Aontu candidate Orla Nugent has condemned the decision to allow the construction of the seven storey tower block at Westside Shopping centre, feeling it will impact on the scope for road improvements in the area in the future.
She said that locating this block within feet of the Seamus Quirke Road, those responsible have effectively rendered it impossible for that road to ever be widened in the future, even though it is THE main artery linking the West and East of the city.
"They went and built a skyscraper seven stories high—About as high as a buildin' oughta grow!" the lyrics from ‘Oklahoma’ are apt but maybe it shouldn’t grow that high. The ‘Westside Community’ organization is outraged by the mooted seven storey 240-unit accommodation tower with add-on roof level telecommunications infrastructure in the carpark of the Westside shopping centre.
"To judge from some of the intemperate reactions on social media the objectors stand accused of NIMBYism and hostility to students, along with much else. In fact, to take just one thing, car parking, residents ‘have very good grounds to be worried’. Let’s take one previous case in point. Eight car parking spaces (but 370 bicycle spaces ) were set aside for the 257-bedroom student accommodation at Crestwood in Menlo.
"Most students will not drive from, say, Menlo to the university but many, or some, will drive a car from home or keep a car near the student accommodation. Necessarily that will overspill into surrounding housing estates. Same for the visitors who will rent the units in the summer. ‘The Westside tower is worse; it provides NO parking spots and even takes 94 spaces from the existing 332 parking slots in the shopping centre both in front of and behind Dunnes. “Shure what’s the problem”, some might say, “won’t the students be able to walk or cycle to wherever they want to go”? Yes, but many of the Irish students among them will bring cars to drive to and from home, as will summer tourists. They will park in the remaining car parking spaces.
She said that overspill parking is already a significant problem in those residential areas adjacent to the hospital and the university which is embarked on breakneck expansion of student numbers.
"Places like Ardilaun, Moyola Park, Corrib Park, Inchagoill Road and Newcastle Park. It is a nuisance but can become a hazard when ambulances and bin lorries can’t access houses.
"It is probably too late to reverse the ill-advised Westside Tower. ‘Those who feel aggrieved should remember who is to blame’, insists Ms Nugent. Planning guidelines like car parking spaces are increasingly set aside as central government overrides local democracy to tackle a housing emergency.
"‘An emergency caused by the government’s failure to anticipate and manage supply and demand," claims the Aontú candidate. Because the Government has designated it a strategic housing development (SHD ) An Coimisiún Pleanála has been able to push this through regardless of what the planners, council, and locals wanted. So much for local democracy," she concluded.
