The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) aims to deliver more compact and sustainable development, as envisaged under Project Ireland 2040. It does this by part-funding regeneration and rejuvenation projects in Ireland’s five cities and other large towns.
In July 2018, the department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage issued a first call for proposals from all public bodies. Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council secured URDF support for 4 projects in Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone under call 1. Details of these including the funding approval amounts are as summarized below.
Funding is 75% grant funded from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage with 25% match funding provided by the Local Authority.
URDF Call 1 Projects
1. Surface Water Attenuation Pond 2A -
• Total funding approved : €4M – (€3m Dept Grant & €1m DLR Cherrywood Specific Development Contributions).
• Works : Regional Surface Water Attenuation Pond
• Status : Statutory Part 8 stage is complete. Project at Detailed Design & Pre-tender Stage.
• Next Milestone : Detailed Design completion & Tender for works to issue in Q2 2026.
2. Surface Water Attenuation Pond 5A -
• Total funding approved : €2.4M – (€1.8m Dept Grant & €0.6m DLR Cherrywood Specific Development Contributions).
• Works : Regional Surface Water Attenuation Pond
• Status : DLR appointed Clonmel Enterprises Limited to undertake the construction works of Pond 5A. The construction of Pond 5A was completed in Q2 2025.
• Next Milestone : Final account and snagging to completed in Q2 2026.
3. Linear Park / Greenway -
• Total funding approved : €6.35M – (€4.76m Dept Grant & €1.59m NTA Funding).
• Works : The Cherrywood Green Routes Network is a strategic active travel infrastructure project located within the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The scheme comprises approximately 5.0km of pedestrian and cycle routes, including greenways, woodland paths and strategic connections to surrounding residential, commercial and transport corridors.
• Status : The statutory Part 8 was approved by the Elected Members on the 13th of June 2022. DBFL Consulting Engineers were formally appointed on the 9th December 2025 to deliver the Green Routes Network through detailed design and preparation of tender documents. DBFL are progressing the Stage (iia) Phase 2-4 review. Early-stage technical review activities have been completed in accordance with the baseline programme. The topographical survey (TOPO), ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey, and ground investigation (GI) tender processed have all been completed. Appointment of the preferred tender's is anticipated shortly.
• Next Milestone : Stage (iic) Detailed Design which is due to be completed by the 16th March 2026.
4. Tully Park – Phase 2 -
• Total funding approved : €5.46M – (€4.10m Dept Grant & €1.36m DLR Cherrywood Specific Development Contributions).
• Works : Completion of Public Park.
• Status : Construction commenced on site on the 24th June 2021 and project completed in Q4 2022.
• Next Milestone : Park opened to the public on 31st May 2023.
URDF Call 2 Projects
In January 2020, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage issued a second call for proposals from all public bodies. Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council (DLR) secured approval in principle for URDF support in respect of 6 projects in the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone under Call 2.
On the 5 March 2021, DLR was notified by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, that two of the applications submitted by the Council for funding, under Call 2, were successful. The Department formally confirmed preliminary approval of the €44,361,115 funding on the 25 of August 2021 for the Dundrum and Cherrywood projects for the inclusion in the URDF supported capital programme and approval to move to the next stage of the project lifecycle, the preliminary business case stage.
Indicative details/Current Status of these projects are as summarized below:
1. Castle Street Link -
• Works: Completion of Cherrywood’s bus priority route to connect it to the existing Park & Ride facility at Carrickmines Luas stop.
• Status: DLR has appointed a consultant to advance with the preliminary design of Castle Street Link incorporating a preferred flood mitigation design for the Priorsland development link. Preliminary design work ongoing.
2. Ticknick Park - Ballycorus Access & Vehicular Parking -
• Works: Public Accessibility and parking for Ticknick Park recreation area.
• Status: Development of a cycle, pedestrian and vehicular access route and parking for Ticknick Park from Ballycorus Road. DLR has appointed a design consultant to develop the preliminary design and bring the project through the planning stage. Preliminary design & Site investigation work progressing on preferred access route and parking.
3. Town Centre Pedestrian and Cycle Link -
• Works: Public Permeability and Sustainable Connections
• Status: DHPLG Approval to proceed to decision Gate 2 of the Public Spending Code.
4. Three Public Parks -
• Works: Public Amenity and Strategic Green Infrastructure Network. The proposed works for Lehaunstown Park comprise the delivery of a high-quality public park in line with the proposed planning design, including landscaped open spaces, formal and informal recreational areas, pedestrian and cycle paths, boundary treatment's, lighting, drainage, seating, play and amenity features, and associated park infrastructure.
• Status: The next step is to develop the detailed design for Lehaunstown Park, based on the preliminary design already approved under planning. The project will then progress from Detailed Design through to construction of Phase 1 (Interim Phase). Phase 2 (Final Phase) will be delivered once the Ballycorus-Ticknick Park access has been completed, enabling the full build-out of the final park layout. Currently finalizing the preparation of tender documents for issue via eTenders, to procure design consultants. The appointed consultant will be responsible for progressing the project through to detailed design and construction of the Park.
Priorsland Park - To be progressed in line with Castle Street Link project.
Parade Green - To develop concept and commence preliminary design stage. The progress of this project will be informed by the adjacent progress of the development plots.
5. Smart Parking Study -
• Works: Evidence-based research and recommendations to support place-based, policy-led interventions for managing Cherrywood's car parking provision over time.
• Status: DLR established a framework of technical consultants in May 2024 under a 2-stage statutory procurement process. Aecom were commissioned to undertake the Smart Parking Study, which commenced in October 2024. The Final Study document containing Smart Parking Recommendations to manage car parking in Cherrywood weas completed in April 2026.
6. Beckett Link & Barrington Road Connection -
• Works: Development of circa 2km pedestrian, cycle and vehicle from the Kilternan Link to the Cherrywood Town Centre, to include the uncompleted portion of Barrington's Road and the construction of an underpass under the Wyattville Link road. The project will be delivered in two phases. Beckett Link Road Phase 1 will connect Cherrywood Avenue to Mercer Drive. The road runs parallel to the southbound carriageway of the M50 motorway. Beckett Link Road Phase 1 consists of a 1.6km two-way single carriageway with a two-way cycle track along the northern section of the road, footpaths and an underpass beneath the Wyattville Link Road (R118). The road intends to open the adjacent plots in the Cherrywood SDZ for development while also creating an uninterrupted connection between the southern and northern section of the Cherrywood SDZ.
• Status: Planning approved for Phase 1, with conditions, on 11th November 2022. Dlr has engaged Arup as technical consultants to progress Phase 1 through detailed design, tender, construction, and handover and final close out.
The Joint Venture (JV) of Jons Civil Engineering and John Craddock were appointed by Dlr as the Main Contractor for Beckett Link Road Phase 1 in November 2025.
Constructions works for Beckett Link Road commenced on 19th December 2025, with a construction programme of circa 18 months (substantial completion envisaged for Q2/Q3 2027. As of May 2026, works are well underway, with several project updates as follows:
- An alternative road layout for the Wyattville Link Road (WLR) has been constructed and is in operation since 30th April 2026, which will allow construction of the Underpass to commence from May 2026.
- First phase of Piling works south of WLR for the Underpass structure have been completed.
- Diversion of ESB's 38kv cable on WLR is complete.
- The formation of the road alignment from Cherrywood Avenue to WLR, and from WLR to Mercer Drive, is ongoing.
- Installation of the precast wall at Lehaunstown Lane is ongoing.
- Circa 200m of Storm and circa 100m of Foul sewer have been installed within the road alignment at the norther side of WLR, with these and other utilities installation works ongoing
Please see link to drone footage of ongoing construction of the Beckett Link Road Phase 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB-dG9aISzU
Gallery
