COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor T. Costello

Strong design guidelines are needed to protect the residential public realms where above ground utility boxes and masts re being sought to be installed on public land, particularly in established residential areas - they need to place the residential asthetic at the heart of the design process

REPORT:

The proposed motion requires that strong design guidelines are needed to protect the residential public realms where above ground utility boxes and masts are being sought to be installed on public land, particularly in established residential areas with a particular emphasis on the aesthetics of such infrastructure.

It should be noted that IE 5 Objective 5 within the CE Draft Plan states “To ensure that above ground utility boxes are sensitively located and finished to reduce their visual impact and promote soft planting around existing and new ones where feasible.”

It is considered that IE 5 Objective 5 stated above is sufficient and adequately supports the need to sensitively locate utility boxes and reduce visual impact.

In addition, Chapter 5, Section 5.2.5 Public Realm of the CE Draft Plan, sets out provision, policy and objectives relating to development within the public realm generally which are also considered to be relevant to the proposed motion:

QDP Policy 6 Public Realm:

Promote a multi-disiplinary and co-ordinated approach to the delivery and management of the public realm within South Dublin County.

QDP6 Objective 1:

To require that all development proposals, whether in established areas or in new growth nodes, contribute positively to the creation of new, and the enhancement of existing public realm. To demonstrate how the highest quality in public realm design is achieved and how it can be robustly maintained over time (see also Chapter 13 Implementation and Monitoring - design statements and public realm).

Chapter 13 further contains a section on section 254 licences under which applications for some telecom infrastructure are made. Such applications must take into consideration ‘Guidance on the Potential Location of Overground Telecommunications and Infrastructure on Public Roads (2015)

Chapter 13 contains further considerations that must be taken account of in assessing telecommunications where they come under the remit of planning applications.

It is considered therefore, that provisions set out in the CE Draft Plan, as outlined above, are sufficient to address this motion as proposed.

Refer also to Item ID: 71070.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to reflect that the provisions set out in Chapter 5 Quality Design and Healthy Placemaking as currently set out in the CE Draft Plan are sufficient to provide for the intent of the motion.