COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

MOTION NO. 251

MOTION: Councillor E. O'Brien

That this Council reaffirms it's commitment to the protection of the Liffey Valley and directs the Chief Executive, at a strategic level: - to retain the existing 'I' zoning objective in the new Development Plan: - to ensure the ongoing restriction of any inappropriate developments or land-use; - where possible to designate lands within the area as publicly owned parkland and to make efforts to acquire lands which could incorporated into such parkland - to include relevant policy objectives to facilitate the delivery of a Liffey Valley greenway - to seek to identify and mark preferred new pedestrian routes and footbridge locations on Development Plan maps, including on private-owned lands which could be developed as 'permissive routes' - to include a core aim to create a regional park on the existing Liffey Valley lands

The matter of retaining or changing the zoning of specific areas of land is not one for this strategic stage of the development plan process. Zoning will be reviewed as part of the preparation of the draft plan following detailed research as part of the core strategy. The acquisition of privately owned lands is outside the remit of a County Development Plan.  General policies and objectives to support and facilitate the realisation of a Liffey Valley park and greenway including permissive paths across private lands could be included within the County Development Plan.  However, these objectives are overly specific for this strategic stage of the development plan process but could be considered as part of the draft plan preparation on foot of the strategic direction provided under the CE Recommendations ‘Continue to reflect the objectives of the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area Order through relevant zoning and other objectives within the Plan seeking to increase access where appropriate and feasible’; 

‘Informed by the Green Infrastructure and Parks and Open Space Strategies, recognise the diverse and key roles that parks and open spaces have for sustainable communities and healthy placemaking’; and  

‘Promote and enable the delivery of infrastructure to increase the number of people walking and Cycling’. 

REPORT: It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to recognise that this type of 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 Recommendations:  

‘Continue to reflect the objectives of the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area Order through relevant zoning and other objectives within the Plan seeking to increase access where appropriate and feasible’.