Plans to build the State’s largest town of 18,500 homes at Dunsink in north Dublin, near what was once the capital’s main landfill, are being opposed, with almost 400 objections submitted to Fingal County Council.
The vast land bank of more than 1,000 acres is the largest tract of undeveloped land inside the M50 and could accommodate a population of more than 46,000, making it the biggest town in the State, in advance of Drogheda, Dundalk, Swords and Navan.
The council has published a draft Dunsink Urban Area Plan to develop the land beside Finglas, Ashtown, Castleknock and Blanchardstown, in three phases, mostly of apartments, in blocks up to 15 storeys tall.
Hundreds of residents of the existing suburbs have made submissions to the council opposing the plans, in part or in their entirety, with concerns around increased traffic, height and density, the potential loss of a golf facility and the health risks associated with building near the old landfill.
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The landfill, once Dublin’s largest dump, closed more than 20 years ago. However, the council said, “given its previous use, this area has limited development potential”. Instead, it has designated the site, which occupies most of the northern section of the land bank, for a regional park, with the housing to be built in phases from east to west, south of the landfill.
Large numbers of submissions on the draft plan, made in advance of the deadline last Friday, said the health and environmental impacts of disturbing the dump remained a big concern.
Scribblestown Residents Association said it was not opposed to housing, but was concerned about leachate and gases escaping through excavation near the landfill. “Closed landfills generate gases for decades after their closure,” it said. “Exposing decades of toxic chemicals and toxic waste into the local environment is a huge risk.”
One Finglas resident wrote: “My main concerns are what toxic fumes will be released when it [the landfill] is disturbed.”
Another resident wrote: “Building on top of a dump? Definitely red flags there.”
Several submissions referenced the reliance on future transport, such as the Luas line to Tyrrelstown, which is not funded and not expected to be developed until after 2042.
One man wrote existing suburbs would “experience increased traffic congestion and pressure on public transport services for many years”. Another local woman said, “the proposed development of over 18,000 homes will place an unacceptable burden on an already overstretched road network”.
A large number urged against redevelopment of the Elmgreen Golf Centre to the west of the site, which the council said presents the opportunity for “more compact residential development” given its location near the M50. Submissions said it was a “vital public leisure and recreational amenity”.
Several submissions were opposed to the plan in principle.
“I personally don’t want to be looking at high-rise apartments. Build them elsewhere like Castleknock & surrounding areas. Finglas people are proud of their heritage & it should be left alone. We are not idiots that will take any bulls**t from anyone; leave our land, streets & roads alone,” wrote one resident.
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Another person wrote, in caps: “This is absolutely disgraceful and very unfair to think this can go ahead. We are all very annoyed and very angry and will not sit back.”
Another submission read: “I am disgusted on how this has been handled and rushed through with no consultation to any of the local communities affected. I am completely against any development of Dunsink as all trust has been lost with our local representatives. Fingal has just ignored the local community and thinks they can just push ahead with their plans regardless.”
One Finglas man said: “Fingal will create Dublin’s biggest slum if this plan goes ahead, and I assure you the antisocial behaviour from this daft plan will all be directed westward by the Community of Finglas, we don’t want your slum next door.
“Fingal have awakened a sleeping giant in Finglas. We will see you in the High Court,” he concluded (in caps).
The council said all submissions will be taken into consideration before a report is presented to councillors.
