COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
HEADED ITEM NO. 22
DRAFT BALLYCULLEN OLDCOURT LOCAL AREA PLAN
Introduction
The purpose of this report and presentation is to provide a brief account of the contents of the Draft LAP and the intended next steps prior to the Plan being put out for public consultation.
The Need for a Plan
- At present there is no existing Local Area Plan to guide and manage the future development of 90 hectares (222 acres) of A1 zoned undeveloped lands located in the Ballycullen-Oldcourt area of the County.
- Extant planning permissions, granted over the past 4-5 years, equate to 1,800 dwellings being permitted in the area; 640 dwellings of these dwelling have been constructed. The permitted developments are no longer viable under the present economic climate.
- Educational, community and recreational facilities have not kept pace with development in the area.
- Surface water drainage problems exist downstream of the Plan Lands and further development in the area will exacerbate these problems unless mitigation measures are put in place including the on-site management of surface water through SUDS and attenuation prior to slow discharge.
The Plan Objectives
The broad plan objectives are as follows:
• Take cognisance of the area's unique amenities and semi-rural location within the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and protect the amenities of existing dwellings;
• Sensitively integrate new development and existing development with each other and the surrounding rural and mountain context;
• Provide a Green Infrastructure Framework that will integrate natural and built heritage features, water management systems, improved accessibility, open spaces and recreational facilities;
• Provide for a network and hierarchy of linked public open spaces with varying roles and facilities;
• Create a series of small walkable residential blocks that are linked by secondary and tertiary streets and reinforce Stocking Avenue and Oldcourt Road as primary routes for activity, movement, local shopping and public transport;
• Sensitively transition densities and building heights in a manner that limits the impact of any new development on the s¬¬etting of the Dublin Mountains and countryside;
• Provide a network of walking and cycling routes that further link residential blocks with each other, public transport stops and local shopping while providing routes towards the Dublin Mountains;
• Promote high quality and universal designs for streets, spaces and buildings that respond to the varying character areas and settings;
• Incorporate appropriate green infrastructure features that limits the impact of noise from the M50 on any future development;
• Ensure that development is phased in a manner that provides for the required community, school and parklandfacilities either prior to or in tandem with development.
The Plan Strategy
The Strategy
The overall objective of the LAP is to provide a development framework with residential densities appropriate to the unique location of the lands on the suburban edge of the Dublin Mountain foothills. The Plan provides for the construction of approximately 1,600 additional dwellings (about 4,600 persons) at a range of densities appropriate to the area. The strategy complies with the requirements of the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan 2010 – 2016 and that of the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (2009).
The phasing element provides for the required community, school and parkland facilities either prior to or in tandem with additional residential dwellings. The combined development strategies integrates planned residential neighbourhoods with natural and built heritage features, water management systems, improved accessibility, open spaces and recreational facilities. This includes for a network of walking and cycling routes that will link residential blocks with each other, public transport stops and local shopping while providing routes towards the Dublin Mountains.
1. Land Use and Density
This Local Area Plan's Density Strategy responds to the peripheral location of the Plan Lands, the need to create a soft transition between the suburbs and countryside and the need to protect the setting of the Dublin Mountains including the sloping topography, visual prominence and natural heritage features such as hedgerows and streams. Densities also reflect the constraints created by the major utility lines that traverse the Plan Lands and the need to counterbalance some of the higher density residential development that has taken place on the eastern side of the Plan Lands.
The strategy directs land uses and densities within three distinct areas (lower slope lands, mid slope lands and upper slope lands) where densities will vary according to context. The majority of the subject lands are zoned for residential development (Objective A1) under the County Development Plan and this is reflected under the density strategy.
In addition to the recently permitted discount foodstore off Oldcourt Road on land already zoned LC i.e. 'To protect, provide for and/or improve local centre facilities', this LAP reinforces the provision of a neighbourhood/local centre off Stocking Avenue on lands that were previously subject to a permission for retail and community uses. Further provision is made for further local retail and community uses on the western side of the Plan Lands including the Discount Foodstore site.
Recommended densities vary from low to medium density depending on elevation and location (see table below). The prescribed net residential densities exclude primary roads, green buffers, primary school sites, local shopping facilities and large neighbourhood parks.
Recommended Densities
| Character Area | Net Density per Ha. |
| Lower Slope Lands | 32 – 38 dwellings |
| Mid-Slope Lands | 22 – 28 dwellings |
| Upper Slope Lands | 12 – 18 dwellings |
2. Green Infrastructure
The Green Infrastructure Rationale comprises three main strands that includes for the sustainable management of water incorporating SUDS features; the provision of pedestrian and cycle routes in the form of tracks and trails; and the provision of a network of green spaces in the form of open spaces, linear spaces and landscaped buffers. The proposed open spaces tie in with existing open space provision in Knocklyon and Oldcourt and provision is made for a walking trail along most of the 120 metre contour. Open space will be provided over and above County Development Plan standards on the basis of:
· the location of the Plan Lands within the foothills of the Dublin Mountains where lower densities are planned,
· the need to preserve extensive natural heritage features,
· the existence of significant utility lines that requires extensive wayleave setbacks
· the need to provide for an extensive Sustainable Urban Drainage System network to prevent flooding within the Plan Lands and downstream of the Plan Lands.
3. Accessibility and Movement
The Accessibility and Movement Strategy seeks to open up the Plan Lands with a clear hierarchy of integrated streets for universal movement including pedestrian, vehicular and cyclist activity and sets out a framework for such. This will comprise the upgrade of Stocking Avenue, Hunters Road and Oldcourt Road as a primary (Main Link) street for movement across the Plan Lands and to areas outside the Plan Lands including towards the mountains. A further primary street will link the Oldcourt Road with the Bohernabreena Road.
The planned street network provides for movement at a local level and at wider levels across the Plan Lands with links towards surrounding areas including the Dublin Mountains. This simple structure will ensure that development is permeable, legible and offers a choice of routes.
4. Built Form
The Built Form Strategy sets out to ensure that development, at a wider level, is carried out in an integrated, coherent and universal design led manner that responds to local contexts and accords with the core design principles on urban design, place making and street design as set out under the relevant government guidelines including the recent Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets. The strategy is accompanied by a comprehensive layout for the entire Plan Lands, which illustrates how they could be developed down to individual site and plot level.
Phasing
The purpose of phasing is to ensure that facilities and amenities are provided in a timely manner either prior to or in tandem with residential development rather than at the latter stages of residential development or after such development has taken place.
For the purpose of the Phasing Strategy, the Plan Lands are divided into eastern and western sections using the Ballycullen Road as the point of division. The strategies for each of the two areas comprise three phases. Each phase specifies a quantum of residential development and prescribed key pieces of physical and social infrastructure including community facilities that must be provided prior to the next phase of development. This will help to ensure that key pieces of infrastructure are delivered in a sequential manner as development progresses.
Two primary schools will be required to meet the existing and future population needs of the Plan Lands and its surrounding suburban hinterland.
Phase One on the eastern side of the Plan Lands largely relates to lands that are subject to extant permissions for residential development. The phasing strategy incentivises revised applications for residential development on these lands.
Phase 1
| Eastern Side | Western Side |
| 260 Dwellings | Option A: 200 Dwellings Option B: 150 Dwellings |
|
|
Phase 2
| Eastern Side | Western Side |
| 150 Dwellings | Option A: 300 Dwellings Option B: 220 Dwellings |
|
|
Phase 3
| Eastern Side | Western Side |
| Completion of balance - 210 dwellings | Completion of balance – Option A: 460 Dwellings Option B: 460 Dwellings |
|
|
Quantum of Development
It is envisaged that approximately 1,600 additional dwellings would be constructed (approx. 1,450 if electrical transmission lines are not relocated) if all undeveloped lands within the Plan Lands, including lands subject to extant permissions, were to be developed in accordance with the standards and objectives contained within this Plan. The number of dwellings would increase to 2,200 (2,050 if the transmission lines are not relocated) if existing planning permissions for residential development on lands subject to extant permissions were fully constructed and the remaining undeveloped lands were developed in accordance with this Plan.
What Next?
The Draft Local Area Plan for the Ballycullen Oldcourt area is being finalised at present. The intention is to arrange for a joint meeting of the Rathfarnham and Tallaght Elected Members in order to outline the proposed content of the Plan and subsequently to have a headed item on the proposed LAP for the October Council meeting on the 14th October 2013. Subject to the agreement of the Elected Refresentatives, the Draft Ballycullen Oldcourt Local Area Plan will go on display before the end of October 2013.
The display and consultation period will be a formal six week statutory display pursuant to Section 20 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The Draft Ballycullen Oldcourt LAP will be accompanied by an Environmental Report prepared as part of a Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001/42/EC) and an Appropriate Assessment Screening under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).
Details of the times for the display period are not yet available but is intended that the display location will be in the new Ballycragh Community Centre where Council staff will be available on a number of specified days to answer queries and provide guidance. Staff will also be made available to provide guidance and answer queries on the Draft LAP consultation every Wednesday afternoon at County Hall, Tallaght, during the public consultation period.
Consultation information for the Ballycullen – Oldcourt Local Area Plan comprising leaflets, posters, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report and the Appropriate Assessment Screening will be made available to the public at the County Library and County Hall, Tallaght and at Whitechurch Library, Ballyboden during the consultation period. These documents will also be placed on the Council's website.
A letter and leaflet that will contain the above information, together with an invitation for submissions, will be sent to residents and stakeholders.