The Finglas community ‘will be destroyed’ if the development of 2,200 homes and major employment goes ahead.
A north Dublin site has been earmarked as a location to deliver 2,200 homes and 2,000 jobs.
Plans are underway to convert brownfield lands between McKee Avenue and Jamestown Road, north of Finglas Village, from low-density industrial units to a new environmentally-sustainable community, featuring a mix of housing units and state-of-the-art business premises.
The overall site is 43.11 hectares with local businesses already in the area looking to get involved and upgrade for the welfare of their company and staff.
It's close to where the new Luas route is planned to be and within walking distance to Finglas Village and will also be serviced by BusConnects routes.
Sinead spoke to Dublin Live on behalf of the residents of Jamestown Road/McKee Avenue and St. Margaret's Road about how the area is already heavily populated and the impact this development would have on the locals.
This development could have a negative impact on the community as the proposal to rezone lands could put companies in the area out of business and it could take a toll on the elderly community
She said: “This development, if it proceeds, will decimate our community with many residents who have lived in the area for over 20 years saying they will sell up as a result of the negative impact it will have.
“Many businesses in the estate will be pushed out taking local employment opportunities with them and some could possibly have to close.
“A high percentage of the existing population on these roads are elderly people who have lived in this part of Finglas all their lives and do not want their neighbourhood turned into a concrete jungle with people packed into every available centimetre of space.”
There is a “negative impact such a development would have on their quality of life nor indeed that of the entire community.
"It does not mention how the Finglas Employers Group have not engaged in any consultation with the local residents.”
The high unemployment rate in the area and the removal of industrial lands zoned could remove any potential for new businesses to set up in the area.
She said: “Other businesses, of which there are many, in the estate who had no knowledge of, or involvement in the proposal to rezone the lands which will potentially put them out of business.”
Sinead also believes that there are several issues with this project that will impact the likes of schools, Gardai, GPs and local infrastructure.
She said: “Schools in the area can't cater for the existing and growing population in the area.”
And that there are “existing waiting lists for schools, GPs and other services in the area.
“The already insufficient childcare facilities for the existing population in the area.
“No works have commenced to bring the LUAS to Finglas and that residents of Finglas have written it off because it has been harped about for so long and no suitable route has been agreed.
She said that the: “continuous issues with drainage and sewage experienced by both businesses in the industrial estate and surrounding residential areas which would only be added to with construction of 2,200 additional housing units.”
And Sinead mentioned that the gardai in the area are understaffed “and the impact the influx of people, upwards of 5,000, would have on their ability to police - they cannot properly police the existing population.”
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