Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has raised serious concerns about emergency service provision, particularly fire cover, following the decision by Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council to grant planning permission for 159 residential units at the Sea Gardens development on the former Bray Golf Club lands.
The site straddles the Dublin–Wicklow County boundary, with access only available through Wicklow. Under current arrangements, emergencies on the site would require a response from Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown Fire Service, despite Bray Fire Station being much closer. This bureaucratic situation risks dangerous delays, creates confusion in emergency dispatch, and could put lives at risk, and must be urgently addressed.
Deputy Brady said
“The planning application which was recently approved by Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown for 159 residential units, 9 houses and two apartment blocks, 10 and 11 storeys high, making them the tallest apartments blocks in the Bray area.
“The decision highlights issues around access to the site and the ability of emergency services to safely and effectively respond to incidents in the area. This permission must be viewed in the context of the wider scale of development at this site which has been substantially completed.
“Previously, An Bord Pleanála, under the Strategic Housing Development process, granted permission for 591 residential units, including 76 houses and four eight-storey apartment blocks, the majority of which is marginally over the County border in Dublin, however the only way to access them is through Wicklow.
“The most recent permission provides for nine houses, with the remainder of the development consisting of two large apartment blocks rising to 10 and 11 storeys. The scale of these high-rise buildings further intensifies concerns regarding access for emergency services, particularly the fire service.
“This development falls within the administrative area of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council; however, the only access to the site is via County Wicklow.
“Under the current arrangements, emergency responses would be the responsibility of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown emergency services, who would have to travel through Wicklow to reach the site. Wicklow Fire Service can only attend emergencies in the area that are within the Wicklow County boundary.
“This makes absolutely no sense from a public safety perspective. Bray Fire Station is significantly closer, and Wicklow Fire Service would be able to respond far more quickly in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Deputy Brady said the issue has become increasingly urgent as hundreds of houses and apartments have already been built or granted planning permission in this area marginally over the county boundary.
“Emergencies do not recognise county borders, and any bureaucratic obstacles that delay response times must be urgently addressed,” he said.
The TD also raised serious concerns about the preparedness of Wicklow Fire Service to deal with emergencies in high-rise apartment blocks of this scale.
“Wicklow currently does not have adequate resources in place to deal with fires in buildings of 10 and 11 storeys. The county’s hydraulic platform is stationed in Wicklow Town, which raises serious concerns about response times and operational readiness.
“Wicklow County Council must immediately engage with Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council to put clear and formal cross-boundary emergency service arrangements in place, ensuring that emergency callouts in this area are attended by the fire service in Bray Fire Station which is the nearest and fastest available fire service in the interests of public safety.” Ends
For more information contact: Deputy John Brady 085-8546464