COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 18, 2015

MOTION NO. 188

MOTION: Councillor F.N. Duffy

Page 75 –

Add UC1 Objective 8: Develop a retail strategy by October 2016 that has investigated the existing footfall of each retail centre, informing planning policy to protect and encourage new footfall.

Co-signed by Cllrs Paul Gogarty & Francis Timmons

REPORT:

The principle of the motion is acceptable as the Council recognises the need to update the Retail Strategy for the County after the relevant regional reviews are completed. It is a requirement of the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government 2012) that the Greater Dublin Area Planning Authorities prepare a multi-authority Retail Strategy for the GDA to replace the Retail Strategy for the GDA 2008 - 2016, which is outdated.

The central objectives of the regional strategy will be to identify requirements for additional retail floor space in the GDA to support the settlement hierarchy; to outline quantity and type by county and to guide the location and function of retail activity.

The Chief Executive’s Draft Plan includes the following objective on the update of the County Retail Strategy as follows:

R1 Objective 2: To update the Retail Strategy for South Dublin County following completion of a review of the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area 2010 - 2022 and the Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2008 - 2016.

The provision of a date in the Plan for the County Retail Strategy is not recommended as the preparation of the strategy is premature pending the completion of the regional reviews of the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area 2010 - 2022 and the Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2008 – 2016 prior to the County Strategy.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the motion be adopted with amendment to remove the reference to ‘October 2016’ and to amend R1 Objective 2 as follows

R1 Objective 2: To update the Retail Strategy for South Dublin County within the lifetime of this Plan following the completion of the reviews of the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area 2010 - 2022 and the Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2008 – 2016 and include for analysis of footfall, vacancy and expenditure.