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. O'Toole with Councillor F. Timmons, Councillor V. Casserly

Amendment No. 17, Pg 556 - Adamstown South and West (Outer) Healthcare 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 healthcare infrastructure including the assessment and delivery of a Primary Care Centre and associated healthcare facilities 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 Strategic Long-Term Development Area to be considered through a plan-led approach dur-ing the lifetime of the County Development Plan. The HSE has acknowledged the need for additional healthcare capacity within the wider Lu-can area and has experienced challenges in identifying and securing suitable sites for the de-livery of healthcare infrastructure, including additional primary care facilities. Any future Strategic Development Area presents a unique opportunity to proactively plan for healthcare provision from the outset ensuring that land can be identified and reserved as part of an integrated approach to community infrastructure delivery. The scale of existing and proposed population growth within Lucan, Adamstown and Clonburris will place increasing demands on healthcare services and it is appropriate that future planning frameworks consider the long-term provision of primary and community healthcare facilities alongside housing, transport, recreation and other community infrastruc-ture. This amendment seeks to ensure that healthcare infrastructure forms part of the strategic planning process for any future development of these lands and supports the creation of sus-tainable communities consistent with proper planning and sustainable development.

CE Response: 

This motion is in relation to 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 includes 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. 

Primary Care 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 healthcare infrastructure including the assessment and delivery of a Primary Care Centre and associated healthcare facilities having regard to the needs of existing and future communities within Lucan, Adamstown, Clonburris and the wider West Dublin area.. 

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.

The Planning Authority will liaise with stakeholders as part of the preparation for plan-making, including the HSE to influence the provision of healthcare services.  

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.