Update on Clontarf Promenade Development & Flood Defence Project

 Important Statement from Clontarf Residents' Association

The Joint Working Group – comprised of local elected representatives for Clontarf, DCC Officials and local community representatives – tasked with progressing this project, met again recently.

The option that is being considered currently is a two-wall solution - the existing sea wall as a first defence with an inner barrier between the cycle track and the road.  The expectation has always been that this inner barrier would be low in height. The Promenade would serve as a flood plain in a major storm event but the low wall would preserve the amenity value of the Promenade at all other times.

Based on the most recent survey data, this inner barrier, in the form of a wall, has been modelled by DCC.  A video illustrating their proposed new wall was produced. This video was shown at our AGM last October and the response was generally negative.  It showed that along certain stretches of the Promenade, a woman of average height walking on the path by the sea wall would not be visible to pedestrians on the footpath at the houses and businesses or to passing motorists.  This loss of passive surveillance will render the Promenade unsafe and therefore unusable.

DCC have accepted that their proposed wall is too high in certain stretches and have agreed that demountable defences can be used.  At present they are suggesting that these demountables would be used in areas where the proposed wall would be over 1.4m high, and would result in a maximum inner wall height of 1.4m.  The video is being remodelled to take this into account. When it is finalised, it will be made available for public viewing.

This figure of 1.4m high has never been agreed by the Joint Working Group.

We have consistently stated that a maximum height of 800mm is needed to provide adequate passive surveillance, to preserve the amenity value of the Promenade and to gain full community support.  We believe that any additional flood defence requirement, to deal with the “perfect storm” in a 1 in 200-year event, needs to be achieved via a temporary solution. We acknowledge that such temporary measures have time and resource implications.

We have also consistently argued that if the multi-disciplinary design approach, agreed at the outset of this project, is used; creative alternatives to a wall can be examined and an innovative solution that meets the various competing objectives may be found.  This would require that the design team for the project be led by an architect/urban designer with experience in delivering the highest standards of design in unique public spaces such as the Clontarf Promenade rather than by specialists in flood defence design.

We will continue to work with DCC towards achieving the dual vision of a high value amenity along with flood defences, as originally envisaged.

As always, we would welcome any views on this proposal that you would like to share with us – clontarf.res.assoc@gmail.com