Residents in south Dublin have reacted angrily to a proposed new road that includes the demolition of a mid-19th century terrace.
The proposed Monkstown ring road will link Carysfort Avenue and Deansgrange Road via Fleurville, Rowanbyrn and Brookville Park and will mean the demolition of Yankee Terrace, a row of 11 mid-19th century cottages.
The proposal contradicts an objective in the current Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Development Plan, which seeks to retain the terrace.
The construction of the 1.1km ring road will complete a link between Stillorgan and Dún Laoghaire town and also includes the demolition of five other properties on Newtownpark Avenue and Annaville Terrace. The council has contacted residents in the affected houses with a view to acquiring the properties by compulsory purchase order (CPO).
Public consultation on the proposal began last week and the council has submitted its plan to An Bord Pleanála with an Environmental Impact Statement and details of the CPO. It is likely that the planning board will hold an oral hearing on the proposal.
A spokeswoman for the council said that if approval was given by the board, "Notice to Treat" will be served on all properties within 18 months, approximately before spring 2007.
"The council hopes to have contractors in place in mid-2006, subject to a favourable decision by the board," she said. "The design of the scheme will be progressed once a financial decision is made."
She said the council had considered three options for the ring road, two of which included the retention of Yankee Terrace, but had chosen the option to demolish the terrace because it provided "the required capacity for the expected volume of vehicles" and would "produce the least environmental impact on the remaining properties".
Brian Troy, of the Rowanbryn Brookville Residents' Association said they would be strongly objecting to the proposed road.
"We are concerned about the level of traffic that this road will draw to the area, as well as its impact on Yankee Terrace," he said. "It has to be asked why the council thinks that these areas need to be linked at all.
"They are saying that one of the objectives of the ring road is to make Newtownpark village more attractive, but then the first thing they do is demolish a lovely terrace. We will submit an objection to An Bord Pleanála and will be organising a campaign to oppose the road," he added.
