DonabatePortrane.net

I believe that works have started on the new Hospital site. Theyre calling it advanced works as the commencement notice for the actual building works has not yet been granted. To me, this is just smoke and mirrors stuff because as far as I'm concerned, work has started.

It's clear now that for the next 2 years we will have dozens of large, fully loaded trucks trundling through the village and onto the Portrane Road. As well as congestion, we are going to experience dangers to pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren who walk in large numbers on the overcrowded pavement to and from the national schools. We are also going to experience potholes and dangerous road conditions, and at the end of the works, I predict that the Portrane Road, and possibly other roads, will have to be resurfaced (again).

Clearly the HSE don't give a rats about us out here in the sticks and FCC and public representatives are in my opinion not strong enough to represent us on this matter.

So right now, it is what it is and we will just have to deal with it.
However I'd like this thread to be a place to come for people to note down any observations they may have relating to the construction, from dangerous driving of construction traffic, to not adhering to the times they are not allowed to go past the schools.

Please make a note of these here.

Hopefully it will be completely uneventful and everything will run smoothly. But I'm not entirely confident of that.

I'm in favour of the Hospital, but I'm not in favour of the dangers that the construction will bring, particularly to the 900 or so schoolchildren that use that extremely narrow pathway on a twice daily basis.

What are the times they're not allowed to pass the School?

I spoke with a representative from Fingal County Council (FCC) on Wednesday evening. I did ask the question about who is responsible for the monitoring of the Traffic Management Plan during the construction of the National Forensic Mental Hospital and the reply was FCC. We need to get answers about the policing of this and what penalties will be issued for non compliance. I suggest that Donabate Portrane Community Council (DPCC), our local schools, our local councillors and politicians take the lead and ask the hard questions, as opposed to avoiding them!

Outside the girls and boys school this morning.

1stimer,
What time was this photo taken? Regardless, if it is from the National Forensic Mental Health Hospital, once off property or an estate development, FCC are responsible for policing such activity. Send the photo to planning@fingal.ie and express your concerns. Insist that all construction traffic has to abide by the conditions set out by An Bord Pleanála with respect to the hospital development as they present the same risks to child/pedestrian/cyclist safety.

People should have camera armed to take such snap shots and report immediately to FCC - planning@fingal.ie, attention of senior planner Matthew McAleese or directly on matthew.mcaleese@fingalcoco.ie, 01 890 6294/6288.

Although a separate issue, relating to the viability of the existing plans for the hospital, I would also ask if FCC has voted on changing the public right of way on the grounds of St. Itas. The current public right of way lies in the middle of the proposed development so this right of way has to be changed by FCC to allow development to proceed. This technical detail would be enough to force the HSE to implement the agreed conditions issued by An Bord Pleanála - road widening, traffic management plan, etc..

Thanks for that the email address marvel I'll send an email when I get home. Photo was taken at 9:02 plenty of kids still on the path.

thanks 1sttimer

this is what we are looking for. i was hoping they wouldnt breach the restrictions but to do so as early as this isn't great at all.

loads of kids still on their way to school at that time.

i'm presuming that this isn't going to be policed at all and that it will be up to us to monitor it.
Please do send the details onto the 2 email addresses mentioned in the above post

Hmm, when I was dropping young Vladine off to school this morning, I was stuck behind a large truck on the Portrane Road.

If it was one of the trucks in question, then getting evidence will be quite easy - if they're so regular.

Got a reply back from FCC have to fill in a complaint form. Don't know if they do that as standard but here it is if anyone wants it too. http://www.fingalcoco.ie/media/2.3.3%20 ... 20Form.pdf

Hi 1sttimer

This complaints form is not going to work in this situation. In order to complete this form, one would have to stop the truck drivers and ask them for their credentials! We are not members of An Gardaí! We need a direct line of contact to report such incidences. The conditions to the Traffic Management Plan to the best of my knowledge has not been published anywhere. Everyone should contact your local representatives and ask them to follow this up.

I have contacted An Bord Pleanala (email bord@pleanala.ie) to advise of a schedule of works for the Hospital (Planning Application Reg. Ref PL-06F PA 0037) and a schedule of works for the completion of the conditions associated with this development. I requested contact details for the relevant people charged with implementation and policing of the conditions.

marvel

Thanks Marvel - thought most of what was in that form was irrelevant! Saw the exact same truck and another one at 8:55 right outside the school again this morning. I've sent in the form anyway, so will see if anything comes back about it.

The lorry in question is a jetting unit for desilting or unblocking drains, don't know if this would be anything to do with hospital. But heh I do agree have seen it a lot, but it would have to leave the village to empty and return all day.

Spotted the same lorry heading up the Portrane Road past Somerton / Willowbrook at ten to nine this morning. Traffic was light so he was fairly belting it. There were plenty of kids on bikes and scooters on the way to school though. Scary how close he was to the kerb...

Have emailed the council to confirm whether it is one of their contractors. Tumble-weed!

Saw the above lorry this morning and also this one which was ahead of me at 8.50am towards Portrane.

Using a mobile while driving is against the law.

My daughter Vladine took the photo...

Does anybody actually know if any construction works is going on at the proposed hospital?.
The picture today is a roll on skip, which could be somebody in portrane getting an extension.
Just saying..

Yes works have started.
Newspaper even carried a a story of a minister who snuck out last week to get a picture of her starting the works.(the old turning the sod photo-op). Kept very low key

Construction traffic isn't allowed past school during drop off and pick up times. It's a stipulation of the planning. We have to presume that the only people policing that condition of planning is ourselves. So picture taking has to be followed up with an email/phone call etc

Yes this could be a truck for an extension build etc but someone has to be vigilant. It's dangerous for schoolkids without this construction traffic already

The school has been there for decades but planners who allowed house building for the extra 5000 or so people who came to Donabate never took it into consideration unfortunately

Does anyone know what happened with changing the right of way through the hospital ?- this had to be voted through and approved by fingal CC before work could legally begin as far as I know

My recent correspondence with An Bord Pleanála:

Dear Mr. X,

I refer to your recent e-mail query in relation to the National Forensic Mental Health Services Hospital on lands at St. Ita’s Hospital, Portrane, Co. Dublin.

Please be advised that the enforcement of a decision made by An Bord Pleanála is a matter for the planning authority. Your query should therefore be directed to Fingal County Council.

Regards,

Sinéad McInerney
Executive Officer

Here are contact details I received from Fingal County Council:

• Ms Helena Bergin – Conservation Officer – ph 890 6709
  Kevin Halpenny – Senior Parks Superintendent – 890 5630
  Peter Byrne – Senior Planner, Donabate Area – 890 5712

Al questions in relation to the development of the hospital, including traffic management and enforcement should be addressed to Peter Byrne. Email planning@fingal.ie and for the attention of Peter Byrne with any questions.

Marvel

"micropoodle" Yes works have started.
Newspaper even carried a a story of a minister who snuck out last week to get a picture of her starting the works.(the old turning the sod photo-op). Kept very low key

Yes this could be a truck for an extension build etc but someone has to be vigilant. It's dangerous for schoolkids without this construction traffic already

point taken, I do agree construction traffic shouldn't pass at certain times.

I saw a HGV tipper truck this morning at 0825 driving through the village in the direction of Portrane, the driver was on a mobile phone, and turning the truck around the ninety degree bend at the intersection with the New Road!

Bottom line we need to insist that FCC consult with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and bring into law a HGV ban during regulated hours - that reflects rush hour traffic and school times. Regulated hours, meaning regulated by An Gardaí!

We need to address all construction traffic, not just that of the National Forensic Mental Hospital. All HGVs present the same risks to us!

marvel

In relation to the big Lordy,heading up to empty it's load in the new raw wast pump they built a while back,lots of trucks pump out there wast to this new facility.
And the hospital is getting new roofs,to the existing build,at the mo,
And work is also going on in the detention centre,
Hope this helps.

Sinead McGovern is the HSE's Consultation Communications Liaison Manager for this project. Email address sinead.mcgovern@hse.ie. In the first instance she can be mailed with date and time, truck reg and if possible contractor name.

4 dumper trucks in quick succession this morning at about 8.45