COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 317

MOTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

Section 4.3 Phase 2

Agree and make available sites to the Department of Education for Schools (in accordance with requirement of the Department of Education and South Dublin County Council). Schools to be of Permanent construction.

Councillors Guss O’Connell, Liona O’Toole, Paul Gogarty, Trevor Gilligan and Ed O’Brien.

REPORT:

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

The main wording of the motion replicates that of the scheme as follows: 

Agree and make available sites to the Department of Education for Schools (in accordance with requirement of the Department of Education and South Dublin County Council). 

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. 

In relation to the provision of temporary schools, the Chief Executive advises that the provision of temporary facilities as part of the construction programme for a permanent school is advantageous to the delivery of schools. Temporary facilities enable shorter timeframes for the establishment of schools on sites to accommodate demand. Furthermore, the Planning Regulations specific that the construction of temporary on-site school structures with planning permission for a school is exempted development under Class 20B.

Notwithstanding the above, the intention of the motion is acknowledged and it is considered that additional text should be added under the Schools subheading to Section 2.7.3 to restrict the granting of planning permission for temporary schools. The Department can still provide temporary facilities, conditional of full planning permission for a school. 

‘In general, planning permission for temporary school or education facilities will only be considered where plans for permanent construction on the site are demonstrated.’

Recommendation

It is recommended that the motion be adopted with amendment as follows: 

In Section 2.7.3, under School subheading, add the following line: 

Insert

In general, planning permission for temporary school structures will only be considered where plans for permanent construction on the site are demonstrated or permitted.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

Positive moderate effects around population and human health SEOs and indirect on material assets are provided by the additional proposed text.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

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