First sod turned on Church Fields Link Road and Cycle Network in Mulhuddart

Today marked the first step in the construction of new infrastructure at the Church Fields site in Mulhuddart, as the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh turned the first sod on the project.

The Church Fields Link Road and Cycle Network will create new connectivity to facilitate the development of the Church Fields Masterplan which will deliver housing, retail and community amenities to support the sustainable growth of Mulhuddart. The walking and cycling element of the infrastructure is funded by the National Transport Authority.

Fingal County Council’s Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department recently appointed Fox Building and Engineering Ltd to deliver the Church Fields Link Road and Cycle Network. The contractor will commence site works from next week and work is expected to last 18-months on this element of the Church Fields plan.

Fingal County Council’s Church Fields Masterplan initiative includes new transportation and parks infrastructure funded through the Affordable Housing Fund, from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which will enable the delivery of almost 1,000 new affordable and social homes on this publicly owned 37-hectare site.

Work has already started on the construction of 67 homes on a part of the Church Fields landbank that isn’t dependent on the new link road and the Mayor was joined in viewing this site by the Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar TD, the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Jack Chambers TD, as well as councillors and Oireachtas members from Dublin 15. 

There are a further 20 social homes currently under construction within the Church Fields landbank and a Part 8 planning application for another phase of 300 homes is currently at the public consultation stage. This will include 220 houses and 80 apartments with a tenure mix of 60% affordable purchase or cost rental and 40% social.

The Church Fields Link Road project will feature one of Ireland’s first ‘cycle-friendly’ roundabouts, optimised for shared use by pedestrian, cyclists and motorists. It will be constructed in the middle of the new road which will run south from the existing roundabout on Damastown Avenue to connect with Wellview Avenue. It will also include segregated cycle and pedestrian infrastructure along both of these roads and through parkland adjacent to Church Road.

A new cycle route will be added, linking Damastown Avenue and Church Road Roundabout to Gaelscoil an Chuilinn and Powerstown Educate Together National School on Powerstown Road. This will include construction of new crossings on all arms of the existing roundabout, making walking and wheeling to schools in the area safer for students.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh, is delighted to see this project commenced. She said: “Today is a great day as work gets underway at Church Fields. Mulhuddart is a vibrant, young and diverse area and Fingal County Council has created a plan for Church Fields that will nurture a healthy community where Active Travel to schools, shops and sports is a way of life.”

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD, who was present at the sod-turning ceremony, said: “Delivering homes is a top priority for me and this Government. We have very ambitious targets in our Housing for All plan and the development of Church Fields is a great example of how forward planning and co-operation by agencies like the NTA, who part funded this new Link Road and Cycle Network, along with the support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Fingal County Council, can deliver a top class place for people to live and work while also representing value for money in public spending.”

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly said: “Church Fields is an example of the cross-departmental collaborative approach that Fingal County Council is taking to the development of our landbanks. The sustainable growth of Fingal is supported by the successful cooperation of departments within Fingal County Council and with external organisations such as the National Transport Authority. “

Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said: “The NTA are delighted to provide almost €6m to Fingal County Council to fund the walking and cycling infrastructure elements of Church Fields Link Road and Cycle Network. This infrastructure will enable the future residents of this key development area in Dublin 15 to make active transport choices from the outset and is a great example of cross agency collaboration and integrated transport and land use planning. The Church Fields Link Road project will include safe and attractive segregated cycle and pedestrian infrastructure including links to existing local schools.”