Sir, – Dublin is suffering from an inability to house its growing population. House prices are rising and homelessness is increasing. But do not worry, South Dublin County Council has a solution, reduce housing densities. The council proposes to build only 28.5 homes per hectare in Clonburris. Even the council’s own development plan suggests a density range of 35-50 units per hectare in new developments and that is before you factor in the rail line which dissects the Clonburris site.
The Clonburris site presents the council with an opportunity to develop a medium- to high-density “new town” utilising the significant piece of transport infrastructure on site. Numerous studies have shown that high-quality public transport can only be sustained by high population densities.
While the roads in west Dublin may be indeed congested, a reduction in densities here will simply push more people into the commuter belt, where they will have no option but to drive.
It is time that our planners and politicians embraced sustainable spatial planning because it is the only way that we can solve Dublin’s housing and traffic crises. – Yours, etc,
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
LUKE SCULLY,
Ratoath,
Co Meath.