RESIDENTS IN A new-build housing development in Dublin are furious over plans to introduce clamping in the estate, given that there is little to no visitor parking. 

Earlier this year, The Journal reported on the rising tensions in Seven Mills, a new development between Clondalkin and Lucan in south-west Dublin, over inadequate parking facilities, with neighbours reporting cars being keyed and air being let out of tyres due to the disputes over parking spaces.

On Wednesday night, residents in the Parkleigh estate in the development protested over the developer (Cairn Homes) and the owner-management company’s decision to introduce clamping.

Wednesday evening's protest

Residents have said they were given no say in the decision and were informed of it last week, in a circular which said a “large volume” of complaints had been received in relation to cars parking in non-designated areas in the estate, such as on roads, curbs and footpaths.

The owner-management company (OMC), Cushman & Wakefield, said the issue was raised with South Dublin County Council and had also been flagged by the estate developer, Cairn Homes.

The circular, seen by The Journal, said the issue amounts to a health and safety risk and noted that it presented an accessibility issue for emergency vehicles in the estate. 

The anti-clamping protest at Parkleigh

As a result, the OMC said it and Cairn Homes had decided to approach private clamping firm APCOA to bring parking management into certain areas of the estate where cars were being parked on roads, footpaths and curbs, including the entire Parkleigh estate.

In response to the announcement, residents launched a public petition against the move, which has garnered over 370 signatures at the time of writing, and staged a peaceful protest at 6pm on Wednesday at the entrance to the Parkleigh estate. 

Ahead of the planned protest, residents were informed by the OMC that the decision to implement clamping was “paused until further notice” pending a meeting between the OMC, its board of directors and Cairn. 

However, immediately after the protest, residents received another communication from the management company to say the initial plan to introduce clamping would go ahead.

Speaking to The Journal, Parkleigh resident Lorna McEvoy said residents fear the move will reignite tensions over parking, which had died down in recent months since signage was introduced indicating which parking spots belonged to which property. 

She said when residents have visitors who have a car, they typically park on sections of the estate where there are no double yellow lines, but with clamping now being introduced, there will be nowhere for visitors to park.

“We’re sort of in this position where it’s like, ‘Okay, are we just not meant to have any visitors over?’ What about tradesmen, people that are getting home help in, anything like that, they’re going to be clamped?” McEvoy asked.

She stressed that in taking the initial decision to introduce clamping, there was no consultation with the wider members of the OMC, namely the estate residents.

Currently, McEvoy said visitors to the estate are advised to park in the Clondalkin Fonthill train station car park, about a 10-minute walk away from her house. 

“It’s not ideal. You’re paying nearly half a million for your house – we paid €480,000 for our house, and we’re telling our visitors to go and park in the train station. It’s embarrassing,” she said.

The residents are calling on Cairn and the OMC to listen to them and stop the planned introduction of clamping. 

Local Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin supports the residents’ ask.

“What Cairn need to do is pause the introduction of the private clamping, and Cairn, the council, and the Owner-Management Company in Parkleigh need to sit down and try and work out a better solution to this,” he told The Journal.

Looking at the issue more broadly, Ó’Broin said the government urgently needs to “change its position” and provide funding for public transport provision for these new housing developments. 

“We need the funding for Dart South West, we need the funding for the Bus Connects network redesign,” he said. 

In the interim, he said South Dublin County Council needs to review car parking arrangements, as well as public transport provision, in housing estates such as Parkleigh, at the point it takes them in charge.

He noted that while an estate remains under the charge of the developer, such as is currently the case with Parkleigh and Cairn, the developer is tied to the existing parking ratios as an obligation of the planning permission.

Ó’Broin said once an estate is taken in charge by the Council, it should decide whether to introduce further parking, either temporarily or permanently. 

“They need to start doing that on an estate-by-estate basis,” he said. 

Ó’Broin said the final step is for central government to begin a review of existing car parking rules in mixed-unit housing developments. 

He said this should look at parking ratios and also the complexity of the rules more generally, e.g. is it the best approach for developers to sell parking spaces on an “exclusive use” basis? 

Who decides?

When this specific case was put to Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien by The Journal, he said any decision around clamping belongs to the management company of the estate.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien said the management company has responsibility for clamping decisions. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“I think what people need to remember is residents in those estates, they are all shareholders in the management company. So it’s the managing agent generally doing it on behalf of the management company, where you’ve clamping in private estates.

“Sometimes that’s appropriate if someone’s blocking a fire exit, or whatever the case may be, but that is something that the management companies themselves have control over,” he said.

Residents in Parkleigh have said no such consultation with them took place.

“Residents were not given an opportunity to discuss the proposal, raise concerns or consider alternative solutions before the decision was made,” they said. 

When contacted by The Journal, Cairn Homes said it will continue working with the OMC and residents to “come to the best outcome for the community” as it tries to “target illegal parking on paths, kerbs, and roads”.

“These issues are affecting pedestrians, causing public safety concerns, and impacting emergency services’ access. The sole aim of the measures is to address these issues. The OMC is also consulting with residents on other aspects of good car parking management and a wider plan to ensure that this is implemented throughout the development,” a spokesperson said.