COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING
Thursday, June 17, 2021
MOTION NO.
MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons
All 9 Traditional village centres should be vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood centres. Request for a village design statement for Tallaght village, in the County Town.
REPORT:
The motion as proposed seeks the following:
(i) Calls for all 9 Traditional village centres to be vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood centres.
(ii) Request for a village design statement for Tallaght village, in the County Town.
In relation to part (i), the following policies and objectives as set out in Chapter 5, in particular Section 5.2 Successful and Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Section 5.2.2 Context and Section 5.3.2 Healthy Placemaking of the CE Draft Plan, relate to creating vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood centres while also protecting the unique character and setting of an area:
QDP1 Objective 3:
Protect the quality, ambiance, vibrancy and vitality of urban centres by promoting an appropriate mix of complementary and compatible day and night-time uses, including commercial, recreational, civic, cultural, leisure and residential uses.
QDP1 Objective 4:
Reinforce the network of urban centres as the appropriate locations for new mixed-use development, ensuring that the existing context including identified built and natural assets, urban design, integration and potential for connectivity fully inform development.
QDP1 Objective 5:
Promote the re-development of underutilised Local Centres within the County as new mixed use neighbourhood hubs continuing to provide for local retail and services in a manner which respects and consolidates the existing urban character of these areas ensuring quality of design, integration and connections to the surrounding areas.
Policy QDP3 Neighbourhood Context:
Support and facilitate proposals which contribute in a positive manner to the character and setting of an area.
QDP3 Objective 1:
To ensure new development contributes in a positive manner to the character and setting of the immediate area in which a proposed development is located taking into consideration the provisions set out in Chapters 3 and 4 of this Plan and having regard to the requirements set out in Chapter 13 Implementation and Monitoring in relation to design statements.
Policy QDP4 Healthy Placemaking:
Promote the delivery of neighbourhoods that are attractive, connected, vibrant and wellfunctioning places to live, work, visit, socialise and invest in.
QDP4 Objective 1:
To deliver successful and sustainable neighbourhoods that are attractive, connected, vibrant and wellfunctioning through high quality design and healthy placemaking in a manner which reduces the need to travel, facilitates a mix of uses and the efficient use of land and infrastructure in line with the provisions of NPO 4 and 26 of the NPF and RPO’s 6.12, 9.10 and 9.11 of the RSES.
In relation to part (ii), the CE Draft Plan does not include any specific objectives to carry out a Village Design Statement in respect to Tallaght village or any other village/urban centres with the policies and objectives set out in regard to quality design and healthy placemaking being applicable to all areas in the County.
The CE Draft Plan places a significant focus on Quality Design and Healthy Placemaking including comprehensive guidance, policies, objectives and provisions in Chapter 5 including the following:
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).
QDP6 Objective 2:
To support public realm improvements under South Dublin County Council’s Village and Centre enhancement initiatives including those proposed within Architectural Conservation Areas having regard to the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DAHG, 2011) or any subsequent guidelines.
QDP6 Objective 3:
To promote and implement environmental and public realm improvements in existing town, village, district and local centres to a high standard and finish to address environmental quality, urban design, safety, identity, and image.
QDP6 Objective 4:
Pursue all avenues of funding to secure resources for the enhancement, renewal and regeneration of the public realm of the County’s urban areas.
In addition, the CE Draft Plan sets out guidance and principles to support quality design and health placemaking within the public realm at both ‘Site Level’ and ‘Neighbourhood Level’ (Chapter 13, Section 13.4.4).
Furthermore, Chapter 12 Neighbourhoods collates the key objectives relevant to each particular neighbourhood area which when combined will contribute towards the achievement of compact and sustainable neighbourhoods within the County of South Dublin in line with the provisions of Chapter 5, Section 5.3 Delivering Sustainable Neighbourhoods ‘The Plan Approach’.
In addition, it should be noted that the Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan adopted in 2020 sets out provisions, policies and objectives specifically relating to Tallaght village, in particular Chapter 3.0 Neighbourhoods, Section 3.4 The Village.
It is considered, therefore, that provisions, policies and objectives set out in Chapter 5 of the CE Draft Plan, in particular Section 5.2 Successful and Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Section 5.2.2 Context and Section 5.3.2 Healthy Placemaking are sufficient to provide for the intent of the part (i) of the motion as proposed.
It is considered, therefore, that provisions, policies and objectives set out in Chapter 5, Section 5.2.5 and Section 5.3, Chapter 12 and Chapter 13, Section 13.4.4 of the CE Draft Plan and the adopted Tallaght Local Area Plan are sufficient to provide for the intent of part (ii) of the motion as proposed.
Recommendation
It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to reflect that:
(i) Provisions, policies and objectives set out in Chapter 5 of the CE Draft Plan, in particular Section 5.2 Successful and Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Section 5.2.2 Context and Section 5.3.2 Healthy Placemaking are sufficient to provide for the intent of the part (i) of the motion as proposed which calls for all 9 Traditional village centres to be vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood centres.
(ii) Provisions, policies and objectives as currently set out under Chapter 5, Section 5.2.5 and Section 5.3, Chapter 12 and Chapter 13, Section 13.4.4 of the CE Draft Plan are sufficient to provide for the intent of the motion which is a request for a village design statement for Tallaght village, in the County Town.