Caibidil:
- There needs to be much a greater use of brownfield sites in higher densities in areas such as Bray, Wicklow and Arklow. This would be in line with the urgent national need to provide more 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments in well-established urban areas with infrastructure and services already available. This is, according to a number of economic reports and research studies, where the national demand and need is greatest. Urban sprawl and car dependent residential development is not sustainable. WCC should insist that developers undertake social audits and show where the local capacity lies in terms of local public transport, school and creche places, health services, etc.
- The proposed use of “bus stops” in the CDP as indicator for increased density (up to 50 units per hectare) makes little sense if the road infrastructure in small villages, such as Delgany, cannot support frequent bus services. Delgany is currently serviced by the 84A which runs on an hourly timetable and the 84X which runs at peak hours. This can only be classified as a very limited and inefficient service given that it takes the bus close to two-hours to reach Dublin city centre. It renders it meaningless as an effective and efficient means of transport for commuters. The use of the DART services in Greystones is limited to two trains per hour even at rush hour (because of the single track from Bray) and this service reached its capacity several years ago. This leaves the car as the only viable option for commuters and there has been virtually no change in the road infrastructure in Delgany/Greystones, which has led to long and increasingly longer car commutes and more stressed residents. While the need to commute every day will be reduced with hybrid working arrangements, it will not be eliminated and the large number of new residents in North East Wicklow will suffer loss of precious family time and much needed leisure time due to long and increasing commute times. For hard-pressed residents who need to commute to work when offices re-open later this year, getting up 10 minutes earlier every few months to beat the ever increasing and earlier traffic is not good for their wellbeing, their family commitments nor the environment. This is simply not sustainable living unless viable public transport options are implemented very quickly (e.g. dedicated express bus corridors, a major change to the DART infrastructure, etc).