COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

MOTION NO. 32

MOTION: Councillor E. Murphy

That this Development Plan gives consideration for 'Village Status' to Firhouse.

REPORT:

The current Development Plan designates Firhouse a Level 4 ‘District Centre’ based on its retailing function and describes these centres generally as purpose-built shopping centres with a primary retail function, ancillary land uses and surface car parking. The Draft Plan can examine the function of these centres in line with National and Regional Planning Policy in line with a Core Strategy. 

The Draft Development Plan will include a Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy. The current Development Plan settlement hierarchy will be reviewed in the context of the National and Regional policy provision. 

A review of the retail strategy and the settlement strategy is included in the CE Recommendations and it is considered that this is sufficient to allow for consideration of the type of motion proposed. The motion itself is too specific for this strategic stage of the process. 

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to recognise that this type of policy provision or objective is overly detailed for this strategic stage but could be considered as part of the draft plan preparation on foot of the strategic direction provided under the CE Recommendation (See Part 3) page 31 as follows; 

‘Review the existing retail hierarchy within the county having regard to the Greater Dublin Area Retail Strategy, or any superseding strategy, and explore the opportunity to strengthen the retail function in the county’; 

And (See Part 3) page 26 as follows: ‘Prepare an evidence-based Core Strategy, Housing Strategy and Settlement Strategy in line with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and consistent with the objectives of the NPF, RSES and the MASP.’