COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO. 32

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

Lucan Pitch & Putt

To amend Maps 1 & 4 to clarify that the lands making-up Lucan Pitch & Putt Club should be zoned as ‘OS’.

Co-sponsored by Cllr. Casserly

REPORT:

Core Strategy Requirements

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 within Lucan Pitch and Putt Club are designated within the Metropolitan Consolidation Town of Clondalkin and are also located adjacent to the Dublin – Kildare rail line. The Settlement Strategy contained within the Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) identifies Metropolitan Consolidation Towns as towns that 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 Dublin – Kildare rail line and will be important locations for services, retail and economic activity. 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 and prevent a sprawl of development beyond the boundaries of the identified settlements and into rural and high amenity areas of the County that are not served by public transport. The zoning of the subject lands for open space and recreational amenity (OS) would also reduce the Draft Plan’s Housing Land Capacity.

Designation of SDZ

The Planning and Development Act 2000 (Designation of Strategic Development Zone: Balgaddy-Clonburris South Dublin County) Order 2015 (S.I. No. 604 of 2015) now includes Lucan Pitch & Putt Club within a revised SDZ designated area. The area is therefore identified for the making of a draft planning scheme, which is a separate reserved function to the making of to a Development Plan.

The application of a Development Plan zoning objective to lands that are within the designated area is not considered appropriate and would be at variance with the SDZ Order and planning and development legislation.

Section 168 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires each draft planning scheme to indicate (inter alia) the type or types of development which may be permitted and the extent of such development and proposals. It is a requirement for this separate plan making function to be subject to a comprehensive public consultation process and to consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area such as the need for recreational amenity lands. This negates the need to prescribe a Development Plan zoning objective prior to the making of a planning scheme.

The provisions of Part IX of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) ensure that a planning scheme can be comprehensively considered without onerous restriction while at the same time ensuring that the proper planning and sustainable development of the area is considered.

The prescribed application of a Development Plan zoning to designated SDZ lands prior to the making of a planning scheme would therefore pre-empt and undermine the separate plan making process in an inappropriate manner and would be at variance with proper planning.

It is considered that the SDZ Order will not inhibit the continued operation of the pitch and putt club or land ownership rights. Any sale and/or development of said lands will be at the prerogative of the pitch and putt club.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.