COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor Carly Bailey

SLO for all areas where higher density residential living is deemed appropriate in SDCC region - that new measures are adopted to enable periods of 'stay at home', 'work at home' and safe individual outdoor exercise is designed into all schemes of >50 apartments.

REPORT:

In respect to all apartments schemes, the Draft County Development Plan is required to adhere to Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines such as Design Standards for New Apartments – Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018) and Specific Planning Policy Requirements contained therein such as ‘Required Minimum Floor Areas and Standards’ for non-Build-To-Rent and Build-To-Rent apartment units. This includes minimum aggregate/total floor areas and minimum areas for bedrooms, living/dining/kitchen, storage areas and private amenity areas such as patios/terraces and balconies. This means that Draft County Development Plan cannot set alternative minimum standards in relation to internal floor areas to support ‘stay at home’ or ‘work from home’ practices.

Notwithstanding, the Draft Plan has a number of objectives promoting workspace in apartment and mixed-use development including:

EDE 4 Objective 6: To support the provision of ground floor work-live units as part of mixed-use and residential developments in appropriate locations, as a means of enlivening streets and to provide flexible accommodation for small business.

EDE3 Objective 7: To seek the provision of workspace as part of any mixed-use development on REGEN zoned lands.

It also supports work hubs and enterprise centres near homes within the County:

“EDE4 Objective 12: To support the Government’s Making Remote Work National Remote Work Strategy and the provision of appropriate IT infrastructure and facilities (including hubs at neighbourhood level) that enable a better life-work balance enabling people to live near their place of work.”

In relation to external areas, the Draft County Development Plan sets out standards in respect to public open space provision to serve residential developments. Table 8.1 Open Space Hierarchy Chapter Community Infrastructure and Open Space, sets out the distances that each type of open space is to be from homes.

The Draft County Development Plan also contains policies and objectives to promote and encourage connected neighbourhoods where amenities such as parks and open space are within walking distance of homes, including apartment schemes. For example:

“QDP Policy 5 Connected Neighbourhoods: Promote short distance neighbourhoods and strive towards the achievement of 10-minute settlements over the lifetime of the Plan, promoting a more compact development form, sustainable movement, and ease of access to services, community facilities, jobs and amenities.”

“SM2 Objective 2: To create a comprehensive and legible County-wide network of safe cycling and walking routes that link communities to key destinations, amenities and leisure activities through implementation of the Cycle South Dublin project, the recommendations of the Sustainable Movement Studies and other permeability measures.”

“COS Policy 5 Parks and Public Open Space – Overarching: Provide a well-connected, inclusive and integrated public open space network through a multifunctional high-quality open space hierarchy that is accessible to all who live, work and visit the County.”

Such policies recognise and acknowledge and support more flexible working trends, enabling periods of 'stay at home' or 'work at home' together with improved accessibility to suitable open space for safe individual outdoor exercise.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to reflect that the existing policies and objectives including QDP Policy 5; SM2 Objective 2; COS Policy 5 and EDE3 Objective 7; EDE4 Objectives 6 and 12 and Table 8.1 of Chapter 8 as currently set out in the CE Draft Plan are sufficient to provide for the intent of the motion