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 L. Dunne with Councillor D. Loftus, Councillor N. Whelan, Councillor R. Mannion, Councillor W. Carey

5. Citywest Motion: This Council agrees to retain the current Objective OS zoning designation of lands at Citywest

Reason: To maintain existing open space and oppose overdevelopment The populations of Citywest and Saggart have grown significantly over the past two decades, largely due to extensive residential development, including high-density apartment schemes. This level of growth is unusually high by national standards. Through successive planning frameworks, the delivery of essential social, community and transport infrastructure has not kept pace with the scale of development. In this context, there is already substantial cumulative pressure on infrastructure in the area, and further rezoning for significant residential development should not proceed. In addition, the proposed rezoning would result in the loss of valuable open space that, while formerly used as a golf course, still plays an important role in the local environment. Such lands contribute to visual amenity, provide relief from high-density urban development, support surface water drainage, assist in local microclimate regulation, and offer accessible open space within an increasingly built-up area. Given ongoing population growth, it is important to retain remaining open spaces to support sustainable development and maintain quality of life for existing and future residents.

CE Response:

This motion is seeking to retain the current OS zoning on the Citywest lands and therefore is rejecting the proposed Variation to rezone it to RES-N with an associated SLO. 

Context and Process 

The NPF Implementation Guidelines requires Councils to identify the lands needed for delivery of the new targets within the Development Plan period. They also included the need for Councils to considercapacity for up to 50% above the baseline housing growth requirementsto provide options for delivery. 

The Settlement Capacity Audit (SCA) presented to Councillors in October 2025, indicated that by the end of 2028 the current zoned land in the county could deliver 9,613 dwellings based on a business-as-usual model. The NPF Revised baseline housing target for the county to 2028 is 11,699 dwellings, resulting in an identified shortfall of lands to deliver 2,086 units.  

Following the full review process Variation No. 2 identifies lands which significantly increase the capacity of the county to deliver the baseline target of 11,699 units to 2028 through providing an additional 156.5 hectares with an equivalent potential for 7,324 dwellings. In total this provides capacity for 16,937 units which incorporates c. 45% additional provision over the baseline requirement to ensure there are sufficient options for delivery. 

Given the approach taken to the Variation, it is considered that South Dublin has clearly identified sufficient and suitable zoned land, including the Citywest lands, to meet the housing shortfall for 2028 with built-in additional capacity consistent with the achievement of the shared goals in the NPF, RSES and County Development Plan in relation to compact growth, accessibility, sustainable mobility and climate action. 

Zoning 

The proposed motion requests the council to retain the ‘OS’ zoning at Citywest (Amendment no. 5). The motion states that the area is already overdeveloped and essential social, community and transport infrastructure has experienced substantial cumulative pressure and has not kept up with residential development. Rezoning would result in the loss of valuable open space and reduce quality of life and the environmental, visual amenity and drainage benefits that the subject lands currently provide.  

Amendment no. 5 proposes a zoning change from Open Space (‘OS’) to New Residential (‘RES-N’) to lands (c. 22ha) on the former golf course of the Citywest Hotel. Alongside this, a new Specific Local Objective (SLO) is proposed with further recommendations for the SLO proposed by the Chief Executive in the CE Report including the provision of a Community Centre/Sports Hall. The full CE Recommendation is given below (the recommended new text is shown here in bold):  

As stated in the ‘Context and Process’ section above, the identification of lands for rezoning is based on an evidence-based assessment of suitability informed by national policy, infrastructure capacity, and planning policy objectives. In this regard, the proposed Variation responds to updated requirements under the revised National Planning Framework (NPF) and associated Section 28 Guidelines, which require planning authorities to ensure that sufficient, deliverable land is available to meet increased housing targets.  

A comprehensive capacity audit was undertaken to support this process, considering site constraints, infrastructure availability, accessibility to services and public transport, and the ability of lands to support compact growth and transport-oriented development. Engagement with key stakeholders, including the National Transport Authority, Uisce Éireann and the Department of Education and Youth, informed this assessment. The lands identified represent some of the most suitable, accessible and serviceable locations within the County, particularly where they can integrate with the established urban framework and benefit from existing and planned infrastructure investment. As such, the identification of lands, which includes Citywest (Amendment no. 5), reflects planning suitability and deliverability.  

The subject lands comprise of the former golf lands of the Citywest hotel, which remain in private ownership and while zoned as open space they are not functioning as accessible public open space. In this context and given the location of the lands within an urban settlement and adjacent to public transport and the need to identify lands for residential rezoning, as set out above, it is considered appropriate that these lands are included in the Variation. 

Settlement Context 

The Citywest/ Fortunestown area is identified in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, and in the County Development Plan, as within the ‘Dublin City and Suburbs’ settlement (RSES). The Dublin City and Suburbs settlement is the top-level settlement for the region and is described as an ‘international business core with a highly concentrated and diversified employment base and higher order retail, arts, culture and leisure offer. Acts as national transport hub with strong inter and intra-regional connections and an extensive commuter catchment’. For South Dublin County, Dublin City and Suburbs is a regionally identified settlement within the County.  

In addition, Saggart, Rathcoole and Newcastle are identified within the County Development Plan as self-sustaining growth towns. All of South Dublin County is within the Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) which identifies strategic residential and employment corridors along key public transport corridors existing and planned, that contain development opportunities. Citywest is on the South West Corridor which is currently supported by the LUAS Red Line and will facilitate the DART expansion/Kildare Line. 

The Citywest lands proposed in the Variation are within walking distance (500m) of the Luas Red Line Fortunestown Stop, which provides a high frequency public transport service. Acknowledging the growth in Saggart, proposed Variation No. 2 sets out the requirement for a masterplan for the lands, including the need for a traffic and transport assessment and the need to provide a Community Centre / Sports Hall. The full CS8 SLO2 wording is given above. 

Social and Community Facilities  

The Chief Executive acknowledges the concerns raised in the motion regarding pressure on community and social facilities to keep up with residential development in the Citywest/Saggart area. These matters are recognised as fundamental to the creation of sustainable communities. However, as highlighted in the CE Report, the Planning Authority is committed to the delivery of social and community infrastructure and will continue to pursue a range of funding and delivery mechanisms. In this regard, a number of facilities and services have already been implemented or are progressing in the Citywest/Saggart area, with the expired Fortunestown Local Area Plan and now the County Development Plan supporting their delivery, for example: 

Furthermore, in recognition of the additional population growth, the Chief Executive has recommended the provision of a community centre / sports hall on the lands to be included as an additional requirement under CS8 SLO2 to accommodate a building of approximately 1500sq m within the lands to accommodate same. It is added as point g to CS8 SLO2: 

‘g. Provision for a community centre / sports hall of approximately 1500sqm, or as agreed with the Planning Authority.’ 

Schools 

There are a number of major school projects delivered within Citywest with others under construction with a further school site reservation in Boherboy lands: 

- There is a major project under construction to provide a new education campus accommodating a new post-primary school for Coláiste Pobail Fóla and a primary school for Gaelscoil Lir at the Fortunestown Lane school site under SD19A/0393/EP (as extended under SD19A/0393/EP). There is an existing School Site Symbol on this site under the South Dublin County Council 2022-2028. 

- The Boherboy lands located to the southeast of the Fortunestown Lane site also contains a school site symbol. A LRD for approximately 611 units has been granted on these lands. In line with the provisions of the South Dublin County Council 2022–2028, the permitted development includes the reservation within the site for the delivery of a school of approximately 1.03 Ha (10,311sq.m). 

Coláiste Pobail Fóla currently operates from temporary accommodation. However, the new education campus currently under construction will provide a new post-primary school for Coláiste Pobail Fóla. 

Open Space/Green Infrastructure/Surface Water Management 

The Citywest lands are considered suitable for development given their location and context outlined above. In recognition of the need to protect biodiversity and existing environmental assets within the lands to the greatest extent possible, the SLO requires a masterplan for the lands to be informed by an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) ‘to ascertain usage of the site and surrounding lands by mobile species’. The Ecological Impact Assessment will inform the most appropriate approach to open space and the requirements for both public amenity and biodiversity enhancement and it the detailed design of parks and open space. The masterplan requires ‘EcIAs to be undertaken by appropriately experienced and qualified ecologists and prepared in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment in the UK and Ireland: Terrestrial, Freshwater, Coastal and Marine (CIEEM, 2018) and any superseding guidance.’ As such, the proposed SLO reflects a plan-led approach to the sustainable development of the site, ensuring that environmental considerations are fully captured to inform future development. 

Existing policies and objectives in the County Development Plan (CDP) also remain relevant to the development of the lands. The CDP has strong green infrastructure policy which will be applied as part of any assessment of future development on the lands. The CDP also includes the Green Space Factor which requires developers to attain a score based on green infrastructure criteria in order to meet the requirements for permission. Regarding this, the CDP contains the following objective: 

GI5 Objective 4 

To implement the Green Space Factor (GSF) for all qualifying development comprising 2 or more residential units and any development with a floor area in excess of 500 sq m. Developers will be required to demonstrate how they can achieve a minimum Green Space Factor (GSF) scoring requirement based on best international standards and the unique features of the County’s GI network. Compliance will be demonstrated through the submission of a Green Space Factor (GSF) Worksheet (see Chapter 12: Implementation and Monitoring, Section 12.4.2). 

With regard to surface water management, the existing policies of the County Development Plan are applicable. In this context the County Development Plan seeks to limit run-off through the implementation of SuDS and contains a number of objectives on surface water management including the following objective:  

GI4 Objective 1:  

To limit surface water run-off from new developments through the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) using surface water and nature-based solutions and ensure that SuDS is integrated into all new development in the County and designed in accordance with South Dublin County Council’s Sustainable Drainage Explanatory Design and Evaluation Guide, 2022.  

In addition, the CE Recommendation for the lands at Citywest has proposed the following to be included in the masterplan: 

‘e. A site-specific FRA addressing both the ornamental surface water features within the site and the un modelled watercourse to the south.  

'f. An analysis of the existing water features to include for their incorporation as part of wider nature-based solutions to surface water management where feasible and appropriate‘ 

 

Conclusion 

Given the evidenced based approach taken to the Variation, it is considered that South Dublin has clearly identified sufficient and suitable zoned land to meet the housing shortfall for 2028 with built-in additional capacity consistent with the achievement of the shared goals in the NPF, RSES and County Development Plan in relation to compact growth, accessibility, sustainable mobility and climate action. 

The Chief Executive is satisfied that the proposed rezoning of Citywest, represents a strategic, plan-led response to national housing requirements, grounded in compact growth and Transport Oriented Development principles. When read in conjunction with the adopted County Development Plan policies, and the proposed Specific Local Objective, the rezoning provides a controlled framework that addresses overdevelopment concerns while supporting sustainable development in an accessible location. The SLO will provide for a Sports Hall to support the ongoing Capital Programme investment in the area. 

As set out in Section 2 of the CE Report, the OPR has made one recommendation which is that the Planning Authority continue to progress the zoning of additional residential zoned lands, identified as amendments 1 to no. 16.  

On this basis, it is considered that Amendment no. 5 should be adopted with the additional points in CS8 SLO2 recommended in the CE Report. 

CE Recommendation: 

To adopt Amendment 5, Citywest in the proposed Variation with the additional recommendations from the CE Report (shown in bold) for CS8 SLO2 as follows: 

 

‘CS8 SLO2: Development on RES-N zoned lands on the former golf course of the Citywest Hotel 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 informed by and addressing, inter alia:  

a. An Ecological Impact Assessment to ascertain usage of the site and surrounding lands by mobile species, ECIAs to be undertaken by appropriately experienced and qualified ecologists and prepared in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment in the UK and Ireland: Terrestrial, Freshwater, Coastal and Marine (CIEEM,      2018) and any superseding guidance. 

b. Lighting design and implementation should be informed by ecological surveys and seek to minimise impacts on wildlife through sensitive design in line with Institute of Lighting Practice Note 23/8 and any superseding guidance.

c. Transport and Traffic Assessment detailing the impact of the proposed development and measures to alleviate its impact and 

d. Provision for a direct active travel link through the subject lands between Mill Road and Garter Lane. 

e. A site-specific FRA addressing both the ornamental surface water features within the site and the un modelled watercourse to the south. 

f. An analysis of the existing water features to include for their incorporation as part of wider nature-based solutions to surface water management where feasible and appropriate  

g. Provision for a community centre / sports hall of approximately 1500sqm, or as agreed with the Planning Authority.’