Dublin - Metrolink (Swords to Charlemont only)

Sam Russell wrote: »

The DAA should turn that into a Bus Station with proper bus locations with a decent arrival and departure notice board - a bit like they do with the planes not so far apart from there. Make it simple to identify the bus you need and when it will arrive and depart. I cannot think why they have not done that - it is not as if they do not now how.

Great idea.

Having all the different operators have their own branding and ticket machines and signage and RTPI makes it a confusing mess.

Back in the Aer Rinta days the management were obsessed with getting as many cars as possible into the airport. In the late 90s there was even plans to acquire land and build vast car parking areas like you see in cities like Atlanta and Houston. They even planned a light rail system to connect all the car parks together. That culture still remains somewhat within the DAA.

The big car park opposite Terminal One could be demolished and made into the new bus station. Having said that, the bus situation at the airport now is a spectacular improvement on what was there even 15 years ago.

cgcsb wrote: »

If TII could avoid spending money on all that CPOing they would. What do you think their motive is?

*Disclaimer: long post but worth it ! - TL;DR: the proposed and final location of Metrolink Tara station was not only chosen because being the closest to the existing DART station, but also to redevelop the area, which would otherwise been very difficult to acquire without CPO*

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Easy to forget after more than 2 years the published document, containing details of the oversite development opportunities for Tara: see the screenshot attached or the page from the relevant document > here < - 6th June 2018.
In Nov 2018, Apollo House and other buildings in the area were sold (Independent.ie article reference); I guess that those were government's property, thus, being the Metrolink project already been published earlier that year (Mar 2018), one can argue that the government was already set to CPO the necessary buildings no matter what, to follow the initial proposed location of the Metrolink Tara station as by selling that area, it would be even more difficult that a proposals of moving the station there had any chance to be successful, as on top there was already an approved building project too (which didn't mention anything about a potential underground Metrolink station).
The excavation there it's quite big and deep (enough for both a metro station and also a swimming pool if you ask me, given someone made a hole already!), I've attached a couple of screenshot from Google Earth, probably early 2020 as the building the corner opposite The Irish Times was demolished around Jul - Oct 2020 , now the hole is even deeper and wider.

Considering that building height restrictions are removed (Independent.ie article reference - Dec 2018), it would be a "sore eye" and a waste of airspace (which is now very valuable with the regulations change and considering its prime location) having one or two old building there with only 6 floors, when right next to them there will be new ones with 22 or more floors (Johnny Ronan's hotel-office in the corner next to the existing Tara Dart station and the new buildings replacing Hawkins/Apollo House. Both those projects have been approved by ABP).

By chance, while constructions are proceeding at pace everywhere in Dublin, the new hotel-office of Johnny Ronan has yet to start construction, and same goes for area next to the fire brigade where the previous building is already demolished and a new office project is ready to go (see it here).
For both, as it is visible from the DCC planning website, a letter from TII for each, says there wouldn't be an impact despite the underground Metro; while there are reasons to hold back from starting to build, not sure those are worth the wait? Maybe bigger building ideas are for the area?

One could then think that being the area affected by CPO very big, with possibility to develop, this is the perfect opportunity to contribute in creating a new city centre area for Dublin - as also mentioned in this article (link): Marlet's plans for the two sites will be seen as being integral to the creation of a new 'midtown' area in Dublin city centre.

The cost of the CPO could be offset in the long term by selling or more likely, renting the area for developers to build, and some will surely profit from whatever new will be built there as for sure the airspace won't be wasted.
It's a prime location, not a chance it'll be just a little green area; but nobody seems to know what will be built there as of yet, probably (?) neither those in charge of Metrolink.

Let's say that some apartments will be built to replace College Gate and the affected DCC townhouses: do you think they'll be made available to the market? I seriously doubt that, as it's more lucrative "built to rent" and all the new development in the area, are as such.

Thus those living in College Gate, will indeed get compensated but if there was any new apartment built on the same spot, it won't probably be offered to them (as by when it'll be known what will be built, those in College Gate will be long gone).

Spending is getting tight for some departments (https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40274552.html) but transport seems unaffected.

My own uncle who never takes public transport. Tried to put an injunction in to stop the metro/DART station at Glasnevin only because the Brian Boru House was being demolished. A pub he didn't even go in to! What really stuck me was he became kind of possessed by a NIMBY Demon which made any kind of explaining to him about the need for the station impossible. Serial Objection is almost like a mass hysteria in Ireland and needs to be stopped.

We are in the middle of an epidemic of the “serial objector” virus; the system is on the verge of collapse, with serious – almost unquantifiable – long-term consequences for the future economic health of the nation.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/david-mcwilliams-serial-objectors-are-colonising-future-through-nimbyism-1.4551548?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fdavid-mcwilliams-serial-objecting-is-antisocial-behaviour-1.4551548%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3lA8tbGYt9zcvHdas1QdbrqtfL2ySZcvYkpxhcYRCKuSGuMVZdKcaHIx0

cgcsb wrote: »

That's nothing. Actual Dublin City councillors blocked the redevelopment of a derelict block between Charlemont and Camden St because a derelict property known as the 'manhattan cafe' in the 1980s but derelict for 3 decades used to be there and sure we all loved that place.

Thats the level we're at. Pure irrational 'when-i-was-a-lad' rambling nonsense.

I don’t think it was irrational. The project that has planning permission now on that site is to develop a large (ugly in my opinion) office block. All the old properties that catered for a variety of retail uses, including the Manhattan from way back when, are to be demolished on both Harcourt Road and South Richmond Street. The streetscape that will emerge on completion from Kelly’s corner down to the luas at Harcourt will be clearly worse than what was there before. It’s going to look like an out of town business park. The (also ugly) building on the other side of Harcourt Road already has a single retail unit for the entire length of the street.

Don’t get me wrong in that I’m not anti development and its good to see density improving in that location. But the ground floor level as experienced by pedestrians and the general public passing by is clearly getting worse. It would have been better to retain some of the old shop fronts along the street and build the modern offices up around them. Or at a minimum create an equal number of new retail units in a more modern style.

I'll never understand the power Residents Associations think they have.

They want the line to cut from Charlemont to Saint Stephen's Green in order for it to be diverted to Rathfarnham.

A MONTH before It goes in for Planning Permission

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/residents-seek-redraft-of-metrolink-line-1.4579409

yascaoimhin wrote: »

I'll never understand the power Residents Associations think they have.

They want the line to cut from Charlemont to Saint Stephen's Green in order for it to be diverted to Rathfarnham.

A MONTH before It goes in for Planning Permission

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/residents-seek-redraft-of-metrolink-line-1.4579409

This is a new one: YIMBYNIMNBY "Yes In My Back Yard Not In My Neighbours Back Yard".

“Sweat the asset” my guess is Green line metro delivered in piecemeal. An extension here, a crossing closed there, bit by bit until hey presto you’ve metro south (as far as Sandyford at least).

bk wrote: »

Yes, what people like this mean by "public consultation", is that engineers didn't individually call around to their home, sit down for a cup of tea with them and they could then tell the engineer directly why they don't want this anywhere near their home.

The fact that these projects have proceeded to full, open and transparent public consultation is anathema to these NIMBY's

They don't like the public consultation because others might actually like the project and put forward their view that it is for the greater public good.

There's some weird misunderstanding around the purpose of public consultation from residents and politicians alike.

The situation is that the professionals come up with the plan based on evidence and vague concepts that the people in general want.

Then the Professionals say "This is the plan, let us know if you think it might badly impact you for whatever reason and we'll see about fixing it"

For some reason, residents think they're in the driving seat and should get to design the whole project