COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 335

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

That the number of phases be increased to six, with additional minimum delivery requirements inserted into revised Table 4.3 as per attached document.

Cllrs G. O'Connell, L. O'Toole and F. Timmons

REPORT:

The subject motion includes for a substantial Phasing Table amendment. The Phasing Table amendment includes for, but is not limited to, the following:

Proposed Phasing Bands:

1A – 0-500 units, 1B – 500 – 1000 units, 2 – 1,000 – 2,000 units, 3 – 2000 – 3500 units, 4 – 3500 – 5000 units, 5 – 5,000 – 6500 units & 6 – 6500 - end.

Introduction of phasing requirements in relation to: (brackets denotes phase of amended Table 4.3 attached to Motion)

The Chief Executive has attached the table attached to the motion with a comment on whether the infrastructure item is within the Phasing Table in the DPS.  

In summary, the Chief Executive recommends that this motion for an amended Phasing Table is not adopted for the following reasons:

Section 4 of the Draft Planning Scheme details the Phasing Programme for the development of the lands. The Phasing Programme aims to provide a balanced delivery of infrastructure, urban centres and community services in tandem with population increase through a logical flexible schedule.

Scale of Phasing

The Phasing Programme is based on the minimum delivery per phase, any works may be brought forward and completed sooner than scheduled in the Phasing Programme.

It is considered that a number of the introductions to the Phasing Table exceed the minimum provision and are too prescriptive, detailed and disproportionate to the scale of the SDZ. In relation to the inclusion of the opening of particular forms of retail and restaurants, the Chief Executive considers that such provision would be difficult to implement in practice as the provision is outside the control of SDCC and are open to change of use through exempted development. As such, in general, it is considered that the Phasing Programme should be measureable and focus on fixed infrastructure. The proposed Phasing Table attached could cause ambiguity in the phasing and significant delays in the delivery of housing and other associated infrastructure.

Economic Viability

The proposed Phasing Programme provides a balanced approach, proactively supporting sustainable development and integrating consideration of its economic, social and environmental aspects at the earliest stage to deliver development in an economically viable manner in accordance with Government Policy.  The Planning Policy Statement 2015 and Rebuilding Ireland (DHPCLG, 2016) indicate that planning must proactively drive and support sustainable development, integrating consideration of its economic, social and environmental aspects at the earliest stage to deliver development in an economically viable manner that will sustain recovery and future prosperity.

Within the context of the above, the proposed motion makes the development of early phases of the SDZ dependant on a wide number of organisations and infrastructure provision. The proposed motion will significantly delay the commencement of development in the SDZ and delay the ongoing delivery of housing and associated social and physical infrastructure. The residential units planned for the SDZ are required by the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan and supported by national policy and legislation. Furthermore, the proposed motion would increase the development costs associated with the SDZ and impact on the economic viability of the Scheme.

Phasing Bands

A phasing band of 2,000 units is incorporated into the Phasing Programme for the Planning Scheme. This phasing band is considered to be the optimal band to achieve a balanced delivery of infrastructure and community services in tandem with proportionate population increase to create critical mass and economic headroom. Furthermore, the bands provide a flexible schedule to aid development sequencing and incorporate lead in time for infrastructure.

Integration of Local Level Table and Phasing Table

The purpose of Table 4.6 is to restrict residential development at Development Area scale where required physical infrastructure is an existing constraint, for example, the existing power lines impact on the development of a strip of land within their wayleave. The restriction of residential development across the entire 280 hectare lands would be disproportionate, contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and would delay the construction of housing units pending infrastructure that the units do not directly require.

In the context of national policy to support residential development on appropriately zoned lands, the Chief Executive does not recommend the integration of the Local Level and site wide infrastructure to one phasing table.

Grange Castle

The subject motion also includes the inclusion of the opening of a Grange Castle extension as part of the Phasing Programme. Grange Castle is an established employment location with scope to expand. The intention of this insertion is to provide additional employment. The Chief Executive considers that substantial employment opportunities are planned within the Draft Planning Scheme, at Grange Castle and across the County. Having regard to national policy in relation to supporting residential development on appropriately zoned lands, the above context and noting the anticipated medium term build out, it is considered that the Clonburris Planning Scheme should not be limited based on any development in Grange Castle.

Adamstown to Celbridge Road Link

Within the context that traffic generated by Clonburris will contribute to less than 1% of the overall traffic on the strategic road network in the AM peak period, with a trip distribution primarily to the north, south and east, the development of the SDZ lands is not considered to be reliant on the delivery of the Adamstown to Celbridge Road Road. The development of the SDZ lands is therefore not considered to be reliant on this route, which will have a wider strategic role, and the linking of the development of the SDZ lands to this road would be inappropriate.

Schools

The Chief Executive notes that the subject motion amends the phasing table in relation to the provision of school sites to the Department of Education and Skills to opening of schools.

The Chief Executive advises that the Department of Education and Skills is responsible for the delivery of educational facilities and services. South Dublin County Council works with the Department of Education and Skills, under a nationally agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to proactively identify and acquire sites for new primary and post-primary schools and to support the Department’s Schools Building Programme. The Department of Education and Skills and South Dublin County Council will work together under the MoU in relation to the identification and acquisition of school sites in Clonburris.

The Department has identified a need for three new primary schools and three new post primary schools within the development of the Planning Scheme and to complement the existing schools on the SDZ lands. The sites are incorporated into the land use concept and transportation assessment of the Planning Scheme. The demographic of the emerging population in Clonburris will be monitored by the Department of Education and Skills on an ongoing basis and it is possible that further educational requirements may arise over the lifetime of the Draft Planning Scheme. The requirement in relation to the opening of the schools is inflexible and has the potential to delay the delivery of required housing to create sufficient demand for the schools.

Public Transport Frequency

In relation to the inclusion of frequency of transport services in the Phasing Table, the Chief Executive considers that such provision would be difficult to implement in practice as the provision of services is outside the control of SDCC and is open to change by the service providers. As such, in general, it is considered that the Phasing Programme should be measureable and focus on fixed infrastructure. Public transport services and frequency requirements could cause ambiguity in the phasing and unnecessarily delay the delivery of housing and other associated infrastructure.

Public Transport Infrastructure

The following current policy and legislation provides the context for the phasing approach the subject lands:  

The subject motion is one of a number of motions proposing to amend Table 4.3 of the Scheme to link various transport infrastructure, predominantly individual planned public transport projects, and the delivery of residential units. The Transport Assessment and Strategy that accompanies the Draft Planning Scheme outlines that the Orbital Bus Route and the DART Underground/Expansion as well as additional local and secondary orbital bus routes will serve the trip demands of the Draft Planning Scheme.

A key principle of the Phasing Programme is to identify the critical infrastructure and link the critical infrastructure to the delivery of residential development.  The relevant national transport infrastructure for the area is planned through the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2016 - 2035 and planned projects such as the Orbital Bus from Tallaght to Blanchardstown; DART Underground; DART Expansion to Hazelhatch; Upgrade of Radial Bus Services on the N4 and N7; and Luas to Lucan will benefit the wide catchment of Clondalkin, Lucan, Tallaght, Blanchardstown and north east Kildare area.

In relation to the provision of a public transport, a submission from the NTA on the Draft Planning Scheme confirms that the NTA is committed to deliver the level of additional public transport infrastructure required to serve Clonburris as identified under the Transport Assessment and Strategy for the Draft Planning Scheme. The submission of the NTA states that it is intended to complete the BusConnects Programme by 2019 including aspects that will cater for the demands of the SDZ Planning Scheme. Further to additional correspondence (January 2018), the NTA advises that it intended to provide the new orbital service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght in the short term. Additionally, the NTA indicate that as part of the BusConnects network review, a number of high frequency local, radial and further orbital services are being considered to serve Lucan and Clondalkin, some of which will serve Clonburris directly, and some which can be adapted to serve Clonburris as development occurs in the future.

The NTA has also stated that it is envisaged that the Kishoge railway station will open in 2020 once development occurs in its vicinity. The NTA indicate that Kishoge will be served by the same number of trains as the existing service to Adamstown, including those which are provided via the Phoenix Park Tunnel. The NTA indicate that off peak services will be introduced in 2018. Prior to the roll out of the DART Expansion Programme, the NTA have indicated that further improvements to the service will occur to deliver a higher capacity, higher frequency service to Clonburris.

As a summary, the Chief Executive outlines that the Lucan and Clondalkin area will benefit from the planned future public transport and the Draft Planning Scheme does not phase development in the Clonburris SDZ with the delivery of planned public transport for the following reasons:

Fire Station

The Chief Executive acknowledges the intention of the motion in relation to delivering emergency services. The Chief Executive supports the provision of a Fire Station within the SDZ and the Draft Planning Scheme allocates a site for a Fire Station. The site is indicated on the Function Map in the Draft Planning Scheme.

It is noted that the Adamstown SDZ Planning Scheme has also identified a possible site for a Fire Station. The making available of the site for the new Fire Station is included as a requirement in the Phasing Programme. In this context, Dublin Fire Brigade have the option of two sites in the northern section of the County. From consultation with Dublin Fire Brigade, the Clonburris site has been indicated as the preferred site, however, Dublin Fire Brigade has not finalised a Fire & Emergency Operations Plan under Section 26 of the Fire Services Act 1981. In the absence of a Section 26 Plan, the Chief Executive considers that the option to construct the Fire Station at either Adamstown or Clonburris should remain.

The Chief Executive considers that the identification and provision of a site is appropriate and considers that the provision of the Fire Station is a wider County issue. It is Council policy to engage with Dublin City Council and the DFB to improve the fire service for the County as established in the South Dublin County Council Development Plan 2016 – 2022 under Section 3.7.0.

In the context of the above, the Chief Executive considers that the inclusion of the provision of a Fire Station in Phase 2 is inappropriate and would unnecessarily delay the construction of housing in the SDZ pending a wider County infrastructure issue that is outside the control of SDCC.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the motion is not adopted.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Motion

For reasons detailed above, the existing phasing band is considered to be the optimal band to facilitate balanced infrastructure and development. It is not recommended for adoption as it may give rise to indirect and direct effects, individually and in combination across a number of SEOS in particular material assets SEOs.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No likely significant effects on European sites within the SDZ’s zone of influence are predicted.