COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons

That this council agrees that there be a reasonable height restriction in our heritage villages and that this is in line with current buildings and is sympathetic to the make up of these heritage villages

REPORT:

The motion seeks to include a reasonable height restriction in heritage villages and that this is in line with current buildings and is sympathetic to the makeup of these heritage villages.

The National Planning Framework (NPF) articulates a set of shared goals for every community across the country to deliver a programme of compact urban growth. Achieving these goals requires significant change to planning policy in Ireland at national and regional level. The Urban Development and Building Height Guidelines describes the planning criteria relevant to the consideration of increased building heights to achieve greater densities in our urban areas as part of this delivery of compact growth and prohibits the use of explicit numerical height limits.

In regard to Building Height Restrictions the Urban Development and Building Heights Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018) state:

SPPR 1

In accordance with Government policy to support increased building height and density in locations with good public transport accessibility, particularly town/ city cores, planning authorities shall explicitly identify, through their statutory plans, areas where increased building height will be actively pursued for both redevelopment, regeneration and infill development to secure the objectives of the National Planning Framework and Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and shall not provide for blanket numerical limitations on building height.

In response to such policy provisions and guidelines, in particular SPPR1, this plan is accompanied by South Dublin County’s Building Height and Density Guide (Appendix 10).

The South Dublin County BHDG sets out important terminology to assist in the assessment of building heights in the County and discussions around height. Recognising that there should be no blanket numerical limitations on building heights, height in the BHDG is considered thematically in relation to its context. The Guide provides a toolkit for the assessment of proposed increased building heights in development application and development management scenarios.

Having regard to the above it is considered that the proposed motion cannot be adopted as it would be contrary to Specific Planning Policy Requirements.

The Urban Development and Building Heights Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018) are issued by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to the guidelines and apply any specific planning policy requirements (SPPRs) of the guidelines, within the meaning of Section 28 (1C) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), in carrying out their functions.

Accordingly, where SPPRs are stated, they take precedence over any conflicting, policies and objectives of development plans, local area plans and strategic development zone planning schemes.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.