COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL
Friday, June 19, 2026
MOTION NO.
MOTION: Councillor M. Duff with Councillor J. Spear, Councillor L. Dunne, Councillor N. Whelan
That this Council, as part of any variation to the County Development Plan 2022–2028, reaffirms its previous position in relation to Newlands Farm and ensures that these lands are not considered as a strategic long-term development site. In doing so, the Council should maintain the current zoning (RU, EE, OS) of the lands.
Reason: To make it clear that Newlands Farm is not part of any future pipeline for development or rezoning, due to it's importance as a green space, wildlife habitat and last remaining green lung which acts as a natural buffer between Tallaght and Clondalkin.
CE Response:
This motion is in relation to the designation of lands at Newlands, Dublin 24 that are currently zoned Objective ‘RU’, ‘EE’, and ‘OS’ to a ‘Future Strategic Long-Term Development Area’ (Future SDA) under Variation No. 2 of the South Dublin County Development Plan (CDP) 2022-2028.
The land parcel within the SDA designation is c. 101.50ha.
The motion seeks to ensure that the subject lands are not considered as a strategic long-term development area or part of any future pipeline for development or rezoning, and that the current zoning is maintained.
Future SDA Designation
“Strategic Development Areas” (SDAs) are identified for long-term development capable of accommodating significant growth focused on transport orientated development (TOD).
Their purpose in being identified as part of this Variation is to respond to the NPF Implementation Guidelines which requests that planning authorities consider the long-term housing needs of the County. Their identification provides for clear strategic direction to enable the lead-in time and necessary for preparatory work and analysis to ensure that the most appropriate land uses within the land can be assessed by SDCC, utility providers, landowners and other key stakeholders to plan for the release of such lands as the need arises into the 2030s.
Policy CS3: Future Long-Term Development Areas, and its associated objectives, requires that detailed studies and analysis are undertaken to understand existing land uses and sensitivities, to inform any future consideration of rezoning through a plan-led approach.
This process ensures that key considerations, including environmental constraints and infrastructure requirements, are fully assessed at the appropriate time with regard to County Development Plan and national policy. It also ensures a considered and plan-led pipeline of land to meet housing and other demands within the county in a sustainable manner.
Future SDAs will only be put forward for rezoning following this extensive process of investigation and an analysis of the lands in their current form and their most appropriate zoning objective. This future rezoning, will have to go through a separate statutory process, and does not provide for development at this time.
Environment, Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure
The concerns raised by the motion in relation to green space/ green lung and wildlife habitat can be comprehensively assessed under Policy CS3, which requires detailed studies and analysis to be undertaken to understand the ecological sensitivities of the lands prior to any future consideration of rezoning.
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.
Any future proposals would be required to demonstrate that biodiversity, green infrastructure and environmental considerations are appropriately protected and integrated through a comprehensive plan-led approach, including Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) and site-specific ecological studies. In this regard, the environmental role of the lands, including their function as part of the wider green infrastructure network (as detailed in Chapter 4 of the CDP), would be fully assessed and integrated into plan-making at the appropriate stage.
Conclusion
Having regard to the NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2025) request that planning authorities consider the long-term housing needs of the County for the remaining period of the current adopted plan and the lifespan of the new 10-year development plan; to the need to give clear strategic direction to future development locations under the next 10-year County Development Plan; to the need to enable the lead in time necessary for preparatory work by SDCC, utility providers, landowners and other key stakeholders to plan for release of such lands as the need arises in the 2030s; and to the location of the proposed SDA within the Dublin City and Suburbs settlement area in proximity to the Red Line Luas and to the transport hub at the Red Cow, it is considered that the identification of lands at Newlands as a Future SDA is appropriate, subject to further detailed analysis of the lands as set out in CS3 Objective 1.
Given the location of the Newlands lands it is considered that they are optimally placed to meet 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 and that the scale of the lands will allow for sufficient and fully considered open / green space and no net loss of biodiversity, as required under Policy CS3 Objective 3.
However, in order to ensure that green infrastructure is fully considered as part of the consideration of these lands, it is considered that a new SLO should be inserted into the proposed Variation, relating to these lands, that the green infrastructure core corridors and local corridor (L8) identified in the current County Development Plan, extending from Ballymount Park to the Belgard lands, are clearly identified as part of the investigative work on the lands and incorporated as part of a multi-functional green buffer into the plan making process.
CE Recommendation
To retain Amendment No. 19 Newlands of the proposed Variation No. 2 to the County Development Plan 2022-2028 and to insert a new Specific Local Objective into the County Development Plan to read as follows:
a) To ensure that any plan making process for these lands at Newlands further investigates and provides for the key features that go towards the green infrastructure network identified in the County Development Plan, including the M50 core corridor (Chapter 4 of CDP) and the L8 local corridor (Appendix 4 of the CDP) and protects these corridors and their key features to enhance existing biodiversity and natural heritage and improve resilience to climate change.
b) As part of the planning for strategic open space, including to provide recreation and sports facilities, the potential extension of Ballymount Park to the Belgard Road should be considered having regard to the need to protect their key features and the relevant Green Infrastructure objectives in the County Development Plan.