The SaveAirfield 2004 Campaign:

 

Airfield was brought to the attention of the public in the October 2003 edition of Three Rock Panorama.  An anonymous letter appeared advising readers that “Airfield Trust has applied to Dun Laoghaire County Council to rezone the southern portion of their property from Open Space to Residential”.   On December 13^th, an extensive article in the Irish Times gave details of what was proposed for the estate and the fears of local residents.  John Edmondson, Trustees’ Chairman was quoted as saying “Airfield finds itself in the position of many charitable trusts – asset-rich, cash-poor and struggling to ensure viability”.  At that stage those who were to form the nucleus of the SaveAirfield Campaign knew that Airfield held in the region of €12m in investments and was generating surpluses around €800,000 per annum.  On 16^th December the Irish Times published a letter from Rose Mary Logue criticising what had happened at Airfield since the death of Miss Naomi Overend and what was proposed – it was to be the first in a series of letters from members of the public voicing their concern about the estate. 

 

At the time a new Development Plan was being drafted by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.  In the previous Development Plan, 1998, most of the area around Dundrum Village was zoned residential and Airfield was no exception to this.  However in the 2003 Draft Development Plan, unveiled in Summer of that year, the County Manager proposed to rezone most of the Airfield estate from Residential (A) to Open Space (F).  The Council also proposed the listing of Airfield House as a protected structure. 

 

In Autumn 2003 the Trustees at Airfield made a submission to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for the following amendments to the draft Development Plan.  

 

1. To zone the top half of the lower five fields from Open Space (F) to Residential (A)
2. To provide an access road linking this area to the new Wyckham By-Pass extension.
3. To change the zoning of Dudley’s Field from Residential (A) to Neighbourhood Centre (NC).
4. That Airfield house not be listed as a protected structure.

Councillors at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown voted in early November 2003 in favour of these zoning changes to the draft Development Plan, for which the Trustees had lobbied, and against the listing of Airfield House.  Submissions were then sought from the public on the Plan.   

On 7^th January 2004 the SaveAirfield Campaign swung into action.  An e-mail letter was drafted for friends and contacts of Angela Lemass and Rose Mary Logue, telling them about the trustees’ proposals and suggesting (a) that they make submissions to the County Council asking that Airfield be zoned to protect the land and house and (b) that they forward the e-mail to friends on their contact list.  Subsequently the letter was photocopied for friends without e-mail and for circulation in the neighbourhood. By the closing date on 20^th January, over 700 submissions about Airfield had been received by the Council, including one with 800 signatures.  This was more than was received on any other issue in the draft Development Plan.

 

As it became evident that Airfield would become an issue in local elections planned for June, both the Green and Labour party representatives approached Angela and Rose Mary suggesting a public meeting be held.  They were anxious that Airfield not become a party political issue and, following negotiations with the parties, they agreed it should not.  Eamonn Ryan, T.D., offered to chair the meeting which was arranged for 23^rd February in Dom Marmion Hall.  The hall was packed and around 100 were refused entry.  The attendance (including Olivia Mitchell TD, Trevor Matthews, Chairman of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and local election candidates) were left in no doubt about the views of those in the locality.  John Edmondson (Chairman of Trustees) and Brian O’Brien of Solearth put forward the Trustees’ proposals for development of Airfield.  Angela Lemass and Rose Mary Logue also spoke and put forward their objectives for the estate, to include the following:-

 

(a)        increase the numbers of trustees to reflect relevant skills and local knowledge

(b)        have the whole estate zoned Category F – open space - and not seek permission for the proposed access road

(c)        confirm that the house and farm buildings would retain their listed status

(d)        that neither Dudley’s Field nor any other land would be sold

(e)        modify the proposed plan for the estate to:

            (i)         leave the entrance on Upper Kilmacud Road

            (ii)        demolish no buildings

            (iii)       leave the existing car park as it was

            (iv)       postpone indefinitely any plans for large-scale investment in buildings, e.g. the conference centre and restaurant.

(f)     insist that Mr Gannon build the boundary wall (which had been part of the contract for the exchange of land in 1998) and remove his rubble.

 

John Edmondson, Chairman of Trustees, made only one concession to the meeting – he said the trustees would consider appointing somebody from the locality to the Board.

 

In the early hours of 24^th March, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Councillors voted to zone Airfield in line with what had been requested in the submissions, i.e. most of the estate is now open space and the house is a listed building.   Dudley’s Field has not been sold, although the SaveAirfield Campaign is not convinced the trustees have abandoned their plans to “develop” the estate and use that as an excuse to sell land.  (See map below which gives zoning as at March, 2005, arising out of the Development Plan 2004).