COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO. 25

MOTION: Councillor J. Lahart

That the Development Plan removes the objective to rezone as residential the lands adjacent to Edmondstown Park, Edmondstown Road, Rathfarnham - this is the second development plan which has set the objective to re-zone this agricultural land to residential.  

REPORT:

Compliance with Core Strategy

It is a requirement under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) for the County Development Plan, including its Core Strategy, to be consistent with the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area 2010-2022 and to ensure that sufficient and suitable lands are zoned to meet the population and housing requirements for the County. 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.

The subject lands are designated within the Metropolitan Consolidation Area of the Dublin Gateway as identified under the Regional Planning Guidelines. It is policy of the Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) to gain maximum benefit from existing assets in the Dublin Gateway, including public transport and social infrastructure, through consolidation within the exiting built footprint of the City and the Inner Suburbs. This is seen as particularly important as falling occupancy levels and aging populations are placing the viability of existing services and facilities such as schools across the Metropolitan Area at risk.

The RPGs seek to direct a significant portion of anticipated population and economic growth for the Greater Dublin Area into the Metropolitan Consolidation Area of the Dublin Gateway and this is reflected in the Core Strategy contained in the Draft County Development Plan.

The subject lands are ideally positioned to help meet the population and housing needs of the County in a manner that strengthens and consolidates the inner suburban area of the Dublin Gateway and prevents a sprawl of development beyond the boundaries of the identified settlements and into rural and high amenity areas of the County. The removal of the proposed RES zoning objective would significantly reduce the Draft Plan’s Housing Land Capacity within the Metropolitan Consolidation Area. This wud be at variance with the Regional Planning Guidelines.

Impact on Agricultural Lands

Agriculture uses are all listed as open for consideration under the proposed ‘RES’ zoning objective of the subject lands and the proposed zoning does not affect the exemptions provided for agricultural development as prescribed under the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (as amended).

It is considered that the proposed RES zoning objective will not impinge upon the continued operation or development of the existing agricultural uses on the subject lands. The proposed zoning objective increases the range of land uses that could be realised on the subject site including residential development.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.