COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL

Friday, June 19, 2026

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor L. O'Toole with Councillor V. Casserly

Amendment No. 10, Pg 444 Stonewall That the Council amends the Chief Executive's Recommendation in respect of the Stonewall / Backweston lands by deleting the proposed residential zoning and retaining the existing agricultural zoning applicable to the lands.

REASONS The Council acknowledges the requirement to provide sufficient zoned land to meet housing demand in accordance with the National Planning Framework and Housing Growth Re-quirements Guidelines. However, the Planning Authority has identified sufficient residential capacity elsewhere to contribute towards the achievement of housing targets and the rezoning of every proposed site is not necessary to achieve compliance with national housing policy. The existing accommodation on the Stonewall / Backweston lands was facilitated through exceptional emergency measures introduced in response to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The exceptional and temporary circumstances under which the development was permitted should not in themselves form the basis for a permanent alteration of the zoning status of the lands. The proposed rezoning would effectively convert a temporary emergency response into a permanent residential zoning objective through a variation process rather than through the comprehensive assessment ordinarily undertaken as part of a full County Development Plan review. Zoning decisions should be made through the plan-led process having regard to settlement strategy, infrastructure capacity, environmental considerations, transport provision, commu-nity facilities, agricultural land use and alternative land-use options. The proposed residential capacity is indicative only and the future form, scale and density of development that may ultimately arise cannot be fully assessed at this stage. Having regard to the exceptional circumstances under which the existing accommodation was permitted the importance of maintaining the integrity and consistency of the planning system and the availability of alternative lands to meet housing requirements these lands should retain their existing agricultural zoning and any future consideration of alternative zoning should be assessed through the next full review of the County Development Plan.

CE Response:

This motion is in relation to the designation of lands at Stonewall, Adamstown that are currently zoned Objective ‘RU’ to ‘RES’ and ‘OS’ under Variation No. 2 of the South Dublin County Development Plan (CDP) 2022-2028. 

The land parcel in question is c. 5.53ha. 

The subject lands contain 128 modular units which were constructed as part of exempt emergency accommodation by the State under Statutory Instrument No. 306/2022 (S.I. No. 306/2022). 

While standard planning permission requirements were waived under the exemption at the time of construction, projects still had to adhere to the relevant environmental assessments under Sections 181A to 181C of the Planning and Development Act.

In addition, as part of the Variation process, the site has been subject to strategic environmental assessment, appropriate assessment and strategic flood risk assessment and the relevant reports attached as part of the public consultation. 

While the homes on the lands are of modular construction they have an estimated minimum lifespan of c60 years, comparable to any other built accommodation. They are compliant with the building regulations. As such, and given the level of investment into the lands, including landscaping, open space and SuDS features, alongside utilities it is considered appropriate to amend the zoning to reflect their established nature. 

Notwithstanding that the lands were originally identified for emergency accommodation, it is considered that the subject lands are in close proximity to the Adamstown Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), and are a reasonable extension to its coherent urban framework that enables consistency for compact and Transport Oriented Development (TOD) development, ensuring key NPOs/NSOs of the NPF are delivered, such as NSO1 and NPO10. It is also noted that in time, should the amendments relating to Tubber Lane North and the long-term SDA at Adamstown West be adopted, the subject lands will be immediately contiguous to, and form part of, further planned growth and associated infrastructure and community / social facilities 

The layout, density, and environmental measures show that the site has the physical and social infrastructural capacity to accommodate the development without loss of residential amenity, visual harm, or infrastructural strain. Importantly, the scheme has operated successfully as accommodation since its completion, providing evidence that traffic generation, service demand, and environmental impacts are modest and well absorbed by the surrounding area. 

It is noted that concerns around community and social facilities relate primarily to future growth, it is considered that subject lands are integrated into the immediate Adamstown area, which benefits from social infrastructure planned and delivered as part of the SDZ (as amended), including the wider metropolitan area. 

Overall, when considered against the criteria set out in the variation process and the capacity audit, in addition to key principles set out in the NPF, as well as the MASP, and the fact that the lands are already developed and occupied, it is considered appropriate that the lands be progressed as part of the variation. 

Conclusion 

The lands subject to this proposed amendment to the County Development Plan are already built and occupied and serviced by the necessary infrastructure to ensure their sustainability. They are directly adjacent to the Adamstown SDZ and to existing amenities, in proximity to high capacity public transport and are adequately served by local schools.  

Given the above it is considered appropriate that the lands are zoned to reflect their current and longer-term use. 

It is noted that 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 

Reject the motion