Druid’s Glen Road Phase 3 Bridge Project

Emerging Preferred Concept

Introduction

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are undertaking a Non-Statutory Public Consultation on an Emerging Preferred Concept for a new bridge and associated infrastructure at Druid’s Glen in Cherrywood. This vital piece of infrastructure is required by the adopted Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) Planning Scheme (2014, as amended).  

This consultation presents an opportunity for people to engage and provide feedback on a proposal for the design of this new bridge. The consultation will be open from the 15th July to 28th August.

Druid’s Glen Road Phase 3 Bridge Project - location

Why is it Needed?

  • The Cherrywood Planning Scheme aims to develop the area as a network of interconnected urban villages, residential neighbourhoods and employment/mixed use quarters that will be all linked by walking, cycling and road infrastructure. The Emerging Preferred Concept for Druid’s Glen Road Phase 3 seeks to deliver a vital final piece of enabling infrastructure that will span the Carrickmines River and connect the north-eastern area of Cherrywood with other lands and amenities in Cherrywood, including parks, schools, Village Centres and the Cherrywood Town Centre.

  • The completion of Druid’s Glen Road will help open up lands for housing development in the context of an important sequencing and phasing requirement in the Cherrywood SDZ Planning Scheme, which seeks to limit the occupation of housing until such time as road infrastructure that includes Druid’s Glen Road has been completed.

  • With the completion of the Druid’s Glen Road, an alternative connecting route between Cherrywood and the N11 will be unlocked that will allow for an improved distribution and balance of traffic throughout Cherrywood. This is in the context that vehicular access to and from Cherrywood, including for buses, is heavily reliant on access via the Wyattville Link Road, which is located between the N11 and M50 and is forecast to eventually reach capacity. 

  • The Emerging Preferred Concept for the project has been designed to promote the continued use of Lehaunstown Lane for pedestrian and cyclist movement and to facilitate a permitted section of greenway along the Carrickmines River that will cross Lehaunstown Lane as part of the permitted Cherrywood Green Routes Network.

Emerging Preferred Bridge Design Concept

Various Options were explored for the Vertical Alignment of the Bridge and its Design.

A 3-Span Extradosed Bridge has been identified as the Emerging Preferred Option. It is preferred for its unobtrusive simple design, ease of construction, cost effectiveness, reduced impact on ecology, ground water and the Carrickmines River.  

To identify the Emerging Preferred Concept for Druid’s Glen Road Phase 3, a comprehensive evaluation process was used. This involved reviewing different design options against Project Objectives and a Multi-Criteria Analysis evaluating against Technical, Economic, Aesthetic, Maintenance & Durability, Hydraulics, Environmental, and Health and Safety criteria. This is detailed in the key documents below (which can be found on the Citizen Space web page): 

Elevation of emerging preferred design

Phases 1 & 2

Completed in 2023, Phase 1 of the Druid’s Glen Road involved the construction of a major traffic junction onto the N11 between Johnstown Road and the Wyattville Link Road.

Phase 2 was completed in 2024 connecting the junction to Lehaunstown Lane.

Submissions and observations were invited from the public during the planning application processes for both phases. 

Phase 3

Druid’s Glen Road Phase 3 will progress the completed Phases 1 and 2 of Druid’s Glen Road and will comprise the important final piece of this essential project. Phase 3 will include a bridge that will span Carrickmines River and Druid’s Glen Valley and will complete the vehicular and pedestrian/cycle connection between Lehaunstown and the N11. 

The bridge is expected to have an overall length of approximately 147m. Phase 3 also includes approx. 110 metres of new road involving tie in with Phase 2 and a new junction at Point P for pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular movement on the southern side of the bridge that will create an important connection point for the completion of Barrington’s Road, which is to be delivered separately as part of the future development of zoned lands. 

HAVE YOUR SAY

Non-Statutory Consultation

A non-statutory consultation is open from 15th July to 28th August. Before progressing to a Preliminary Design for submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála, we are looking for feedback from the public regarding the Emerging Preferred Design, as well as on the selection process.