It is not unusual that many buildings in Ireland are only conserved because local people campaign to retain their local heritage and thus maintain a sense of place their ancestors formed.With due respect,we don't need to see 'Place-making' in our County Development Plan.Howth is already a perfectly made place that's why it receives over a million visitors a year.Often these buildings/features are the main reasons why the village or town is a destination of interest.
In recent decades Howth has lost its original parish church,its 18thc Village Hotel was allowed to fall into neglect,a campaign in 2012 saved the village library,likewise in 2018 a campaign prevented the sale of the old village school/current parish hall. Conservations orders were thankfully put in to conserve what is left.Fingal need to step in with what we ask for:-
* FOBB,now established for 12 years, asks for Universal Access for Balscadden Beach.This natural beach provided an oasis for the immediate and wider community of all ages during The Pandemic...the mental and physical benefits of this unspoilt local amenity maintained by volunteers cannot be overestimated. . It is vital for the current overdevelopment at Baily Court to be opposed...it will ruin natural sightlines from all angles including the many swimmers and families who enjoy this unspoilt wild beach with the view of the historical Martello Tower and range of biodiversity all around.
* Full Support for Our proposed Community Hall-St.Columbanus Hall at the popularly voted centre of historical Howth Village.
* Pedestrianisation within an appropriate area of the Village (popular suggestion is the part of the road to the right of the island at the centre of the village) Pedestrianisation is happening already in Malahide & Dun Laoire
* Development 0f the Library Garden for Library Members to sit and read.( Dalkey Library Members are the only citizens in Ireland with a garden.) Local politicians were asking us before The Pandemic "to reimagine our towns and villages" The Pandemic has forced planners to recommend the use of green civic places to enhance community well-being.HTT and Howth Pathways Volunteers last year cleared away 30 years of local detritus from the unsightly right handside of Howth Library garden and made a beautiful rockery space with local gifted Howth stone.We now request that Fingal provide Library Members with internal access and seating in order enjoy this space upgraded by local volunteers for its community.With the pedestrianisation of the village teachers could avail of this space to bring their class down to read in bright spring or autumn weather.
All the above ideas embrace the concept of a village/town as a 15 minute comunity...Howth Village and its immediate residents would be more incentivised to walk down and truly integrate with each other.The restoration and opening up of a historical village with all amenities at its very heart will act like a magnet...drawing people into good healthy habits. Commonsense lies at the heart of good decision-making.The mental and physical benefits to these requests being realised are obvious....local people of all ages walking and talking to each other.
Since 2017 there has been a massive landgrab by developers nationwide in prime area sites.This is a poor reflection of our democracy and both the legal challenges made to An Bord Planeala + current revelations about its management have disgracefully held up housing for those in need.
WEe welcome affordable & social housing to allow our young local people the possibilty of living in their home area.
In prime areas like Howth.as local resident TD Cian O'Callaghan said recently in The Dail there is an undue amount of proposals.These proposals often show little regard for proximity of historic building or sympathy in scale or design to the historic buildings/roads nearby (Marlet i) re The Martello Tower/The historic Village
ii) re Techrete site 4 x 5-6 storey Benidorm/Plaza Blocks to lead people into a small historic working Historic Fishing Harbour
iii) Howth Castle Development (Tetrarch proposing new road intruding on the old St.Mary's Church & graveyard.
In Pre-planning Meetings we request our Councillors and Local Planners must staunchly defend these special places. Also we ask youwho write The Development Plans to stop using terms like 'place-making' ...it is insulting to our intelligence, we don't need a place made .we need the' historic places' that were made by previous generations to not be allowed fall into ruin.or be not valued in their true setting in any decision-making process.