Hammerson ICAV (Irish Collective Asset Management) plans to apply for 5-year Temporary Planning Permission for a padel facility on a 1.1-hectare site at Swords Pavilions (R132 / R106 Malahide Road). The proposal includes 10 outdoor padel courts with integrated lighting, with 6 courts partially covered by a 10m-high open-sided steel-and-canvas dome. It also includes reception/booking, rental shop, a cafe, toilets, & a rooftop viewing platform, plus two marquee seating/viewing areas.

What is Padel (pronounced paddle) I hear you say? Well, Padel is a mix between Tennis and Squash. It's usually played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by walls of glass and metallic mash. The court is one third of the size of a tennis court. To find out more about the sport of padel check out this YouTube video.

Fingal County Council has published a draft Active Travel Plan for Skerries, developed following public engagement in 2022 (with 560+ submissions and 2,000+ ideas). The plan sets out proposed routes and measures aimed at making it easier and safer to get around Skerries by active modes for everyday trips and leisure.

“Active travel” here includes walking, cycling, scooting and wheeling, with an emphasis on accessibility for people using buggies, wheelchairs and adapted cycles. The plan focuses on practical improvements such as safer crossing points, traffic calming, better links between neighbourhoods and key destinations, and stronger connections to public transport and schools.

The council is inviting the public to review the draft and submit feedback during the consultation period [here], which runs from 10 November 2025 to 19 January 2026. Public and stakeholder engagement sessions are also part of the process, giving residents a chance to see the proposals and influence what happens next.

When I was listening to Fingal County Council’s Chief Executive, AnnMarie Farrelly, on the Inside Fingal podcast, what really jumped out was the sheer scale of what the council has underway. She described 2025 as a step-change year, with 120+ projects on site and around €750m in active spend. A lot of that focus is on the big, practical stuff we all feel day-to-day: delivering housing at scale, building community facilities, and doing the enabling work needed to service and activate land so more homes (and jobs) can follow.

Looking ahead to 2026, the council’s budget is due to rise by roughly 11%, with an emphasis on keeping services running well and the county properly maintained, while continuing housing delivery (including work with the Land Development Agency and approved housing bodies). She also repeatedly highlighted MetroLink as a once-in-a-generation project for Fingal — linking Dublin Airport and Swords, easing congestion, and supporting future growth (a figure of around 53 million passengers a year was mentioned). In practical terms, she said the council plans to set up an internal MetroLink support team and begin enabling works on the R132, including better pedestrian movement, safer crossings and active travel elements ahead of the main construction.

Closer to home in Swords, priorities mentioned included progress on the Cultural Quarter/Cultural House, public realm works around the castle and council HQ, and moving towards a Main Street upgrade in 2026 — all in the context of major growth over the next decade or two.

Elsewhere, there was mention of plans to purchase a site in Balbriggan to help attract future businesses, and an update on Dublin Airport, where Fingal is both the planning authority and noise regulator — with the airport’s application to increase capacity to 40 million currently being assessed.

Across the wider programme, Ms Farrelly stressed the importance of public consultation and highlighted a mix of projects ranging from housing and infrastructure to libraries, playgrounds, a first swimming pool, and “recreational hubs” (like all-weather pitches and running tracks, with one planned for Donabate). Climate and coastal work also featured, along with ongoing upgrades such as LED public lighting and EV charging — supported by a team of around 1,500 staff. With the 1,000th affordable home due to be sold early in the new year, it sounds like 2026 will be just as busy as 2025.

Balbriggan - Bath Road Car Park,

Balbriggan - Barnageeragh Carpark

Rush - Hayestown Open Space

Lusk - Orlynn Park Entrance (Access from Dublin Road)

Swords - Rathingle Playing Fields Car Park

Swords - Manor pitches

Donabate - Community Centre Car Park (Formerly The Square ,Donabate)

Portrane - The Brook

Malahide - Public Car Park, Back Road, Malahide Demesne

Malahide - The Banks Car Park

Kinsealy - Kettles Park

Portmarnock - Public Car Park, Strand Road

🚦 Traffic / roadworks notices active during week:

Swords | Fingallians Club housec | 4-week Jive Classes | Week 1 - Patricia’s social Dancing Classes. You’ve already heard about it so come & see what all the fuss is about! | 19:30-20:30

Swords | Swords Library | English Conversation Class | Please contact us at [email protected]  or at (01) 8905582 to book your place. | 18:00-19:00

Lusk | Lusk Cultural Centre | International Children’s TV artist Tina Mation Creative Arts & Animation Classes | Designed by Tina for 6 – 12 year old’s. Sketchers, a 7 week course. Students will learn how to Draw, Paint, Create and Animate with Tina’s easy to follow method. All materials are provided. | 15:30-16:30

Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | Line Dancing - pick your level (pay as you go) | Patricia’s social Dancing Classes. You’ve already heard about it so come & see what all the fuss is about! | Absolute Beginners 19:15-20:15 Beginners 20:15-21:15 Intermediate 21:15-22:15

Skerries | Skerries Community Centre | Beginner Line Dancing Classes (pay as you go) | Patricia’s social Dancing Classes. You’ve already heard about it so come & see what all the fuss is about! | 12:15-13:30

Lusk | Lusk Cultural Centre | Our rivers need us! And Lusk is stepping up | A presentation by JBA consulting on how we can restore Lusk’s waterways | 19:00-20:00

Online | Local Enterprise Office (LEO) | Start Your Own Business | This course is delivered over 10 evenings as an engaging and interactive workshop on Thursday evenings from 18.30 – 21.30. The programme aims to equip you with all of the fundamental knowledge and understanding of starting a new business to enable you to run your new start-up more effectively. | 18:30-21:30

Balbriggan | The Lark convention centre | Tom Jones Tribute | Get ready for a night of timeless Tom Jones hits at The Lark. Top tribute artist Danny Roman, backed by the TJ All Star Band, brings the legendary songs, charisma and swingin’ hips to life — from “Delilah” to “It’s Not Unusual.” Don’t miss it! | 20:00-23:00

Ballyboughal | Community Hub | International Children’s TV artist Tina Mation Creative Arts & Animation Classes | Designed by Tina for 6 – 12 year old’s. Sketchers, a 7 week course. Students will learn how to Draw, Paint, Create and Animate with Tina’s easy to follow method. All materials are provided. | 13:30-14:30

Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | International Children’s TV artist Tina Mation Creative Arts & Animation Classes | Designed by Tina for 6 – 12 year old’s. Sketchers, a 7 week course. Students will learn how to Draw, Paint, Create and Animate with Tina’s easy to follow method. All materials are provided. | 16:30-17:30

Swords | Fingallians GAA Club Hall | Fingallians Awards Night | The annual awards night will be held in the club hall. All are welcome down to enjoy the celebrations of another successful year in the club 🎉 | 20:00-23:30

Dublin City | National Concert Hall | Christian Löffler | Christian is a renowned German electronic musician, DJ, and visual artist known for his emotive, nature-inspired techno, deep house, and ambient music, blending natural soundscapes with melancholy and euphoria in immersive audio-visual experiences that often feature his own artwork. | 20:00-23:30

Laytown (north of Balbriggan 😬) | Sonairte Ecology Centre

| Winter Pruning Workshop | Start the new year well with honing your gardening and pruning skills! This practical workshop will guide you through the essentials of pruning fruit trees during the colder months. Our expert gardening team will show you the key techniques that support plant health, encourage strong spring growth, and improve yields. | 11:00-13:00