COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO. 106

MOTION: Councillor R. McMahon

Ref 5.2 To change Firhouse designation from a District Centre to a Village Centre, to give a focal point to the residents and visitors of this vast area.

REPORT:

The intention and aim of the motion to provide a focal point to Firhouse is acknowledged and agreed with by the Chief Executive. It is considered that the this intention is incorporated in the Draft Plan through the zoning of the Firhouse Shopping Centre area as a District Centre (DC) in the County. The current 2010- 2016 Development Plan delineates a ‘Local Centre’ zoning for Firhouse (a similar status to smaller centres such as Oldbawn). The provision of a District Centre zoning (DC) in the Draft Plan is a significant increase in status for the centre (on par with Citywest and Kilnamanagh in the Urban Hierarchy). The District Centre zoning has an objective to ‘protect, improve and provide for the future development of District Centres’. Additionally, Section 5.1.3 of the Draft Plan outlines the policy context for the District Centres which is to develop them as multi-faceted, mixed-use, higher density urban centres including residential, commercial, recreational, community and retail uses at a scale that caters predominantly for a district level catchment, subject to protection of the residential amenities of the surrounding areas. It is considered that the provision of the District Centre zoning at Firhouse provides a policy framework for the enhancement of the urban centre as the focal point for the Firhouse catchment.

The provision of a Village Centre (VC) zoning is applied to the centre of the nine traditional villages of the County (Clondalkin, Lucan, Newcastle, Palmerstown, Rathcoole, Rathfarnham, Saggart, Tallaght and Templeogue). Each of the villages has a unique character and the VC zoning includes the supporting of the protection and conservation of the special character of each village. As such, the Village Centre (VC) zoning would be an incompatible policy framework for Firhouse.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.