COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO. 55

MOTION: Councillor B. Lawlor, Councillor R. McMahon

I propose that South Dublin County Council amend Chapter 9 of the Chief Executive's Draft South Dublin County Development Plan 2022 - 2028 as set out below. Chapter 9 Economic Development and Employment (EDE) Policy 10 Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre Support the Level 2 Major Town Centre retail function of Liffey Valley Shopping Centre EDE10 Objective 1: To support Liffey Valley as a Major Retail Centre (MRC) and allow for the growth of the existing shopping centre and complementary leisure/entertainment, retail warehouse, residential and commercial land uses.

REPORT:

The proposed Motion seeks to amend Chapter 9 Policy EDE 10 Objective 1 Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre as follows:

From: 

EDE10 Objective 1: To support Liffey Valley as a Major Retail Centre (MRC) and allow for the growth of the existing shopping centre and complementary leisure/entertainment, retail warehouse and commercial land uses.

To:

EDE10 Objective 1: To support Liffey Valley as a Major Retail Centre (MRC) and allow for the growth of the existing shopping centre and complementary leisure/entertainment, retail warehouse, residential and commercial land uses.

In addition, it should be noted that this motion is intrinsically linked to Motion Item IDs 70992 and 70993 which when combined with this current Motion ID 70991 would result in the Section 9.5.2, EDE10 Objective 1 and Chapter 13 Implementation and Monitoring Table 13.8: reading in their entirety (Bold text identifies new additional text and strikethrough identifies text to be removed) as follows:

9.5.2 Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is designated as a Major Retail Centre (MRC). This reflects the Level 2 Retail designation under the regional retail hierarchy set out in the RSES. The established shopping centre use allows for complementary leisure, retail warehouse and commercial land uses. A Major Retail Centre zoning objective applies to this area (see also Chapter 13 Implementation. On-going redevelopment of the shopping centre is taking place with new and expanded retail offer and improved transport mobility measures. The centre will develop as a key public transport hub, works for which should be completed by the time of adoption of this County Development Plan in 2022. This will provide opportunity for the centre to further expand its offering and to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the vacant sites within the area.

And to add through motion 70992:

Building on its existing context and existing and proposed utilities and transport infrastructure, it is considered that Liffey Valley has the potential to act as an urban centre for the north of the County, reinforcing the existing network of urban centres, and be an appropriate location for additional mixed-use development, ensuring that the existing context including identified built and natural assets, urban design, integration and potential for connectivity fully inform development.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT (EDE) Policy 10 Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre

Support the Level 2 Major Town Centre retail function of Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

EDE10 Objective 1: To support Liffey Valley as a Major Retail Centre (MRC) and allow for the growth of the existing shopping centre and complementary leisure/entertainment, retail warehouse, residential and commercial land uses. (proposed addition through this motion 70991)

 

EDE10 Objective 2: To support and facilitate consolidation of the quantum and quality of the retail offering at the Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre.

EDE10 Objective 3: To support the development of retail warehousing within the Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre.

 

EDE10 Objective 4: To promote a high standard of urban design in the Major Retail Centre that contributes to the creation of safe and attractive spaces and creates desirable places within which to work and visit.

 

And through motion 70993:

To amend the use classes in Table 13.8: Zoning Objective ‘MRC’: ‘To protect, improve and provide for the future development of a Major Retail Centre’

Permitted in Principle:

Advertisements and Advertising Structures, Betting Office, Car Park, Childcare Facilities, Enterprise Centre, Funeral Home, Garden Centre, Hotel/Hostel, Motor Sales Outlet, Offices less than 100 sq.m, Off-Licence, Open Space, Petrol Station, Public House, Public Services, Recreational Facility, Recycling Facility, Restaurant/Café, Retail Warehouse, Service Garage, Shop-Local, Shop-Major Sales Outlet, Shop-Neighbourhood, Veterinary Surgery, Wholesale Outlet, Community Centre, Housing for Older People, Residential, Residential Institution.

Open for Consideration:

Allotments, Crematorium, Cultural Use, Data Centre, Doctor/Dentist, Education, Health Centre, Hospital, Industry-Light, Nightclub, Offices 100 sq.m - 1,000 sq.m, Outdoor Entertainment Park, Place of Worship, Primary Health Care Centre, Social Club, Sports Club/Facility, Stadium, Transport Depot, Warehousing.

Not Permitted:

Abattoir, Aerodrome/Airfield, Agriculture, Bed & Breakfast, Boarding Kennels, Camp Site,Caravan Park-Residential, Cemetery, Community Centre, Concrete/Asphalt Plant in or adjacent to a Quarry, Conference Centre, Embassy, Fuel Depot, Guest House, Heavy Vehicle Park, Home Based Economic Activities, Housing for Older People, Industry-Extractive, Industry-General, Industry-Special, Live-Work Units, Nursing Home, Office-Based Industry, Offices over 1,000 sq.m, Refuse Landfill/Tip, Refuse Transfer Station, Residential, Residential Institution, Retirement Home, Rural Industry-Food, Science and Technology Based Enterprise, Scrap Yard, Traveller Accommodation, Wind Farm, Work-Live Units.

The combined effect of the above changes effectively changes the purpose and function of the Major Retail Centre Zoning to an Urban Town Centre type zoning where a mix of uses would be permitted in addition to those already permitted in principle or open for consideration specifically residential development. The proposed alterations to the commercial office development, while deleting office over 1000sq m from the ‘not permitted’ category have effectively omitted all types of office development from the matrix. Given that small, medium and large type office developments are each defined in the County’s land use types, this would make their status for assessment unclear should a planning application be received.

The core principle of the National Planning Framework is compact urban growth which will be delivered through the consolidation of the exiting-built footprint of settlements. The Draft Plan prioritises the development of existing zoned lands particularly within MASP Strategic Development Areas namely Adamstown, Clonburris, Tallaght, Naas Road and Fortunestown. Liffey Valley has not been identified as a Strategic Development Area within the Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan.

In regard to residential development the Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy in Chapter 2 sets out population and housing figures which must be consistent with National and Regional Planning policy as required under the Planning and Development Act. South Dublin County is anticipated to grow by 46,518 persons and a need for over 17,817 households has been identified up to 2028. Chapter 2 also confirms that the County has enough land for a further 10,470 units (79%) above the net household need and therefore there is no need to re-zone additional lands for residential purposes. 

In regard to Employment zoning the Draft Plan includes a land capacity analysis under Section 2.6.8 of Chapter 2 setting out the availability of zoned land for employment purposes. Based on the assessment carried out there is potential for 31,824 jobs on existing zoned undeveloped land. The need during the lifetime of the Plan amounts to 18,336 jobs and thus there is sufficient zoned land to meet the projected need without considering further land.

The Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2008 was prepared by the Dublin and the Mid-East Regional Authorities and carried over into the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy until such time as it may be reviewed. The retail hierarchy as expressed in the GDA strategy identifies Liffey Valley as a Level 2 Retail Centre with the following description - Full range of all types of retail services from newsagents to specialist shops and boutiques, department stores, foodstores of all types and a high level of mixed uses including the arts and culture to create a vibrant living place. Centres should be well connected and served by high quality public transport and should be serving population catchments in excess of 60,000 people.

Liffey Valley alongside the Square in Tallaght form the only Level 2 retail centres within the County serving a significant catchment and providing significant employment opportunities. Policy 8 Retail of the Plan seeks to “protect the vitality and viability of existing centres in accordance with the retail framework provided by the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2012, or any superseding guidelines) and EMRA RSES Retail Hierarchy while EDE8 Objective 8 seeks “To direct new major retail floorspace in the County to designated centres at the appropriate level within the retail hierarchy, and to further direct major retail development in designated centres into the Core Retail Areas”. This objective is further supported specifically through EDE10 Objective 2: To support and facilitate consolidation of the quantum and quality of the retail offering at the Liffey Valley Major Retail Centre.

  

Having regard to the above it is not considered that the proposed motion either individually or in combination with Motion Item IDs 70992 and 70993 are acceptable as;

It is therefore recommended that this motion is not adopted. 

RECOMMENDATION:  It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.