Deadline for submissions on Poolbeg 'town' expires today

Dublin City Council expects its plans for a €1.5 billion town on the Poolbeg peninsula to be the subject of a last-minute rush of submissions today.

As of yesterday some 80 separate submissions on the plans were filled, a figure which the council says might double by the deadline at close of business today.

Included in the plans, which have been on public display since January 10th, are provision for housing and offices in buildings of up to six storeys as well as amenity areas and community facilities as part of a rejuvenation scheme for the South Bank-Poolbeg peninsula area of Ringsend.

Yesterday the local Green Party TD John Gormley welcomed the suggestion that the area be rejuvenated, but said that he had several difficulties with the current plan.

Among the improvements and cautions put forward by the Green Party are concerns over public transport and traffic in and out of the development.

Other issues were:

that a proposed bridge from Britain Quay to York Road be prevented from becoming a "rat run" for private cars.

that the high density of development chosen must be shown to be sustainable in transport terms, through trip generation, parking and traffic analyses.

that a flooding impact study be carried out.

that soil samples be analysed given the large amount of landfill in the area.

that the community be consulted on what recreational facilities are required.

that the plan include specific targets for the provision of social and affordable housing units.

targets for the provision of social and affordable housing units should be set and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) protected.

The council had proposed three basic zones, Mr Gormley said.

Zone one was the Ringsend and Seán Moore Park area, which would have approximately 3,050 housing units and 104,600 sq m of office space and an ecology park.

This area incorporated the Zoe Developments and former Irish Glass Bottle Co sites, he said.

Zone two would be set aside for utilities and companies such as the ESB or a waste treatment plant.

Zone three would be a cultural area with a park out in the more remote area near the Poolbeg chimneys, which would be retained.

"The beach area will be retained with the historic South Bull Wall, and there are some significant opportunities for other waterside amenities," according to the city council.