COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL

Friday, June 19, 2026

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor E. Murphy

Amendment ref no.21 Stocking Avenue, Ballycullen That the Council removes the specific objective relating to amendment 21 (Stocking Avenue, Ballycullen) as per the proposed variation on public display

Cllr Emma Murphy Cllr Alan Edge Cllr Sarah Barnes Cllr Brian Lawlor

CE Response 

This motion is seeking the removal of the school specific objective, Amendment No. 21. 

Context  

The subject school site objective at Stocking Avenue was identified in the Ballycullen-Oldcourt Local Area Plan (BOLAP) which was adopted in May 2014 and extended in 2019 and expired in September 2024.   

The BOLAP made provision for 2 no. school sites. Taking the Ballycullen Road as the centre, the sites are separated into east and west. The LAP outlined that the site to the east is for a primary school, while a site to the west is a primary / post-primary school site. This text is all subject to the school needs identified by the Department of Education and Youth (formally the Department of the Education and Skills) at that time. 

While the BOLAP has been substantially implemented, there are two large land parcels – both with planning permission – one to the west for 523 homes (LRD24A/0007) which is under construction and one to the east for 494 homes (LRD25A/0003W) which is permitted not commenced.  Collectively, these two developments will deliver an additional 1000 plus homes in this area.  

The proposed Variation indicated the removal of the school site. However, following the Department of Education and Youth’s submission to the public consultation and the submissions from members of the public, the Chief Executive’s recommendation in the CE Report to Members is to retain the school site objective. 

Department of Education and Youth’s Submission 

The Department of Education and Youth have indicated in their submission to Variation no. 2 concern at the proposed removal of the school objective from the site at Stocking Avenue. The Department state the following in their submission to the Variation: 

“In relation to other aspects of the draft plan, the department notes with concern the removal of the school objective from the site at Stocking Avenue as per proposed Amendment Ref no 21 in the Book of maps for this variation. This site is centrally located within a substantial residential area that currently has no primary school infrastructure. This area is bounded by the M50 motorway to the east, the R113 regional road to the north, and Ballycragh Park approximately 1 km to the west. At the time of the 2022 Census, this area contained approximately 3,400 households and was home to over 11,000 residents. Residential construction activity in this area has been limited in recent years, with fewer than 500 dwellings completed since 2016, the vast majority delivered between 2016 and 2022. Current demographic data indicates a population of approximately 1,200 primary school-aged children in the area. Of these, 44% attend schools in the wider Firhouse/Oldbawn area, while a further 50% attend schools in the Rathfarnham area.

To date, the level of new residential development in the Firhouse area has not generated sufficient additional demand to justify the establishment of a new school at Stocking Avenue. However, recent residential planning activity has the potential to significantly alter the demographic profile of both the immediate locality and the wider Firhouse and Rathfarnham areas. These plans could result in the construction of more than 600 new dwellings in proximity to Stocking Avenue, generating an estimated additional demand for 200-210 primary school places. Furthermore, residential developments comprising more than 750 units are planned for lands near Holy Rosary Primary School. These developments could generate demand for a further 250-260 primary school places. Holy Rosary Primary School currently serves the residential area surrounding Stocking Avenue, and its capacity will be required to accommodate children from these new developments, thereby increasing pressure for additional school provision in the Stocking Avenue area. 

The Department further state that:  

School provision can only be planned and delivered when demand has materialised, and available capacity in existing schools is typically utilised first. Nonetheless, it is essential that development plans retain provision for community facilities, including schools, for the full duration of the plan period to ensure such facilities have the opportunity to be delivered once the planned population emerges. Community facilities should be embedded within and support the development of sustainable communities. The department recognises the importance of facilitating residential development, and accordingly, the amount of land reserved for school use need not be excessive. In urban environments, the department has successfully delivered 24 classroom primary schools on sites as small as 2 acres when integrated into a wider residential masterplan. The department therefore requests that the school objective at Stocking Avenue be retained and amended to state: 

 ".. .for the provision of a school facility to serve the area. The design of the school should form part of a wider masterplan of the lands, subject to the approval of the Department of Education and Youth. No development shall take place on the land until the masterplan is agreed with the Planning Authority and the Department of Education and Youth." 

It is noted that the Department is open to facilitating some residential development on the lands while retaining the school reservation. The Planning Authority notes that the site is approximately 1.7 hectares (4.2 acres), allowing for a buffer from the existing treeline to east and south. While an urban school model could be considered subject to meeting the necessary requirements, it is considered that it would have to be demonstrated that the lands could accommodate both housing and a school. Should this be a possibility, and meet relevant standards for both, a recommendation of the CE Report is for the addition of a new SLO, attached to the school site as follows:  

To provide for a school on these lands to the south of Stocking Avenue and to the west of the treeline located west of Stocking Wood Copse. Provision may also be made for residential development in conjunction with the school, subject to a masterplan to be agreed by the Planning Authority in consultation with the Department of Education and Youth. Notwithstanding the masterplan requirement, any planning application for a school on the subject lands shall be considered on its own merits. 

Walking and Cycling to School – Active Travel 

The County Development Plan 2022-2028 contains a number of policies and objectives which promote walking and cycling to school through measures such as identifying school sites that are as close as possible to the communities they serve, promoting initiatives suchas the Green Schools and Schools Streets projects, and prioritising school routes for permeability projects and provision and enhancement of pedestrian and cycle ways, including SM2 Objective 7, COS8 Objective 1 and COS8 Objective 6.   

The maps attached to this response shows the existing reserved school site provision (marked S) within three identified walking bands and the associated population growth – 1000m (1 km - shown in the lightest brown in the centre of the attached map); 1000-3000m (1-3 km), and 3000-5000m (3-5 km) – as measured walking distance from the designated school site proposed for removal under Amendment No. 21.  

There are no existing primary schools located with a 1000m (1 km) walking band of the subject site. This impacts the ability of parents to bring their children to school, or the older children to travel themselves, by walking or cycling. It is noted that a number of submissions raised the issue of having to travel by car outside their community to bring their children to primary school. 

The CSO Small Area Census data indicates a population of 5,297 people approximately in 2022 within the 1km walking band. The Housing Supply Monitor data indicates that only one home has been completed within the 1km walking band on the subject site since 2022. However, there are 80 homes under construction and a further 373 permitted not commenced.  

There are approximately 12 primary schools located within the 1km to 3km walking band, approximately 6 of which are located outside the M50 Corridor. By 2022, the population was approximately 28,881 people within this band.  The estimated growth since 2022 is 3,369 people based on completed homes between Q3 2022 and Q1 2026. There are also a further 252 homes under construction and 664 homes permitted but not commenced. 

Having regard to the information above, the removal of the school site objective would conflict with the policies and objectives set out in the current County Development Plan 2022-2026 to provide for school sites in accessible locations that are within walking distance of the serving catchment, as per SM2 Objective 7, COS8 Objective 1 and COS8 Objective 6. 

In addition, the estimated population growth within each identified walking band area since 2022, and estimated potential growth based on residential schemes either permitted or under construction, as detailed above, support the Department’s submission that the school site should be retained at this location to serve future needs based on current planning and construction activity within the ‘RES-N’ zoned lands.  

Conclusion 

It is recognised that these lands have contained a school site reservation for a considerable period of time without active delivery. However, following a review of the emerging population, development on the former Ballycullen-Oldcourt LAP lands have not yet been fully built out and development is also occurring outside the LAP area. Having regard to the Department of Education and Youths concern at the removal of this site and their reasons; to the further analysis carried out by the Planning Authority to ascertain the growth in the area; and to the submissions received during the public consultation; it is considered that, on balance, the school reservation should be retained.

While the Department of Education and Youth confirmed the need for the designation of a school site at this location, they also indicated that there may be scope to provide for both a school and an element of residential development.  Therefore, it is considered appropriate that the school site designation be retained with a new SLO, as recommended in the CE Report, to reflect the potential for both an urban school and housing. 

CE Recommendation 

To retain the school reservation objective and to insert a new Specific Local Objective for the site into Chapter 8 of the County Development Plan as follows: 

COS8 SLO2 

To provide for a school on these lands to the south of Stocking Avenue and to the west of the treeline located west of Stocking Wood Copse. Provision may also be made for residential development in conjunction with the school, subject to a masterplan to be agreed by the Planning Authority in consultation with the Department of Education and Youth. Notwithstanding the masterplan requirement, any planning application for a school on the subject lands shall be considered on its own merits.