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 R. Mannion

MOTION: That this Council retains the RU zoning on the Edmondstown lands (Proposed Amendment no. 7)

REASON: Rezoning of this site from RU to RES does not meet the brief of providing "deliverable" housing under this plan, as the current owners have clearly stated their opposition to the rezoning given their lack of intention to sell or develop the site, and their desire to continue to farm their land.

Co-signed by: William Carey; Louise Dunne; Daniel Loftus; Niamh Whelan

CE Response 

The motion seeks that the RU zoning on the Edmondstown lands (Amendment No. 7) be retained by reason that it does not fit the brief of providing ‘deliverable’ housing as the current owners have clearly stated their opposition to the rezoning and their lack of intention to sell or develop these lands and their desire to continue to farm their land.  

Amendment No. 7 proposes to rezone lands adjoining Edmondstown Road, that are currently zoned Objective RU to RES under Variation No. 2 of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028. Incorporated into Amendment No. 7 is Specific Local Objective CS7 SLO6 which is discussed in more detail below.  

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 consider capacity for up to 50% above the baseline housing growth requirements to 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. 

The approach taken by the Planning Authority is directly aligned with key policies underpinning the sustainable policy approach within the National Planning Framework (NPF). This approach places a strong emphasis on compact growth and Transport Orientated Development (TOD). In particular, National Policy Objectives 10, 97 and 99 support the delivery of residential development at appropriate locations within or adjacent to the existing urban footprint, focused on areas served by existing or planned high-capacity public transport.  

The process therefore aligns with national policy which requires that planning authorities plan proactively for future growth, including the identification of lands that may contribute to housing delivery within the lifetime of the Development Plan and beyond. 

Zoning 

The subject lands are the only ‘RU’ zoned lands within the county located within the M50 corridor. Lands zoned ‘RU’ have the objective ‘to protect and improve rural amenity and to provide for the development of agriculture’. All of South Dublin is located within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and is subject to the Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan set out in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. The lands subject to this proposed Amendment at Edmondstown Road are also within the Dublin City and Suburbs settlement boundary. National Policy Objective (NPO) 16 of the Revised National Planning Framework states: To ensure that the targeted pattern of population growth of Ireland’s cities to 2040 is in accordance with the targets.

Also of relevance, National Policy Objective 8 requires:  

Deliver at least half (50%) of all new homes that are targeted in the five Cities and suburbs of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, within their existing built-up footprints and ensure compact and sequential patterns of growth.  

Therefore, the proposed rezoning of these lands from ‘RU’ to ‘RES’ aligns with national and regional planning policy and the Settlement Hierarchy set out the CDP 2022-2028, facilitating growth within the Dublin City and Suburbs settlement area, ensuring compact and sequential patterns of growth. 

Roads Objectives, Phasing, Public Transport  

Proposed Amendment No. 7 is also closely linked to Amendment No. 22 and Amendment No. 23.  

Amendment No. 22 is for a new 6 Year Road Objective to upgrade Edmondstown Road to enhance pedestrian, cycling and public transport facilities and access to new residential lands. Amendment No. 23 is also for a 6 Year Road Objective for a new link road between Whitechurch Road to the east and Edmondstown Road to the west that would traverse the existing ‘RES’ zoned lands to the south, that have been zoned for residential development for approximately 18 years, since the adoption of the 1998-2004 South Dublin County Development Plan. 

In addition, it is important to note that the proposed RES zoning on the lands incorporates the following Specific Local Objective CS7 SLO6:   

Development on RES zoned lands on Edmondstown Road shall comply with the following: 

  1. A local centre to serve the day-to-day needs of surrounding residents shall be provided unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority. 
  2. A Design Statement shall be prepared as part of a planning application for the subject lands outlining how the proposal responds to the setting and special interest of the Protected Structure and its curtilage. 
  3. Retention and enhancement of the existing hedgerows as recorded on 1st Edition OS mapping. 

A recommendation has been made by the Chief Executive to add to proposed CS7 SLO6 on these lands to include a new point ‘d’ in relation to phasing for public transport as follows: 

(d) Any road upgrades required to facilitate public transport to serve proposed residential development on these lands shall be delivered to provide for public transport improvements in advance of occupation of any units and measures to ensure the extension of public transport to this area and further north as far as the lands south of the M50 agreed with the NTA. 

The intention of CS7 SLO6 and Amendments No. 22 is to ensure that any residential development is provided in tandem with the necessary infrastructure. 

In relation to the timing of delivery, the Variation has provided for ‘additional provision’ to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the housing targets. This reflects the evidence from analysis of zoning over different cycles of development plans that not all lands may come forward immediately. 

Conclusion 

Given their location within the M50 and within Dublin City and Suburbs settlement boundary, the proposed rezoning of these lands reflects national policy including sequential growth, the need for compact settlement and that at least 50% of all new homes in Dublin City and Suburbs are to be delivered within the existing built-up footprint. 

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 consider capacity for up to 50% above the baseline housing growth requirements to provide options for delivery. 

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. 

Given the approach taken to the Variation, it is considered that South Dublin has clearly identified sufficient and suitable land for rezoning, including these lands at Edmondstown, 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. 

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 of the proposed Variation. 

CE Recommendation 

To reject the motion and to adopt Amendment No. 7 of the proposed Variation no. 2 to the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028, to zone from objective ‘RU’ to objective ‘RES’ with the following specific local objective CS7 SLO6:   

Development on RES zoned lands on Edmondstown Road shall comply with the following: 

a.   A local centre to serve the day-to-day needs of surrounding residents shall be provided unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority. 

b.  A Design Statement shall be prepared as part of a planning application for the subject lands outlining how the proposal responds to the setting and special interest of the Protected Structure and its curtilage. 

c.  Retention and enhancement of the existing hedgerows as recorded on 1st Edition OS mapping. 

d.  Any road upgrades required to facilitate public transport to serve proposed residential development on these lands shall be delivered to provide for public transport improvements in advance of occupation of any units and measures to ensure the extension of public transport to this area and further north as far as the lands south of the M50 agreed with the NTA.

 

(bold text reflects the Chief Executive recommendation in the CE Report)