COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, February 09, 2026
QUESTION NO. 9
QUESTION: Councillor D. Donnelly
To ask the Chief Executive, over the past 5 years, what is the average number of parking spaces allocated to each house and/or apartment?
REPLY:
The County Development Plan 2022-2028 adopted residential car parking standards. These standards are aligned with national policy guidance supporting our Climate Action targets, sustainable transport objectives and sustainable development objectives.
The residential parking provision in the County Development Plan 2022-2028 is based on maximum permissible numbers related to the location of the development and its accessibility to public transport and services. The maximum allowable car parking is based on the various accessibility areas in the county. "Zone 1" maximum parking standards are applied in areas of the county that are less well connected with high quality public transport. “Zone 2” is the more restrictive parking category that applies to areas such as town and village centres, REGEN-zoned lands, and brownfield or infill sites within urban areas that are close to high frequency public transport. A table of the County Development Plan maximum standards is attached to this response.
The Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities were introduced in 2024 and these guidelines re-affirm national policy and the principle of reduced car parking provision in accessible and urban residential developments. Car parking requirements in these guidelines are framed as maximum standards to be considered by local planning authorities. The guidelines explicitly advise that in more accessible urban areas, car parking should be minimised, substantially reduced, or wholly eliminated where justified by access to public transport and other sustainable modes of travel. The guidelines introduced SPPR 3 on car parking. SPPR is a specific planning policy requirement that planning authorities are required to apply. As such, SPPRs supersede the County Development Plan.
SPPR 3 states
‘It is a specific planning policy requirement of these guidelines that:
- In city centres and urban neighbourhoods of the five cities, defined in Chapter 3 (Table 3.1 and Table 3.2) car parking provision should be minimised, substantially reduced or wholly eliminated. The maximum rate of car parking provision for residential development at these locations, where such provision is justified to the satisfaction of the planning authority, shall be 1 no. space per dwelling.
- In accessible locations, defined in Chapter 3 (Table 3.8) car parking provision should be substantially reduced. The maximum rate of car parking provision for residential development, where such provision is justified to the satisfaction of the planning authority, shall be 1.5 no. spaces per dwelling.
- In intermediate and peripheral locations, defined in Chapter 3 (Table 3.8) the maximum rate of car parking provision for residential development, where such provision is justified to the satisfaction of the planning authority, shall be 2 no. spaces per dwelling
Applicants should be required to provide a rationale and justification for the number of car parking spaces proposed and to satisfy the planning authority that the parking levels are necessary and appropriate, particularly when they are close to the maximum provision. The maximum car parking standards do not include bays assigned for use by a car club, designated short stay on–street electric vehicle (EV) charging stations or accessible parking spaces. The maximum car parking standards do include provision for visitor parking.'
It is important to note that maximum parking standards are not seen as targets. In practice, car parking rates granted permission are based on a case-by-case assessment that take into account a range of factors including: access to multidirectional and frequent public transport and the proximity of essential amenities and services such as access to work, schools, retail, amenity infrastructure and facilities.
The Planning Department do not keep records on the average parking rates granted in the county in the past 5 years. However, all aspects of a granted planning permission for a site in our county, including the car parking provision is available on the Planning Portal, which is accessible to the public on the SDCC website at https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/planning-building-control/planning-applications/search-and-view/