Save our Seafront's logo shows people bearing a giant lifebuoy, symbolising people power mobilising to protect our seafront !
Save our Seafront committee members & supporters campaign on a voluntary basis on various issues relating mainly to the wider Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Bay seafront areas. We coordinate our efforts with other local & national groups who wish to protect our coastline, including environmental & wildlife groups as well as business & tourism interests. We are a member of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Public Participation Network.
The present SOS committee members for 2016 are:
Anne Carter, Derek Sheil, Bob Waddell, Lola Hynes, Fergal McLoughlin, Anne Martin, Paul O'Brien, Valerie Lagrave, Jim Curtis, Davnet Cotter, Mary McLaughlin Beck, Cllr Melisa Halpin,
The present Chairperson of SOS, who is also a founder member, is Richard Boyd Barrett, TD.
HISTORY OF SOS
Save our Seafront was born when some members of the public came together in 2002 to ask that the derelict Victorian baths at Dun Laoghaire be restored. They continued to pursue this issue for many years and named their group Save our Seafront. In 2005 the Council put forward a plan to erect an apartment block on the baths site. SOS were opposed to this as they wanted the baths to be restored & they also felt that the seafront was an inappropriate place for private residential or commercial development
Save our Seafront organised a protest march & rally which 5000 people attended & this public protest stopped the development. The Council finally intends to restore the Baths shortly which is to be welcomed - even if it has taken 12 years. Unfortunately, at present there is no provision for a swimming facility to be included.
Since then, Save our Seafront has found it necessary to continue to monitor the many proposals, some totally unsuitable, put forward for various developments on our seafront & foreshore, for example:
>Council proposal in 2003 for construction of a 127-bed hotel & 229 apartments on the Carlisle pier – did not proceed
>Council proposal in 2005 for construction of an 8-storey apartment block of 180 apts & retail units involving reclaiming 5 acres of the sea (the Baths site) - did not proceed
>Council proposal in 2008 for a €129m redesign of the seafront between East Pier & Sandycove "Concepts A & B" involving construction of an artificial lagoon at the East Pier or an artificial beach at Newtownsmith - did not proceed
>Council proposal in 2009 for a highrise library building on seafront – did proceed despite SOS submitting objections to the size & location
>Harbour proposal for a Marina village at the back of the West Pier near the sewage works - part of the current Harbour MasterPlan - this land is presently (Aug 2015) being advertised for sale by the Harbour Co. SOS are opposed to sale of harbour land and to residential development in our harbour.
>Harbour proposal for a Badeschiff floating pool & urban beach at the East pier – SOS made a submission objecting to this proposal however planning approval was granted in May 2015 & work is scheduled to begin shortly
>Oil rig 6km from shore – project temporarily on hold
>Wind farm 10km from shore – still under discussion
>Harbour company's proposal for a 333metre 'Super Cruise Ship' terminal in the centre of the harbour which would effectively bisect our unique elegant almost 200-yr old harbour & seriously affect traditional harbour activities - SOS facilitated a meeting of stakeholders 24 March 2015 to gather views & hosted a public meeting on 30 April 2015. On behalf of our supporters we made a submission August 2015 to An Bord Pleanala objecting to this proposal - a decision is expected from ABP by January 2016 . A further packed public meeting on this subject on 7 Sept agreed unanimously to lobby our public representatives to prevent cruise berth, residential or commercial development or sale of harbour. Save our Seafront's 'Alternative Vision for Dun Laoghaire Harbour' document was launched at the meeting. An Bord Pleanala planners rejected the proposal, however, were overruled by their Board, who approved the cruise berth at a reduced length of 250m. Save our Seafront took a judicial review against this decision & after much hard work, won the case on environmental grounds as An Bord Pleanala conceded defeat in April 2017. It remains open for the Harbour company to submit a revised application.
>Controversial Bulloch Harbour Plan: Developer Bartra Capital proposed to build seven ground-floor commercial units in place of a number of disused buildings at Bulloch Harbour as well as six private residential three-storey terraced dwellings and three houses to the rear (5x3bed & 1x1bed plus 3 huge cube-shaped dwellings behind). Following a campaign by Bulloch Harbour Preservation Association and Save our Seafront, thankfully there was a victory for People Power in Round 1 as Council refused permission in February 2017 for this wholly inappropriate development at Bulloch Harbour.
The Dun Laoghaire area is fortunate to have one of the most beautiful harbours in the world with a backdrop of a stunning bay. We in SOS see it as our brief to defend the integrity of this heritage, to hand it on intact to the next generation and to ensure that public access is always maintained on the seafront, which belongs to the public.
