AN action group has been formed to oppose plans for a national distribution centre. If South Dublin County Council approves the Pounds 100 million development, the group intends to object to An Bord Pleanala.
People Against the Distribution Centre is a coalition of several residents' associations in the Clondalkin area - the proposed location for the facility - who have made separate formal objections to the council.
According to the developers, CIE and Charnwood Properties, up to 4,000 jobs will be created. But the group says this is not realistic. Spokeswoman Ms Sue Hasset says the distribution centre is likely to provide no more than half that figure.
"Our main objection is that the centre is planned for an area that is zoned as an amenity/green belt, and this is one of the main reasons many of us bought our houses here," she said yesterday.
A recent meeting between the group and local politicians ended inconclusively, with Democratic Left TD Mr Pat Rabbitte emphasising the employment potential.
"If you consider that 2,000 trucks will be using this centre every 24 hours, you can see the kind of traffic problems this is going to cause," said Ms Hasset.