COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING
Thursday, June 17, 2021
MOTION NO.
MOTION: Councillor R. McMahon
Section 6.9.3 Rural Housing in HA - H19 Objective 1 To change the wording "all of the criteria below are met" to read "three of the four criteria below are met:"
REPORT:
The motion seeks to change the wording of H19 Objective 1 as follows:
From:
H19 Objective 1: To consider new or replacement dwellings within areas designated with Zoning Objective ‘HA-Dublin Mountains’ (to protect and enhance the outstanding natural character of the Dublin Mountains Area) in the following exceptional circumstances where all of the criteria below are met:
- The applicant is a native of the area; and
- The applicant can demonstrate a genuine need for housing in that particular area; and
- The development is related directly to the area’s amenity potential or to its use for agriculture,
mountain or hill farming; and
- The development would not prejudice the environmental capacity of the area, and that it would
be in keeping with the character of the mountain area.
These criteria are in accordance with the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines (2005), having regard to the outstanding character of the area and the need to preserve the environmental and landscape quality of this area.
To:
H19 Objective 1: To consider new or replacement dwellings within areas designated with Zoning Objective ‘HA-Dublin Mountains’ (to protect and enhance the outstanding natural character of the Dublin Mountains Area) in the following exceptional circumstances where all three of the four criteria below are met:
- The applicant is a native of the area; and
- The applicant can demonstrate a genuine need for housing in that particular area; and
- The development is related directly to the area’s amenity potential or to its use for agriculture,
mountain or hill farming; and
- The development would not prejudice the environmental capacity of the area, and that it would
be in keeping with the character of the mountain area.
These criteria are in accordance with the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines (2005), having regard to the outstanding character of the area and the need to preserve the environmental and landscape quality of this area.
The content of the motion is noted. The Policy relates to ‘HA-Dublin Mountains’ which is an area of the County which has outstanding natural character, hosts the Council’s SACs and SPAs and therefore a need to preserve the environmental and landscape quality of the area. Reducing the criteria for considering new dwellings in this area would prejudice the effectiveness of this objective to protect the Dublin Mountain area from inappropriate urban generated development set out under Draft Plan and is not considered appropriate.
The CE Draft Plan retains the rural housing provisions of the current 2016 Development Plan, in line with the NPF, the Rural Housing Guidelines DEHLG (2005 guidelines) and relevant circulars. In addition to the above it should be noted that a working group has been established by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (the Department) to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 guidelines. As of the 15th of June 2021, the Department have indicated that work is ongoing in preparing an update to the 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for planning authorities and it is expected that an initial draft of the updated guidelines will be available following environmental assessment later in 2021.
Having regard to the above it is not considered that proposal to amend the Rural Housing Strategy provisions in the plan in an ad-hoc manner which may have potential unforeseen knock-on effects to be best practice. It is therefore considered that the most prudent path forward in regard to Rural Housing policy provision is to initiate a review of the overall Rural Housing Policy provisions of the Plan following the publication of the updated Rural Housing Guidelines later in 2021. Should changes be recommended during this review they would be brought back to the Members as a Variation to the County Development Plan.
It is considered that an objective to reflect this commitment could be inserted as new objective H17 Objective 1 which will read as follows:
H17 Objective 1 To commence a review of the Rural Housing Policy and Local Need Criteria within six months of the adoption of the Plan and to include a public consultation as part of this process.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the motion is adopted with amendment whereby a new objective would be inserted in Chapter 6 titled H17 Objective 1, to read as follows:
To commence a review of the Rural Housing Policy and Local Need Criteria within six months of the adoption of the Plan and to include a public consultation as part of this process.