Northside development but no schools or services

The 'Northern Fringe development' in north Dublin has plans for 40,000 new residents but remains without basic services. Scott Millar reports

Families moving into a massive residential development on Dublin's Northside, are yet to be guaranteed the provision of essential services such as schools and transport links will be in place for it's up to 40,000 new residents. The 'Northern Fringe development' which is a conglomeration of housing schemes being built by three separate construction companies, Ballymore, Gannon and Shannon, has been a source of concern for local representatives since the development was first proposed four years ago.

According to Tommy Broughan, the local Labour TD, the principle problem the area will face is in providing schooling for the children of the young families that are likely to make up a substantial part of the new population.

He said: "the Oblate order sold Belcamp school to Gannon for €105 million. This is the school where Brendan Glesson formally taught. It closed last year, next year secondary schools in Artane and Kilbarrack, – bordering areas –are also closing. There are areas designated for school development in the plans but in the present way the education system organises funding of school development it is not clear who will look after these developments yet".

According to the Department of Education the Irish school system depends on bodies such as the Churches, Educate Together and Gaelsoil to initially establish schools rather than the department. This form of development is largely due to the dominant role previously occupied by the Catholic Church. So far only Educate Together have expressed a possible interest in establishing a primary school in the area.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said: "It is not the business of the Department of Education in Ireland to set up schools the way the system has developed. That is for patron bodies and boards of governors to do. Those schools can then be recognised by the Department which will commence funding such as teachers salaries, rent of accommodation and administration costs. But the Department does not make any contribution to initial capital out lay, if after a number of years the schools prove they are viable they then get permanent recognition and capital funding".

She added on the Northern Fringe development that: "The Department has reserved two sites to cater for future demand, however it should be noted that the Department is conscious that there is sufficient capacity in surrounding schools to cater for initial demand because of a decline in enrolments".

The initial planning permission from Gannon Homes to develop the North Fringe area was turned down due to no proper area plan or transport infrastructure being in place for the development. Since then Dublin City Council has developed an action area plan and does host the quarterly meeting of the "North Fringe Forum" a conclusive body made up of State agencies, local councils and elected representatives.

Gannon homes is close to completing it's first thousand housing units. The Forum had been ensured that a new Dart station would be in place by this time, it is not. Over 300 families have already moved into the area with out any plans for extra provision in educational facilities, transport have being put in place. Shannon Homes also lodged a first party appeal against several planning conditions, including that the a primary school be relocated from a site south of the Town Square and its size doubled.

Broughan says that any functioning of the body has been made more difficult because of the development straddling the border of Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council areas. He said: "The two councils behave as if they are Croatia and Serbia, they should have come up with a joint master plan, they should have had a strategic development zone but they done none of those things".

He added: "As it is currently constituted it has no powers. This development is extending the city boundary by nearly a mile northwards This is an incredible profitable development for the construction companies but the level of planning has far from been. I'm very concerned at the moment how this development will turn out, we do not want something like north Paris".