COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO. 41

MOTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin

‘To reduce the permissible residential densities on the land between the Monastery Road and the N7 from the Red Cow Luas Station to St Bridget’s Cottages and Round Towers GAA club to a level in keeping with the residential character of the adjacent community along Monastery Road and Woodford Hill, focusing on family homes, appropriate green space & amenity, manageable traffic volumes and safeguarding the village character of the immediate area as the primary gateway into Clondalkin Village.’

Cllr Eoin Ó Broin & Cllr Jonathan Graham

REPORT:

The Core Strategy in Chapter 1 of the Draft Plan identifies a growth in population of over 26,300 people and a need for over 32,000 dwellings during the lifetimes of the County Development Plan and it is a requirement to ensure that enough lands are zoned for such need and in appropriate places and at appropriate densities.

The subject lands are located close to Clondalkin Town Centre and the Red Cow Stop on the Red Luas Line and have a long established zoning for residential development. A 10 year planning permission for mixed use development has already been granted planning permission on the subject site at a density that accords with the policy and standards on housing densities are set out and prescribed under the ‘Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas' (2009). The Planning Authority must have regard to these Ministerial Guidelines in the performance of its functions, as required under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

The subject lands are designated within the Metropolitan Consolidation Town of Clondalkin. The Settlement Strategy contained within the Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) identifies Metropolitan Consolidation Towns as settlements where population and housing growth should be directed, particularly to areas where there is access to high quality public transport. It is envisaged that these towns will continue to be developed as part of the consolidation of the Metropolitan Area, will continue to support key public transport corridors such as the Red Luas Line and will be important locations for services, retail and economic activity.

This is reflected in the Core Strategy, which seeks to ensure that zoned lands are located to gain maximum benefit from existing assets through consolidation and increasing densities within the existing built footprint of the Metropolitan Consolidation Towns in a manner that makes efficient use of existing and planned infrastructure and services particularly high capacity public transport corridors.

Furthermore, the Draft Plan 2016-2022 sets out to ensure that new residential development provides a wide variety of housing types that cater for the diverse housing needs of the County’s population and counteract segregation between differing household types within sustainable communities in accordance with the provisions of the Housing Strategy.

The subject lands are therefore ideally positioned to help meet the population and housing needs of the County. The prescription of reduced residential densities and an inhibited housing mix would represent an inefficient use of zoned lands located adjacent to a high capacity public transport corridor. This would be at variance with the recommendations of the Regional Planning Guidelines and the Guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.