Cllr Devlin has sought clarification on the timeframe and process understaken with local residents about key infrastructural changes in and around the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).
QUESTION: Councillor Cormac Devlin (Council Meeting 15th January, 2018)
To ask the Manager to list all pending infrastructure works due to take place in the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) over the next 12 months and what medium is proposed to keep residents informed of these works and who is ultimately responsible for communicating these messages, the land owners or this Council?
Response:
As part of the Cherrywood Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) infrastructure, DLR is progressing the detailed design and tender documentation to commence the construction of a new signalised junction on the N11 by Q2 2018. These works form part of the required infrastructure to support the SDZ. The Part 8 planning for the new signalised junction was secured in 2017. As with all large DLR led construction contracts, a dedicated Resident Engineer will be appointed. A key part of the DLR Resident Engineer’s role will be to liaise with local residents, businesses and all interest groups and this will form the main channel of communication for all DLR managed works.
As regards progressing other large elements of infrastructural works (roads, parks, attenuation ponds etc) that form part of a landowners’ planning permission within their lands, this would be subject to a construction management plan. The grant of planning permissions for phase 1 of roads and infrastructure and the parks, works that are advancing at present and due for completion by April 2018, did entail the appointment of a nominated liaison person appointed by the Landowner’s Contractor as part of the construction management plan. In practice, this has resulted in a Monitoring Engineer being based on site for circa 20 hours a week who reports directly to Municipal Services, DLRCC to ensure that the infrastructure projects currently under construction are undertaken appropriately and to the required standard. This approach also ensures that DLRCC is aware of any potential issues which may also be a concern to residents. It is relevant also to note, that in this instance, the landowner's project team liaises directly with residents / residents associations and it is understood that there is regular engagement on an on-going basis.
It is considered that going forward the appointment of a liaison person by the Landowner’s Contractor would form part of all construction management plans for any significant infrastructure works being led by the Landowner. The appointment of such a liaison person for the purposes of communicating to the public can be secured through the planning application process for significant developments.
