ADAMSTOWN, A FLAGSHIP Celtic Tiger-era development, could begin the road to completion following the announcement of a new infrastructure plan.
The town, just south of Lucan, was the first of the so-called Strategic Development Zones (SDZ) which benefitted from fast-track planning – and the first ‘new town’ planned since Shannon was created in 1982 in Clare.
When it was launched in 2005, there was much fanfare about redefining urban spaces and usability.
An RTÉ report from 7 February 2005 said the €2 billion new town would house 20,000 people who could enjoy 70 acres of parkland, sports facilities, a rail station and multiple schools.
But despite the fanfare, the hype and Bertie Ahern in a hard hat, Adamstown has been something of a stop-start development.
Plans for Adamstown stalled and it became Ireland’s first ‘ghost town’, garnering international media attention.
In 2014, South Dublin County Council stepped in to ensure Adamstown would not stay ‘unfinished’. With just 1,600 of the 9,000 planned homes built, authorities wanted to kickstart construction.
While community facilities like a GAA club and pitches have been built, a promised leisure centre and swimming pool haven’t materialised.
Infrastructure
In recent years, the lack of building has been attributed to a dearth of infrastructure building.
Earlier this week the Government gave the green light to 34 infrastructure projects worth a total of €226 million. It is hoped that they will result in 23,000 additional homes being delivered by 2021.
To that end, Adamstown will receive €20 million from the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund.
The allocation includes funding for a new road linking Adamstown to Celbridge Road and the N4/Leixlip Interchange which will facilitate hosing supply at Adamstown while helping reduce the over-reliance of traffic on the heavily congested Newcastle Road.
The SDZ masterplan lays down substantial infrastructural requirements, meaning that if works does not proceed on certain roads and the first park then residential development at Adamstown SDZ will be halted.
Local councilor William Lavelle (FG) says that Adamstown is a “big winner” from the funding.
“I am delighted that this new road has today been granted funding by Minister Simon Coveney. This new road will greatly reduce the over-reliance of traffic from Adamstown and West Lucan on the heavily congested Newcastle Road; and will in turn facilitate sustainable housing development.
“This new funding will have the positive result of delivering key elements of infrastructure much sooner than would happen if we relied solely on the developers to fund them – which in any case may not be economically feasible.”
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