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SPORT AND RECREATION |
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In order to built the new houses, some green space is going to be lost. This includes space which is used at present for soccer and GAA pitches. How much will be left is anyones guess.
BRL and another Company, possibily Green Properties PLC, will build a Business and Technology Park. This will be a Joint Venture agreement with both companies making huge profits. What will happen to these profits? The Business and Technology Park will be built close to the M50 Junction in an area which has the most pitches in Ballymun. The Business Park will consume most of the pitches there. In fact, as part of the award of the contract, the winning company is supposed to have 23 acres of land within 5Km of the site to exchange for the loss of the pitches. Accordng to an Irish Times Article, Green Properties doesn't have this 23 acres within 5Km. BUT EVEN IF THEY DID..... 5 Km is too far away for children to just walk to if they want to play football. |
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Let's be clear. We want the Business and Technology Park. There might not be many people at present in Ballymun who could fill the kind of skilled jobs it will supply (see Education), but there will be some jobs there for Ballymun people (though this is not guaranteed). And the Business Park will bring other businesses into the area. So Ballymun people will have some benefit from the Business Park. BUT We believe the loss of nearly all the pitches there is unacceptable. We believe the location and layout of the Business and Technology Park will have to be re-examined. Alternatives should be considered in consultation with the people of Ballymun. |
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SOCCER PITCHES AT PRESENT TOTAL...................................29 Balcurris Park............................1 Coultry......................................3 Poppintree.................................3 Naul/Sillogue............................22 Also Senior Comprehensive..........1 |
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GAA PITCHES AT PRESENT TOTAL..............................6 Balcurris Park.....................1 Poppintree..........................3 Naul/Sillogue.......................2 Also Senior Comprehensive...1 |
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There are 15 pitches shown on the Masterplan. This is made up of 5 pitches on Poppintree park, 3 pitches to the west of the Business and Technology Park and 7 pitches on private lands owned by Bovale Developments Limited at the Northwestern end of the estate. Bovale Developments are currently involved in the Flood Tribunal. The Bovale lands should NOT have been included in the Masterplan because they are private lands. BRL can not guarantee that Bovale Developments will provide 7 pitches on its land. The fact that a gas main runs under the Bovale lands makes this even more unlikely. Therefore after regeneration, according to the Masterplan, there will be only 8 pitches left out of the 37 we have at present. |
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BRL argue that the pitches are of poor quality and that wide, open spaces facilitate anti-social behavior. Therefore BRL should build on the pitches to solve these issues. However this ignores (a) the fact that the pitches are heavily used, by teams in Ballymun and also from outside Ballymun, and (b) the pitches are of poor quality only because of the lack of funding to make them better quality. That's why there are no changing rooms near the pitches. And anyway, what else are football pitches supposed to be except wide open spaces?
As for anti-social behaviour, BRL conveniently ignores its own arguments about wide, open spaces when it comes to the details of car parks to be provided just off the Main Street. These car parks will be wide open spaces (especially) at night time. But when it comes to car parks, BRL seems to have forgot that there is such a thing as anti-social behaviour.
The quality of the pitches is due to the fact that the land drains poorly and is subject to flooding. But again, BRL ignores it's own arguments when questioned on how BRL will solve the flooding problems. |
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POPPINTREE PARK The current plans for Poppintree Park are ridiculous and must be reconsidered. While it is reasonable to give over some of the Park for housing, the loss of nearly half the Park is unacceptable. This Park is a vital resource for local people and their children and must be preserved as much as possible. see Playgrounds |
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GREEN SPACE According to BRL, the average Green Space in Dublin is 10%. Presumably this means 10% of the total of any given area of development. Of course an average can be calculated in any way one chooses. BRL says that after regeneration, the average will be 16% and that this is more than the average for Dublin. So presumably we should be happy with this. However whether that 16% includes little green patches around trees no one knows since BRL has not said how they calculated this figure. There is a difference between green space and USEFUL green space. What's the Point? The point is this. That average of 10% is for Dublin as a whole, including the city, where you would not find as much green space as you would in a suburb like Ballymun. Go to many other suburbs and you will find much more than 16% green space. But even though Ballymun is a suburb, BRL are developing it into a city-like area. Ballymun should, and can be retained as a suburb with the higher quality of life it can have as a suburb than a city centre-like area. (see housing densities) |
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