COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

QUESTION NO. 18

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Excecutive would he consider Initiating a variation of the County Development plan for land beside St Finians school to ensure this land is only used for Educational Purposes?

REPLY:

The County Development Plan includes the designation of reserved sites for schools across the county.  These reserved school sites were identified in liaison with the Department of Education in the preparation of the County Development Plan.  In assessing need, the Department were appraised of the potential capacity of zoned land where development was yet to take place, in addition to their own analysis of existing population statistics and future school requirements.

In relation to Newcastle, there is one reserved site identified in the County Development Plan. This reflects the fact that of the two new primary schools identified to cater for the additional population created by development in the Newcastle Local Area Plan lands (expired in April 2023), one has been built – St. Finian’s primary school – and a second school remains to be provided to the south of the LAP lands adjacent to the new Taobh Chnoic Park.

This second school site has the recent benefit of outline planning permission for a two storey 16 classroom primary school including a 4 classroom special educational needs facility and outdoor play areas.

Neither the Newcastle Local Area Plan nor the County Development Plan included for any additional school sites in Newcastle beyond those outlined above.  The Planning Department has regular engagement with the Department of Education and advises them of new planning permissions and local area plans to aid their decision making. The planning authority is advised by the Department that the current projected level of demand is not sufficiently large enough for the establishment of a new secondary school in Newcastle. It is noted that the Department takes account of existing/planned school provision in the school catchment area when making decisions on school needs. However, the Planning Authority is aware that the Department keep current and projected demand for post primary school places in Newcastle, as elsewhere, under review.

In addition to the fact that need for a secondary school located in Newcastle has not been established, there is further context to the lands in the Department’s ownership as follows:

The adopted County Development Plan 2022-2028 includes objectives to reflect the need to provide infrastructure originally approved as part of the delivery requirements of the Newcastle Local Area Plan.  This inclusion was purposeful, in the knowledge that the LAP would expire early in the life of the Development Plan.  The objectives now in the County Development Plan include phasing to ensure that development on the lands provides for the planned infrastructure as part of a coherent urban layout with the requisite open space provision standards and to provide the identified school requirement needs. The objectives relevant to the lands in the Department’s ownership are:

‘COS5 SLO 1: To identify and set aside land, ensuring the delivery of the quantum of open space within the general area of the Burgage South Neighbourhood Park as identified in the Newcastle Local Area Plan (2012), and to pursue all means of achieving this including proactive engagement with stakeholders and through the consideration of planning applications affecting this area.’

And

‘CS9 SLO3: A sequentially phased programme to be submitted alongside any planning application on the subject lands which provides for the delivery of the following in tandem with development or as described 1) No more than 200 units to be permitted before the commencement of the remaining lands of c. 1.4ha to provide for the full Taobh Chnoic Park to the south 2) Urban Park / Square c. 1ha in size (Burgage South Park) to the satisfaction of the planning authority, 3) East-West Link Street, 4) Sean Feirm Park c. 0.2ha in size, 5) a portion of Tower House Park c. 0.1ha. All applications shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority how they are supporting the delivery of North South Street connections to the Main Street. With regards delivery of a new primary school at Taobh Chnoic, the timing of this will be subject to educational needs in consultation with the Department of Education. Prior to completion of 200 units confirmation to be provided from the Department of Education on the transfer of lands to provide for the school, subject to their confirmation of need.’

The location of lands that were identified for the delivery of Burgage South Park are within the Department of Education’s landownership. This park is required to be delivered as part of the adopted phasing program in the County Development Plan, reflecting the Newcastle Local Area Plan requirements and layout.  Taking account of the approximate 1 hectare required for this park (see objective CS9 SLO3 above) and of land understood to be needed for future expansion of the existing primary school at St. Finian’s, the remaining Department lands become more limited.  In this context, leaving aside the fact that no need has been identified for a secondary school at this time, the lands left would not fulfil the normal size requirements for a secondary school.

Again, in this context, the Planning Authority recognises that the Department of Education is working with Cairn to proactively deliver the adopted phasing programme and objectives for the plan lands which includes a public park and a second primary school.  This will ensure the achievement of the two adopted County Development Plan objectives outlined above.

The current RES-N zoning includes ‘education’ as a use class which is permitted in principle. However, having regard to the wider needs for these lands to fulfil existing adopted objectives which in themselves contribute to proper planning and sustainable development, it would not be appropriate to initiate a variation to limit the lands to school use in the County Development Plan.   

As outlined above, the Planning Authority will continue to advise the Department of new development to facilitate current and projected demand for post primary school places to be kept under review by the Department.