Moving to Swords- airport new runway (and other questions)

Posy

Hopefully I'll be buying a house in this area sometime this year, as I've always lived in north Dublin and want to stay here.

I'm thinking either the Rathingle Road area (around Boroimhe, Cherry/Brookdale Ave) or somewhere nearer the Main Street like Castle Grove/Longlands area. I like the fact that the 41c bypasses the airport and think RiverValley seems like a nice place.. although what's that nearby park like?
If anyone is from around these parts and has any input as to what the area's like I'd appreciate it greatly. (I'm pretty familiar with Swords but just haven't LIVED here before..)

Also, I've seen some people on other sites mentioning the new runway in Dublin Airport and potential of noise/disruption caused by it.. if anybody has any info on this, that'd be great.

Thanks for any replies! :)

Bluetonic

http://www.dublinairport.com/about-us/airport-development/Parallel_Runway.html

PCros

The new runway has been postponed until further notice due to the economic situation.

I was born and still live in Swords, all the below places are nice, very few places in Swords that I would say no to. I currently live in the Rivervalley area and I am very happy here though I'm just renting, I am originally from the Elmwood area of Swords.

Rivervalley has alot of young kids and teenagers so you might get the odd football over the wall, knick knacks etc but nothing too bad.

The park is great for jog especially in the summer, alot of people jog or walk in it too.

Here is a detailed thread about Rivervalley hope this helps.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055282796

Don3556

You will get SOME noise from the airport, especially if the new runway is built. If you move to Rivervalley, airport noise will be the least of your problems. The place is too big with not enough facilities for the youth. Big drug problem and big problem with the "Cherriers".

Larianne

I know there has been some complaining by the residents around Ridgewood/Boroimhe regarding the late night/early morning revving of plane engines a while back. I guess if you live that it's something you have to put up with. Airport longer than the housing estates.

I'd go with Longlands or Castle Avenue area. Much quieter I would say. I never hear anything about that place, ever!

Dizzyblonde

Don3556 wrote: »

If you move to Rivervalley, airport noise will be the least of your problems. The place is too big with not enough facilities for the youth. Big drug problem and big problem with the "Cherriers".

Wow, that's harsh. Do you live in Rivervalley? I do, and have done for 27 years. There are drugs everywhere and I don't think we have a bigger problem than any other estate.

OP, we used to hear the airplane engines being tested from time to time years ago but not nowadays, and we're not in any flight path so it's pretty quiet.

In my opinion, estates like ours are far more family-orientated than ones where the houses are mixed with apartment blocks. Plus the older estates have community centres and a real sense of community.

dsmythy

Don3556 wrote: »

You will get SOME noise from the airport, especially if the new runway is built. If you move to Rivervalley, airport noise will be the least of your problems. The place is too big with not enough facilities for the youth. Big drug problem and big problem with the "Cherriers".

I don't find this accurate at all. What part of River Valley are you from? I live in Cherry Avenue and have only ever had one serious issue in my 26 years on this planet in River Valley. I recall the 'cherriers' from back in the day. whatever problem there may have been it's long gone to either jail or somewhere other than here. The community centre has a youth club in it if the advertisements I saw are accurate. If some 'youths' are bored maybe they can get involved? Plenty of sports teams across Swords too. Most car crime and burglaries are from tourist criminals who are not from the area.

Larianne wrote: »

I know there has been some complaining by the residents around Ridgewood/Boroimhe regarding the late night/early morning revving of plane engines a while back. I guess if you live that it's something you have to put up with. Airport longer than the housing estates.

I'd go with Longlands or Castle Avenue area. Much quieter I would say. I never hear anything about that place, ever!

The whole Longlands area is a nice place too. Really accessible to the main street. I have zero problems with airport noise pollution here but I've lived here so long I guess i'm probably immune to it at this stage.

Brimmy

If you're going to be dependent on the bus try to get a house close to either end of Rivervalley if you plan on moving here so you still have access to the 41, 33 and Swords Express. The 41c is an absolute joke at times and the bus sometimes bypasses Rivervalley completely. When it snowed at New Years the bus wouldn't come into the estate and whenever there is work on the Forest Road it wont come up either. Not to mention the odd time when the driver just can't be bothered and when they do its usually late in the middle of the day and can take upwards from a half hour to come from Swords Manor.

9wetfckx43j5rg

River Valley is grand, but don't go into the park (called "the valley") after dark, alone or otherwise.

Don3556

Some people disagreed with my comments about Rivervalley. I just want to say that some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet live there but so do a number of scumbags. Look what happened to the playground in the valley. The Jacko is a no go area in the evenings. Why do some parents go to the trouble of raising their children properly while others couldn't care less and produce the scum that we all know exist?

PCros

Don3556 wrote: »

Look what happened to the playground in the valley. The Jacko is a no go area in the evenings.

The play ground is half way between Brackenstown and Rivervalley in the jacko, how are you sure people from Rivervalley did it?

Also OP I hope you understand that some of the estates you have listed will differ greatly in price as Longlands etc is right beside the town, the Pavillions and the metro.

S23

Some people who have obviously been living in the area a long while seem to be getting a bit touchy about criticism of where they live.

I can give you an honest appraisal of the area near Rathingle Road since I moved into Ridgewood last year. Its not better or worse than most places in around.

I'm sure there are nice people in there just as there are scumbags too just as there are everywhere. I've made a couple of friends from the area (Forest Drive) who gave me their impressions of the place and filled me in so I'll take their word for it since they are here a lot longer than me. They did say the park is a complete no go area after dark as well and can also be a bit ropey in general but thats no different than most other places.

I've never had any trouble with noise pollution from air traffic. In fact I'd go as far to say that it was more of an issue when I lived in Donnycarney.

As for the assertion that older estates are more family orientated and have a better 'sense of community' than newer places that mix appartments and houses I would tentatively agree.

However, bare in mind the sense of community, in my own personal experience in the past from places in Phibsboro,Glasnevin,Donnycarney and the City Centre, in these places stems for the same families and groups of people have lived in the area for a long time and everybody knows everybody and everyone knows everyone elses business. So if you are welcomed into the fold be prepared to expect to conform to whatever the standard group mentality and behaviour is.

Personally speaking, having bought an appartment in Ridgewood, I rarely see anyone and am rarely bothered by anyone and thats the way I like it. Having lived in 'old fashioned estate' before with everyone trying to stick their nose into your business and everybody knowing everyone else I can honestly say its much more enjoyable to left alone to my privacy.

So overall, I'd say its as good a place to live as any. Its not as bad as some people make out and its not as superb as others will make out. Its nice, clean and quiet for the most part. Thats about all I can think to say

Dizzyblonde

S23 wrote: »

Some people who have obviously been living in the area a long while seem to be getting a bit touchy about criticism of where they live.

Nope, only unfair criticism, and especially when it's by people who don't actually live in the estate.

As for people being in each other's business - well, that depends on the individuals themselves. Some people are like that, others
aren't. I too am from Donnycarney and never had anyone poking their nose into my business either here or there.

And the community activities are there for all to join in if they want to

BollickyBill

Larianne wrote: »

I know there has been some complaining by the residents around Ridgewood/Boroimhe regarding the late night/early morning revving of plane engines a while back. I guess if you live that it's something you have to put up with. Airport longer than the housing estates.

I'd go with Longlands or Castle Avenue area. Much quieter I would say. I never hear anything about that place, ever!

Longlands is nice but the pavillions brings a lot of traffic through there. Columbus or Windmill avenue areas are nice and quiet yet near all the facilities (especially good old JC's). Both of these areas have access from the Rathbeale and the Brackenstown roads. I would recommend that you check out this area of Swords.