THE UPPER LEESON STREET AREA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017 ULSARANEWS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM Eruption, Leeson Park How many people living in our area to trip on - can be as much as 5 or 6 have stumbled, or even fallen full cms. The roots of the new trees also length, on a pavement outside their lift lumps of sloping concrete across front door? In Dublin 4 and Dublin 6 the path of unwary pedestrians and the question becomes increasingly have even shifted whole granite relevant as year by year the trees, kerbstones sideways into the which were planted to give shade adjacent gutter. This is evident on and character to our streets, distort the west side of Upper Leeson Street the pavements when their roots and in Appian Way where rows of expand. a disease-resistant hornbeam were planted in the 1980s. No one would want to get rid of Inside the trees. Environmentally, and in The greatest problems however have ULSARA updates terms of the freshly filtered air which been caused by some Turkey Oaks they provide, they are the life blood put in as replacement trees in Leeson Planning issues of the city. The City Council fully Park where the road surface is now 20th century buildings appreciates their importance: indeed a deep hole with the dislodged kerb there is a section ‘Trees in the city’ stones standing 40cms above it. Pembroke Park on the web site www.dublincity.ie, In a similar way the roots of maple and the Bolsheviks with a leaflet to download when the trees planted on either side of Bob council has ‘planted a tree outside Mulcahy’s Carnac sculpture in Upper your house.’ People are encouraged Leeson Street have turned a wheel- ULSARA AGM to water it in dry weather and to keep chair access route into something Wednesday 5 April 2017 the area round the roots free from more resembling a children’s at 7.30 pm weeds. adventure playground. Litton Hall, Wesley House, All this is fine for a new tree in a All this is unnecessary because the Leeson Park new area but what is to be done City Council knows the answer to the Litton Hall is just south of the large when some years after it is planted problem. The broken and dangerous church on the corner of Dartmouth the roots of the tree crack up the pavements are caused because the Road and upper Leeson Street pavement that surrounds it? Many of replacement trees are habitually We urge you to attend, to meet the ULSARA streets have a mixture planted much too close to the top your neighbours and the committee, of old ‘forest’ trees – chestnuts, of the pavement whereas their roots and discuss local issues limes and sycamores - which survive should have been buried - as they from late Victorian times and new were in the past - much deeper into GUEST SPEAKERS replacements recently planted at the the ground. The City Council is Michael Noonan, side of the pavements. aware of this ‘best practice’ and in its Senior Executive Parks Tree Strategy 2016 – 2020, developed Superintendent, Surprisingly it is not the older trees by the Parks Service, has even got Dublin City Council which are causing the problems. Most a video explaining the advantages City Council Tree Strategy frequently the culprits are the newer of the ‘Stockholm deep planting and trees planted within recent memory system’. The Council should follow its since it is their roots that open up the own advice. Frank McDonald, worst cracks across the pavements. formerly Environment Editor, The difference in level - all too easy Irish Times The Future of Dublin P.O. Box 8411, Ballsbridge Dublin 4. www.ulsara.ie ULSARA NEWS Spring 2017 1 ULSARA 2017 v4.indd 1 22/03/2017 14:20 THE UPPER LEESON STREET AREA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER Chairman’s Message WELCOME TO OUR NEW LOOK NEWSLETTER It is hard to believe that ULSARA will Our 2017 AGM takes place on be celebrating its 50th Anniversary Wednesday 5th April at 7.30pm in Website in 2018. We hope to mark this Litton Hall (Leeson Park) when we milestone in a number of ways, will have two excellent speakers, so www.ulsara.ie including a publication on the history please make a note in your diary. We and development of our area. hope you will join us and enjoy these Please check www. presentations Our founders perceived a threat ulsara.ie for local to the residential character of the If there are any subjects that you information and up-to- ULSARA quarter if the commercial would like us to cover at a future date news on ULSARA centre of the city was allowed to AGM, please let us know. We encroach. Whatever the problems look forward to seeing you there. activities. The site we now face from development, As always your comments and includes links to Dublin they pale when compared to the suggestions are welcome and can ignorance and hostility faced in the be sent to ULSARA, P.O. Box 8411, City Council services 1960s. Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. including Property Their foresight has allowed us to Flood Protection and continue to maintain and enjoy Who We Are Planning Applications, this beautiful area, containing a The Upper Leeson Street Area further articles on large number of houses that are Residents’ Association was founded of architectural importance, within in 1968. The Association draws its the local area and an easy reach of the city. We feel an members from the catchment area of archive of newsletters obligation to help to perserve the streets, lanes and squares, extending dating back to the Georgian and Victorian heritage of south from the Grand Canal, that are the city and do our best to meet it. adjacent to Upper Leeson Street. 1980s. ULSARA’s activities rely on the The primary aim of the Association annual membership fees. Thus is to promote the conservation #ulsaradublin and preservation of the residential the support of existing and new We invite you to follow members is essential for our future. character and amenities of the The annual membership form neighbourhood, including the us at #ulsaradublin and is enclosed with this newsletter maintenance of green spaces, as welcome ideas on how and gives you the option to pay well as the distinctive Georgian and to make our website and by direct debit if that is more Victorian architectural features of tweets more useful. convenient for you. this area of Dublin. ULSARA AGM Baggot Street Uppe Pemb at Litton Hall, Leeson Park, roke Pl ac Wednesday 5th April e r Mespil Road Pembroke Lane at 7:30 pm P embroke Road rade L Pa eeson Street Uppe Grand Sussex Road ne Swan river mouth y Lane Elg rt in R Da e oad oo La Squar on Road rl t Burlington Road g te terloo Road llin Lit Wa Heytesbur Le glan Road t r Wa on We eson aglan Lane Ra rt thbrook Road W R Nor . Hall elling ton Lane Northbrooke Lane Pa Clyde Road Herbe rk Clyde Lane Pa rk y Northbrooke Ave. Wa Wellington Place Pe Appian Le mbroke eson Morehampton Road Ranelagh Park Avenue Gardens Pa R d anelagh Road Swan river rk enue Chelmsfor Av ord Road enue sf m Av nt Chel Sallymou 2 ULSARA NEWS Spring 2017 ULSARA 2017 v4.indd 2 22/03/2017 14:20 THE UPPER LEESON STREET AREA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER ECar and “pump” Grand Parade Electric Vehicles As part of the EU emissions behaviour. One of the recognised reduction programme, the Irish barriers to adoption is range Government is targeting 250,000 anxiety: drivers worry that they will electric vehicles (EVs) on Irish Roads run out of charge before reaching by 2020 or approximately 10% of a chargepoint. More and faster Dartmouth Square proposal the national car fleet. While we charging stations may help: currently are seeing increasing numbers of a fast charge station at a motorway Residents of Dartmouth Square are charging stations for EVs on Dublin takes about 20 minutes to charge a greatly concerned with the potential streets, car parks and filling stations, car to 80% capacity and is currently negative impact of a proposed the promised growth in actual EVs available free at 1200 locations. development of the site to the rear of has been less conspicuous. Despite the former Carrolls Building on Grand clear benefits to electric vehicles, For residents who want their own Parade, behind the houses on the some real barriers remain to their charging station, home or on-street west side of the square. adoption before drivers shift in large solutions can be installed and ESB Ecars will install home chargers numbers. This site has recently been acquired for new EV purchasers. These by new owners who lodged a How EVs contribute to are however quite unsuitable for planning application on 1 March for sustainability apartment dwellers since chargers the Irish Nationwide/Carroll’s site are connected to the customer’s An increase in EVs will reduce import between Dartmouth Road and Grand direct power supply and do not dependency on fossil fuels and Parade. This development will include allow for shared access and user contribute to a reduction in CO2 a new six-storey office building and billing. This means that the residents emissions. In a city like Dublin, an will add 10,658 sq. m to the existing of apartments in Ireland – currently EV can drive almostly silently with building. estimated at one-third of Dublin zero emissions, making a major homes – are effectively prohibited difference to residents in terms While the detailed planning from owning an EV.