Donabate Urban Centre Strategy Fingal County Council

5.0 Urban Design Appraisal
5.0 Urban Design Appraisal
5.1.3 Barriers to Movement
The railway line is a major barrier to east-west movement. A particular
issue for Donabate is safe and easy access for people to walk in from
areas close to the town centre. A restricted pedestrian and vehicular
underpass exists at Ballisk Lane, however this does not provide an
attractive linkage as it is poorly surveillanced and poorly lit. As a
result it provides an intimidating environment, which will limit its use
and restrict movement across this significant barrier. A suggestion
for improvement of this area is described in page 39: Environmental
Improvement Area 1.
There are also opportunities to provide new pedestrian friendly east
west connections within proposals for the key development areas
(no.4 ) adjacent to the train station.
5.1.4 Gateways to the town centre
Gateways occur where a ‘threshold space’ punctuates a sense of arrival
or departure to and from the town centre. Examples are at the railway
bridge (in its elevated position), the ‘entrances’ to the town coming
from the southwest at Kilcrea Road and at key sites at the junction of
Main Street, Portrane Road and Beaverstown Road (Donabate's new
pumping station will be located here). However, as gateways, these are
all weak introductions to the town and the Urban Centre Strategy
will need to address this. Please refer to Chapter 9 Environmental
Improvements.
Pedestrian and vehicular underpass presenting a poorly surveillanced
linkage
Gateway to the town centre at the junction of Main Street Portrane
Road and Beaverstown Road (Site of Donabate's new pumping
station).
Gateway to the town centre approaching the railway bridge
Gateway to the town centre coming from the southwest at Kilcrea
Road
Donabate Urban Centre Strategy 16