COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL

Friday, June 19, 2026

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor S. O'Hara

For amendment 1 (Newcastle) 1. That the SLO be amended to increase the school reservation to 4.6 hectares to facilitate the delivery of a post-primary school with adequate facilities Reason: The current school reservation of 3 hectares would not meet the minimum conditions for the Department of Education's specifications for a post-primary school, and this is what is needed in the area, especially given that increased zoning will further increase the population of Newcastle.

Co-Sponsored: Cllr. Brian Lawlor, Cllr. Sarah Barnes

CE Response:

The CE acknowledges the intent of the motion. gAmendment No. 1 at Ballynakelly, Newcastle proposes to change 24.47ha of land from Objective Rural ‘RU’ to Objective New Residential ‘RES-N’ (19.56ha) and Open Space ‘OS’ (4.91ha). The Amendment attaches a specific local objective (CS9 SLO5) to the lands as follows: 

‘Development on RES-N zoned land south of Ballynakelly shall be in accordance with a masterplan for the lands to be prepared by the planning authority or in consultation with, and approved by, the planning authority in advance of the submission of a planning application for residential development which provides for, inter alia:  

  1. Delivery of a public park of a minimum of 2 hectares in tandem with, or prior to, development of the site, 
  2. Reservation of a secondary school site of 3 hectares unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority having regard to the requirements of the Department of Education and Youth, 
  3. Active travel connections to the existingTaobhChnoic Park and land to the east, and  
  4. Use of the existing unfinished structure on site in an early phase of development in a sustainable manner which is compatible with neighbouring residential uses’. 

 The motion seeks to amend point 2 of CS9 SLO5 and to extend the school reservation from 3 hectares to 4.6 hectares to facilitate the delivery of the post-primary school and adequate facilities. 

Site Acquisition Parameters 

The Department of Education and Youth’s Technical Guidance Document TGD-027 ‘Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Post Primary Schools’ (Revision 1 September 2019) Table 1 School Site Area Analysis indicates a requirement of 4.57 Ha for a 1000 pupil post primary.  Notwithstanding this, the guidance document states the following:  

“Due to the scarcity of land in urban areas it is not always possible to achieve the ideal site size for school buildings. Where some of the elements required for a school site can be provided outside the designated site area (e.g. traffic management, parking, playing fields, etc.), where it is possible to provide multi-storey (above two storey) buildings and where separation areas can be reduced due to the nature of permitted development on and adjacent to the site, smaller sites can be considered. The DoES is in the process of developing an urban site area calculator based on analysis carried out on built schools and proposed new school sites to inform urban school site sizes. Pending its completion, in higher density urban developments where the optimum site area set out above cannot be identified the Planning and Building Unit should be consulted at the earliest possible stage. Constraints in site sizes in urban areas mean that the full suite of external accommodation may not be provided in all cases. In such circumstances priority should be given to the provision of accommodation and services specific to the pedagogical requirements of the school. In many cases this will be in line with Local Authorities’ own development policies, e.g. encouraging sustainable transport methods thus reducing parking and set down requirements.” (bold text added for ease of reference) 

The two most recent new post primary school planning permissions both have a site requirement of less than 3 ha.  Both developments are three-storeys in height.  Details of these developments are set out below:  

 

Name of School 

Planning Reg. Ref 

Description & Location 

Site Area  

Griffeen College (Permanent School / Under Construction)  

SDZ21A/0013 

A 3 storey, 1,000 pupil post primary school (Roll no. 76454S) at Kishogue Cross, Griffeen Avenue, Lucan, Co. Dublin.  

2.34 Ha 

Firhouse Educate Together  

SD23A/0149 

1 No. part 3 storey, 1,000 pupil Post Primary School (Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School: Roll No. 68307J)at site at Oldcourt Road / Ballycullen Green, Firhouse, Dublin 24.  

1.79 Ha 

Masterplan 

The SLO requires development to be in accordance with a masterplan for the lands. The exact location of the school site is not specified in the SLO and consideration of this will form part of the masterplanning for the lands. However, in terms of the technical guidance for post primary schools, the ability to facilitate playing fields outside the school site will inform the size of the school site required, noting that it has to be agreed with the Planning Authority having regard to the requirements of the Department.  

In terms of facilities, the RES-N lands proposed in the Variation not only include the requirement for 2 hectares of public park within the zoning itself, but also are abutted to the west by  TaobhChnoicPark consistingofapproximately4.4 hectaresand containing a large play space, exercise equipment, a Multi-Use Games Area (With facility for soccer / tennis and basketball), a large allotment area, a soccer sized grass pitch and walking, jogging and cycling routes in a high quality landscape.There is a requirementunder CS9 SLO5 Item 3for Active travel connections to the existingTaobhChnoicPark andthe proposed‘OS’land to the east, linking the two areas of open space.It is noted that part of the proposed Open Space zoning to the east already accommodates a GAA pitch.   

Department of Education and Youth 

It is noted that the Department of Education and Youth state in their submission to the Variation in respect to the Ballynakelly lands and CS9 SLO5 that they:  

“…acknowledge Specific Local Objective CS9 SLO5: to develop RES-N zoned land south of Ballynakelly which will include the reservation of a secondary school site of 3 hectares unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority regard to the requirements of the Department of Education and Youth.’  

The Department notes and supports existing County Development Plan Policy COS8: Primary and Post Primary Schools, to work in conjunction with the Department of Education to promote and support the provision of primary and post-primary schools in the County to reflect the diverse educational needs of communities and, to engage with the Department of Education and support the Department's School  Building Programme by actively identifying sites for primary and post primary schools at suitable locations, based on forecast need. 

Conclusion 

The requirement for a masterplan to be agreed, and for the school site of 3 hectares unless otherwise agreed provides sufficient safeguards to ensure that the school site will be located so that it can avail of the adjacent play facilities and that the Department will have sufficient input to the site size. Having regard to this, it is considered that the provision of reservation of a secondary school site of 3 hectares included as point 2 of CS9 SLO5 is appropriate and will meet, unless otherwise agreed, the needs of modern day schools and their multi-storey design. The SLO wording does not preclude the Department of Education providing a larger site. The proposed 3 hectares with the proposed open space will ensure a sustainable balance of residential and school provision on the lands. 

CE Recommendation: 

No change to Amendment No. 1 Ballynakelly of Variation No. 2 to the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028.