarnham
• Saturday 16th - Longford Gardens Seapoint
• Sunday 3rd, 10th, 17th - People’s Park Dun Laoghaire
• Sunday 24th - Sorrento Park Dalkey

New-Look Website!
Log on to www.dlrcoco.ie/library to see the brand new look homepage. With the new clean, clear icons it is much easier to renew on loan books online, check out the catalogue, see what’s new on the Events front and click onto the stunning new virtual exhibition.

Feile Filiochta
New entry forms for the 17th Feile Filiochta/International Poetry Competition are available in all libraries. Multilingual information and entry forms will also be available on the website, www.dlrcoco.ie/library. Closing date this year is Saturday 19th November 2005 and entries are to be sent to the following address: Feile Filiochta/International Poetry Competition 2006, P.O. Box 6983, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.

Book Club
The book to read for the meeting on Saturday 6th August @ 10.30am is:
“Transmission” by Hari Kunzru.
The book to read for the meeting on Saturday 3rd September @ 10.30am is:
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison.

Book Buddies
Thursday Children’s Story time at Dalkey Library will be taking a break for the summer.
Story time will restart again in September.

The Living History Day based at Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre every Wednesday is bringing increased footfall into Dalkey. Local history is brought to colourful life in the form of characters from the past in full period costume. Normal admission charges apply. St Begnet, medieval archers, maids, merchants and a medieval medicine woman all feature.
Walks Guided Walks continue in Dalkey on Mondays at 11.45; Wednesdays at 13.45 and Fridays at 11.45. Some of the local hostelries in Dalkey will give discounts for lunch as part of the package.
The Dalkey-Anglesey exchange funded by Interreg Community Initiative 111A of ERDF continues with Historical Tours, Artist and Language Exchanges. There will be Historical Tours to Anglesey on 19th & 20th July; 16th & 17th August and finally on the weekend of Sept 3rd & 4th. There are only a few places left for July at this stage, but there is availability for August and Sept.
Community Pageant
The first Welsh artist, Emyrs Williams is currently working with students from the Los Angeles Boys’ Home in Dalkey on part of the artwork for the Community Pageant to be held in Dalkey at end of September, to mark the end of the project. We hope to have a good representation from all the Dalkey primary schools involved in the making of the Dalkey goat and a Welsh dragon! We are looking for budding young artists aged 8-11 to help us.
The Black Sheep Art Group based in Dalkey, under the inspiration of Valerie Coombes, John Higgins and their team will provide their skilled expertise to coach the children in the various and many artistic aspects of prop-making and painting for the pageant. These sessions will run during July and August at the Black Sheep studio space in Dalkey. There will be a registration session on Sunday July 17th from 12.00 to 1.00pm at Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre. Places for the summer Art Workshops are limited, due to time and space constraints. Cost is €75 for 5 two-hour sessions.
Contact Valerie at 284 0644 or Una Balfe at 289 3939 for more details.
Later Deilg Inis Theatre Company will coach the movement of these wonderful figures. More details next month.

Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre Tel 285 8366