Votes at 16 Campaign; The Southside People

Article by Jamie Deasy in the June 12th edition of the Southside People.

Press Release - Labour candidate Looney welcomes rejection of St Mel’s development

Dermot Looney, the Labour Party’s Greenhills representative and a candidate for next year’s local elections, has welcomed the Council’s rejection of a speculative development between St Mel’s Avenue and Greenpark Estate.

The proposal by Lansdowne Francs Properties to construct six houses on a grass play area was met with massive opposition from residents of both St Mel’s Avenue and Glendoo Close. Labour and its local representatives Dermot Looney, Cllr Eamonn Walsh and Pat Rabbitte TD were to the fore in opposing the speculative proposals.

The original application was neither rejected nor approved, with the developer being asked to send in additional information. However, according to the Council’s own documentation, records were discovered in the interim “additional information” period which showed that a previous application on the land was rejected due to concern about land ownership.

These concerns, which were raised on numerous occasions by Labour throughout this application process, were clearly influential in the final decision. The Council’s decision, available at http://www.sdublincoco.ie/524702.pdf, noted that “[t]he applicant has not demonstrated to the Planning Authority that he has sufficient legal interest to carry out the proposed development, as third party rights exist by virtue of the unfettered use of the land as public open space by the public at large for over 30 years.”

The status of the area as a play space was also copperfastened in the decision taken, with the Council also citing the “scale, height and bulk” of the proposals as being “visually out of character with the existing pattern of development in the area.”

Congratulating local residents on a hard-fought victory, Greenhills Labour representative Dermot Looney noted that “this decision should put the nail in the coffin of this speculative proposal and finally confirm this land as a public amenity for the residents of Greenhills and Greenpark. Although the developer can officially appeal this to An Bord Pleanála, I am confident that the grounds for refusal are definite.”

“While others remained quiet as mice on this open area, Labour were to the forefront of the campaign to retain the play area in the interests of the local community, with a public meeting, a number of leaflets, official submissions and close work with local residents,” Looney said. “Our staunch opposition to this proposal comes from a belief that open space such as this should be used in the interests of the local community. Now, I want to continue the dialogue I have started with residents on St Mel’s and in Greenpark as to how best their needs can be met with this area,” said Looney.

ENDS

The full application history on this site is available at http://www.sdublincoco.ie/index.aspx?pageid=144&regref=SD07A/0995

Speculators and Greenhills; A Community Responds

Last Saturday, June 21st saw the launch of the Greenhills Community Garden in the laneway at the rear of St Peter's and St James' Roads.

The garden was launched by local residents in response to a speculative development proposal on a patch of land we always knew as "The Green Triangle." I played lane football with friends nearby for years - though we'd always try to avoid stray shots to the triangle, which was overgrown and, betimes, infested with rats.

The land had been left in trust to the Greenhills Residents Association many years ago but fell into dereliction in recent times. Under a charitable guise, attempts were made over the past 3 years to build houses on it. But a campaign led by local residents on St Peter's and St James' Roads involving a mix of legal, political and community approaches managed to see off the threat of housing in favour of a magnificent idea of community allotments.

Chairman Pat Dunne, Secretary Eileen Kenny, Treasurer Miriam Cullen, Vice-Chair Christy Mullen and all those involved in the project were proud as punch last Saturday to see the fruits of their labour over that time recognised. The allotments share a variety of vegetables, fruits and flowers. I pass the site on a regular basis but was particularly impressed with how well it looked, - despite the rain - last Saturday.

The healthy crowd braved Saturday's wind and rain to tour the allotments and retired to the Greenhills Community Centre to share thoughts and a well-deserved celebration of their achievements so far. I was glad to be mentioned along with the variety of other political representatives in Pat Dunne's opening remarks before interim South Dublin Council Mayor Tony McDermott (Greens) cut the ribbon. Indeed, with the recent ward revision, it was more Council Chamber than wet laneway at times with Cllrs Joe Neville and Máire Ardagh (FF), Colm Brophy (FG), Cáit Keane (PD) and Mick Murphy (SP) there to press the flesh with Charlie O'Connor TD (FF), along with my Labour colleague Cllr Eamon Walsh.

Pat Dunne, who has chaired the project, was almost elected to South Dublin Council in 2004 as an independent socialist. We share a great many beliefs, including a mutual love of St Patrick's Athletic, and go as far back as 1993 or so when I was a lanky runner and Pat my coach for the Under 12 600m Community Games events! Having reached the Dublin final in my first year at that level I was unlucky enough to break my arm a few days before the Dublin Games the following year; Pat's commitment to community politics is beyond doubt and while I cannot say I share his party political analysis, he is someone for whom I have enormous respect.

From humble beginnings the Greenhills Community Garden has now become a shining light for communities across South Dublin as a response to speculation. And it has been a good couple of weeks for the Greenhills community, with the rejection of the St Mel's / Glendoo Close housing application (post to follow).

And the movement against speculation has led, importantly, to the rebirth of the Greenhills Residents Association. I was delighted to serve as a Committee member on the GRA for the last few months, but due to my candidature, had to take a step back. Photos from Saturday, taken by the GRA Chair, Alice O'Brien, are available at http://www.greenhillsresidentsassociation.org/html/gcgp_page05.htm . The more ardent of this blog's readers will be delighted to know that I manage to make it into Picture 9!

Blast From the Past

It was neither today nor yesterday that I started at this!

Here's a letter to the Sunday Independent from August 29th, 1999, age 16. It's in duplicate form at http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/a-university-freeforall-520339.html

Sir-

As a fifth-year vocational school student of working-class background, I am appalled by Miss Synon's selfish views on educational privatisation. Education is an entitlement for all, equally true for third-level as it is for primary school. Without nationalised colleges thousands are denied liberty to learn. Private colleges are simply unaffordable.

Dermot Looney, D12.

Local Levels of Affordable Housing a Sham

It will come as no surprise to local people, particularly those looking for their first home, that there is an acute lack of local houses available under affordable and social housing programmes. But the fact that just 17 of 753 houses procured for affordable housing in South Dublin County have been in the Terenure-Rathfarnham ward, which includes Greenhills, shows just how serious this is. The Council are in the process of procuring another 93 homes in the ward, of which just three are in Greenhills (Temple Manor).

I believe the limited “Part V Scheme” of the Planning and Development Act, which was intended to be used to ensure that 15% of all new housing developments would be for social and affordable purposes, has been an utter failure. Loopholes have been exploited to ensure that the social and affordable elements are relocated elsewhere, or as is very common, money is paid off to the Council to get around the clause.

In some cases, it has led to developers putting in speculative applications, such as at St Mel’s Avenue, in the hope that the affordable element will mean it is approved.

Working people deserve better than the speculator-led policy of the current Government. Labour believes in a strong-arming of housing policy and laws to ensure homes are available to those on modest or low incomes, and to eradicate the scourge of homelessness. I am committed to working with local authorities and residents in ensuring legitimate developments are supported, while continuing to take a stand against inappropriate development.