Members approve plans to build 31 new houses at Ard Na Greine

MEMBERS of Bray Municipal District voted unanimously for a Part 8 Proposal for housing at Ard Na Greine in Bray.

The proposal before the members last Tuesday evening was for the construction of 31 social housing units at the Boghall Road estate.

The infill development will include a mix of 21 two-bedroom and ten three-bedroom, two-storey houses, alongside an existing estate of over 200 houses.

The houses are set back from the existing properties in order to prevent a reduction in privacy, the members heard.

The new development has been designed to improve pedestrian access routes and passive surveillance to the estate in order to improve security and accessibility for all residents.

The proposed development is arranged around three short cul-de-sacs with shared parking facilities. Short sections of road will encourage motorists to slow down in the residential area.

An arborist will examine any existing trees on the site, and where possible, they will be incorporated into the development.

One public submission expressed concern about any potential reduction in passive surveillance.

In the chief executive’s report, the response was that there have been some occasions of anti-social behaviour on the site. The proposed development has been designed to improve passive surveillance to the open space and ensure the safety of every person using the park.

There was also a concern about parking, and the officials said that there has been adequate parking included in the design.

They also said that the development is not expected to lead to significantly increased traffic on estate roads.

Officials told the members that the process has been reduced from 59 weeks to 30 weeks.

Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District, Cllr Steven Matthews said that there are around 100 houses under way in Bray currently. He said that the housing staff are turning out fantastic designs. ‘ Thirty-week fast tracking is a vast improvement on the 59-week process,’ he said. ‘It’s ridiculous that the council has to go back to council every couple of weeks to have their work checked.’

Members heard that the process is more like 44 weeks, from the part eight process on.