COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Thursday, January 23, 2020

MOTION NO.40

MOTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

Cookstown industrial estate 

The CEO's report of 12/12/19 proposed that the 30% x 3-bedroom apartments, which was part of the first draft, should be dropped until a Housing Needs and Demand Assessment is carried out and matched to apartment size. The report does not say when this assessment will be completed which we believe will result in the 30% strategy being dropped on a permanent basis. I'm sure the planners had a solid basis for their 30% and it can be modified via the HNDA if needs be.

I propose that the original 30% plan be reinstated,

REPORT:

The Planning Authority considers that an appropriate mix of dwellings is needed in this area to cater for a varied population at different life stages and that the retention of families in this area as they grow is an important challenge for the LAP.

Specific Planning Policy Requirement (SPPR) 1 of the ‘Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments: Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (2018) preclude statutory development plans from implementing a minimum requirement for three or more-bedroom apartments in the absence of a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA), see below:

Specific Planning Policy Requirement 1 Apartment developments may include up to 50% one-bedroom or studio type units (with no more than 20-25% of the total proposed development as studios) and there shall be no minimum requirement for apartments with three or more bedrooms. Statutory development plans may specify a mix for apartment and other housing developments, but only further to an evidence-based Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA), that has been agreed on an area, county, city or metropolitan area basis and incorporated into the relevant development plan(s).

The Planning Authority and An Bord Pleanála are statutorily required to apply Specific Planning Policy Requirements contained in ministerial guidelines under Section 28(1C) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Therefore, the policy as included in the Draft LAP, in the absence of a HNDA, would not be implementable.

The proposed motion requests that the site-specific requirement for 30% of units in proposed residential developments to have a minimum of 3-bedrooms be retained and amended upon preparation of a HNDA, if necessary. However, this would be contrary to the relevant Specific Planning Policy Requirements.

It is recognised that a HNDA for the Dublin region will be prepared in the near future and that specific requirements for new developments in terms of the housing mix should be based on the evidence basis arising from this exercise.

Having regard to the ministerial guidelines and in advance of the preparation of a HNDA, it is considered that the recommended Chief Executive amendment (No. 1, page 70 of the CE Report) provides an appropriate policy approach in the LAP for the Planning Authority to encourage the provision of a balanced mix of residential units in new developments and to seek to avoid an over proliferation of dwelling types or sizes which do not adequately serve the needs of a varied population. Upon preparation of the HNDA, these requirements will be reviewed to provide clearer site-specific guidance, if necessary.

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.