Two major schemes released in South Docklands

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority has announced the release of two major residential development sites with detailed Section 25 Planning Permission to provide 560 apartments in the Grand Canal Harbour area of south Docklands.

The Grand Canal Quay site on Pearse Street is to be developed as a joint venture with the development consortium of Alanis, Paddy Kelly and Pierse Contracting. Comprising 270 apartments and 450m2 of ground floor retail, the scheme has been designed, through architectural competition by award winning architects, Benson and Forsyth.

The Sir John Rogerson Quay – Hanover Quay site has been sold to Park Developments and Sisk. This vertically mixed use scheme, designed by O’Mahony Pike Architects of Dublin, includes 290 apartments together with ground floor retail (including bar/restaurant) of 1130m2, and ground and first floor offices of 2489m2 There is also a crèche of 461m2 to be provided.

BHI HOUSING ASSOCIATION

The Docklands Authority will transfer 20% of all the residential units to BHI Housing Association, which will manage the social apartments in both developments.

Peter Coyne, Chief Executive of Dublin Docklands Development Authority said: "We are delighted with the market response to the sites and could have sold them both several times. The market is strong and it is clear that our approach to tenure integration is working. Both schemes will be under way by the New Year and represent a flying start to the Grand Canal Harbour Project."

Both deals involve partial transfer of completed units back to the Authority. However the land values achieved are understood to be in excess of  €12 million/acre.

VIBRANT QUARTER

Motorists asked to clean up their act

Mucky motorists who rarely clean their cars could be putting themselves at risk of a serious accident or falling foul of the law, according to the RAC Foundation.

A survey of two hundred motorists, conducted by the RAC Foundation, found that the traditional Sunday wash and wax is now declining as Sunday shopping is increasing.

Many motorists don't clean their cars regularly, according to the survey, and others only clean the windscreen when visibility becomes dangerously obscured. Some even claimed to never clean their car at all.

While dirty windows can compromise road safety and constitute an offence when they become obscured, the legal implications of having mucky number plates have also become more significant with the introduction of speed cameras.

In Britain, motorists if stopped by Police could be issued with a fixed penalty notice and a £40 fine (sterling). The maximum penalty for having a number plate that is not visible is £1,000 (sterling). In Ireland, driving with a dirty number plate is illegal and fines are at the discretion of the judicial system.

Robert Taylor, managing director, RAC Ireland, explains "Car owners that don't keep their cars clean could be compromising their own safety and that of other road users. There is also the legal implication of not having a clean car. It is illegal to drive with a dirty number plate here.

"Also at this time of year the combination of dirty windows with low morning and evening sun can completely obscure a drivers view, leading to unnecessary accidents. With our wet summer about to give way to a period with even more uncertain weather – vehicles will naturally become dirty and dusty very quickly. The onus is therefore on all of us to regularly clean our vehicles".

Clearly visible number plates are also important for the safety and security of a vehicle such as in the case of theft, collision or in a hit and run accident. Equally, dirty or obscured lights or brakes will stop you seeing and being seen and many accidents are caused when other road users don't realise that you may be braking or signaling to change direction.

Of those who admitted to only washing their cars infrequently, the majority said that their cars were regularly parked outside overnight – on the road or in a drive, rather then in a garage. The survey also found that the motorists who rarely clean their vehicles were overwhelmingly either company car drivers or owners of cars that were over five years old.