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 F. Timmons, Councillor V. Casserly
Amendment No. 2, Pg 48 - Adamstown SDZ West (Western Orbital Route) That this Council amends the Chief Executive's proposed amendment to CS7 SLO4 contained within Amendment No. 2 Adamstown SDZ West by inserting the following additional requirement:
"No development other than infrastructure necessary to facilitate strategic transport infrastructure shall commence until a funded delivery programme for the Western Orbital Route (N7-N4 Link) has been established."
REASONS: The Western Orbital Route has long been identified as strategic transport infrastructure required to support growth within the wider Lucan, Adamstown and Clonburris corridor. The attached timeline visual demonstrates the historic mismatch between housing delivery and infrastructure delivery within the area. This amendment seeks to strengthen the planning framework to ensure future growth is accompanied by the strategic transport infrastructure necessary to support sustainable communities and proper planning and sustainable development.
CE Response:
The motionseeksto include anadditionalpoint into CS7 SLO4 to state:
" No development other than infrastructure necessary to facilitate strategic transport infrastructure shall commence until a funded delivery programme for the Western Orbital Route (N7-N4 Link) has been established."
It isindicatedin the reasonthat thisaddition to the SLO is‘tostrengthen the planning framework to ensure future growth is accompanied by the strategic transport infrastructure necessary to support sustainable communities and proper planning and sustainable development.’
Western Orbital Route
Table 7.5 in the County Development Plan as adopted sets out theSix YearRoad Programme.It includes what iscalledthe ‘Western Dublin Orbital Route’.The description of this route is set out in the table as:
‘New road from the N7 to the N4 Leixlip Interchange with an extension to the N81’.
The table also includes a Function of the road, which is described as:
New Road to link between the N7 and the N4 Leixlip Interchange with a route by-pass function around Rathcoole andSaggartand the potential for a further extension of this route from the N7 to the N81. The function of this route would be primarily to provide resilience to the M50, recognising that this may also provideadditionalresilience to peripheral roads within the county,in particular betweenthe N7 and N4. Further connections andpossible alternativeroutes will bedeterminedthrough the review of the NTA’s GDA Strategy and inconsultation with TII and relevant local authorities. In any such route a primary objective of South Dublin County Council shall be to protect environmentally sensitive areas including the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole, the scenic Liffey Valley parklands, and amenities at Lucan Demesne and St Catherine’s Park and Lucan Village and no proposals to continue a road over these lands will be considered.
In addition,the County Development PlanincludesObjective SM6 SLO 1—to comprehensively assess transport needs across the wider western area, including Rathcoole,Saggart, Newcastle and their hinterlands.
It is recognised thatcongestion is also an issue for the Lucan area.In this regard, the Council isengagingconsultants toidentifythetransport needs and solutions for the western area of the Countywhich will include Lucan. It isenvisaged that the Transport Assessment and Transport Plan will bedeveloped using an Area-Based Transport Assessment (ABTA)methodology,in accordance withTII and NTA guidance, and that one ormore Local Transport Plans will be prepared. The process is expected to include public consultation and willassess existing and future travel demand across all transport modes,review existing and planned transport infrastructure and services,identify the need for additional transport interventions, assess optionsincluding phasing and cost implications, and identify an integratedpackage of transport solutions.
In parallel,the transport study will include the identification of interim measures to address existing traffic and mobility challenges in the short to medium term. This ensures that development canproceedin a managed and responsive manner while longer-term strategic solutions are being defined and progressed. The Council is taking a proactive, structured, and transparent approach, including public consultation and environmental assessment. This is a more appropriate and sustainable framework than tying all development to a single infrastructure trigger in advance of the study’s conclusions.
Introducing the amendment proposed by the motion would result in an overly restrictive approach to development of the lands, especially in the context of potential interim solutions to traffic congestion and to the context of this site which is well served by public transport.
In this context, the amendmentis inappropriate and risksthe delivery of housing. The proposed SLO in the Variation and theexisting policy framework in the CDP alongside the progression of identifying transport solutions for the western area of the county willensure that transport infrastructure requirements will be appropriately assessed and phased to align with development.
Conclusion
The NPF Implementation Guidelines requires Councils toidentifythe 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.
Given the approach taken to the Variation, it is considered that South Dublin has clearly identified sufficient and suitable zoned land, including the Adamstown SDZ West 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.
The Adamstown SDZ West lands are welllocatedin relation to public transportand have options on the road network to access the N4along the Celbridge Link Road.
It is considered that this motion, providing a SLO linking to the funding of a Western Orbital road will undermine the timely delivery of housing on this site. Consideration of funding for the Western Orbital is premature pending the west of county Transport Plan.
CE Recommendation
To reject the motion amending the SLO and to adopt Amendment No. 2 Adamstown SDZ West with the following amendment to CS7 SLO4 to reflect the recommendations in the CE Report (changes in bold):
CS7 SLO4
Development on RES-N zoned lands to the west of Adamstown SDZ shall comply with the following:
- Development may notcommenceuntil Dart+ Southwest has commenced construction or an equivalent rail service to the Dart+SW is operational, as may be relevant.
- An infrastructure masterplan shall be submitted to the planning authority as part of a planning application for residential development, addressing the water and wastewater network upgrades as necessary to serve the subject lands while demonstrating that the needs of zoned lands in the surrounding area, includingClonburris SDZ, are not compromised. To be agreed with Uisce Éireann in advance of submission of a planning application.
- A masterplan for the lands, integrated with the existing parameters ofthe AdamstownSDZ Planning Scheme, shall 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 on the subject lands. Having regard to the cumulative development potential around and including the subject lands, the masterplan shall be informed by and address, inter alia:
a. Retention and enhancement of the east-west hedgerow in the northern part of the site as recorded on 1stEdition OS maps, unlessrequired for wider movement needs,
b. A Social Infrastructure Audit and provision withindevelopment proposalsto address any needs identified,
c. A Transport and Traffic Assessment detailing the impact ofthe proposeddevelopment and measures to alleviate its impact,
d. A Public Open Space Audit to inform proposals for public open space and recreational facilities, and
e. Provision for future infrastructure and access connections to lands to the south and west, including reservation for a future vehicularbridge overthe railway line, unless determined otherwise in writing by the planning authority; and
f. Ensure adequate educational capacity for sites adjacent to Adamstown are catered for in consultation with the Department of Education and Youth.