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. 17, Pg 556 - Adamstown South and West (Outer) Pool That this Council amends the Chief Executive's proposed CS3 Objective 4 by inserting the following additional objective:
"To ensure that the plan-led approach for any future Strategic Development Area within Adamstown South and West (Outer) includes provision for strategic community, recreation and leisure infrastructure, including the assessment and delivery of a public swimming pool and leisure centre having regard to the needs of existing and future communities within Lucan, Adamstown, Clonburris and the wider West Dublin area."
REASONS The Chief Executive's proposal identifies Adamstown South and West (Outer) as a Future Long-Term Development Area to be considered through a plan-led approach during the life-time of the County Development Plan. While the ultimate zoning composition and land-use matrix for these lands has yet to be de-termined any future Strategic Development Area will require the provision of strategic so-cial and community infrastructure alongside residential, employment, transport and open space uses. A public swimming pool and leisure centre constitutes strategic recreational infrastructure capable of serving both existing and future communities and is compatible with a wide range of future zoning and development scenarios. The identification of a new long-term growth area presents an opportunity to plan proactive-ly for strategic recreational infrastructure and to ensure that future development is supported by the community facilities necessary to create sustainable communities and promote health, wellbeing and social inclusion. This amendment seeks to ensure that the future planning framework for these lands includes consideration of a public swimming pool and leisure centre as part of the overall community infrastructure strategy.
CE Response:
This motion seeks the inclusion of an additional objective for the designation of lands at Adamstown South and West (Outer) that are currently zoned Objective RU to a 'Future Strategic Long Term Development Area' (SDA) under Variation No. 2 of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022 2028.
Existing Objectives in the proposed Variation:
Policy CS3 related to the SDAs include a number of objectives, notably:
CS3 Objective 1:To commence preparatory studies and analysis of the Future SDAs, as identified on the development plan maps, to understand the existing land uses and ecological sensitivities and to inform the preparation of future proposals for rezoning to meet the needs of the County through an holistic approach to plan making. The exact lands to be brought forward as future rezoning may change according to the outcome of these studies.
And
CS3 Objective 3: To ensure development of Future SDAs (subject to rezoning) for residential and other uses will be in accordance with an approved plan-led approach, such as a Priority Area Plan or otherwise equivalent appropriate mechanism, which will align housing delivery with, inter alia, climate action objectives, supporting infrastructure, sustainable transport options, educational and community facilities, public open space, green infrastructure networks, cultural heritage and no net loss of important ecological features as surveyed, identified and mapped by a qualified ecologist.
Furthermore, the CE report recommended the following:
To insert a new objective under Policy CS3: Future Strategic Long-Term Development Areas, as follows:
CS3 Objective 4 To include an Area-Based Transport Assessments (ABTA) in cooperation with the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) as part of the plan-led approach to Future SDAs.
Amended Objective to include Pool and Leisure Centre
The motion seeks to include an additional objective as follows:
‘To ensure that the plan-led approach for any future Strategic Development Area within Adamstown South and West (Outer) includes provision for strategic community, recreation and leisure infrastructure, including the assessment and delivery of a public swimming pool and leisure centre having regard to the needs of existing and future communities within Lucan, Adamstown, Clonburris and the wider West Dublin’.
The SDAs are proposed as future study areas to understand the best utilisation of the lands, and the land use make up. The variation includes two relevant objectives, as outlined above, which are considered to cover the overall request of the motion.
These studies will include community facilities, schools, healthcare, civic uses, and emergency services, as well as environmental and transportation considerations.
However, having regard to the various named pieces of community and social infrastructure in this and other motions for these lands it is considered that an SLO could be attached to the lands to inform the analysis of need for the study and any future proposed zoning.
Conclusion
The SDAs will be subject to detailed analysis and studies as part of preparatory work to identify the needs and requirements for the lands, having regard to the wide intent of Policy CS3 and the related objectives set out in the Variation as they relate to the Future SDAs.
However, having regard to this and other motions seeking the inclusion of different types of community and social infrastructure for Adamstown South and West (Outer) it is considered appropriate to include for the investigation of these needs by way of a new SLO for the lands.
CE Recommendation
To include a new Specific Local Objective for the Adamstown South and West (Outer) SDA lands (CS3 SLOX) as follows:
To ensure that the plan-led approach for any future Strategic Development Area within Adamstown South and West (Outer) includes investigation of the need for an additional rail station and appropriate community, recreation, and leisure infrastructure to serve the lands, including an evidence based assessment of the need for a public swimming pool, a multi-sport campus comprising indoor and outdoor facilities, a Garda Station, and health facilities having regard to any deficits that may exist in the surrounding area and to the needs of the relevant stakeholders, and where considered such infrastructure is required, the appropriate delivery mechanisms for same.