PLANS TO CHANGE STATUS OF SOUTH PARK

Date Published: 14-Mar-2012

Plans are afoot to have South Park in the city designated as an area of special amenity.

It follows the passing of a motion proposed by Councillor Catherine Connolly at this week's meeting of the city council, where she argued that the area is of outstanding natural beauty and has special recreational value.

Cllr Connolly’s motion received unanimous backing despite concerns from Director of Services Tom Connell who highlighted that there has only been one such order in Liffey Valley in Dublin in the last 30 years.

He said that if designated, it could restrict the future use of the area which he stressed has until now been controlled in the city development plan.

He warned that by making it a national designation, the city council may not have a say in its future development.