COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, October 12, 2026
QUESTION NO.30
QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons
To ask the Chief Executive whether there is any specific policy, guideline or minimum separation distance governing the proximity of large-scale data centre developments to residential properties and, if not, whether the introduction of such guidance is under consideration.
REPLY:
There is currently no national, ministerial or Development Plan policy which prescribes a minimum separation distance between data centre developments and residential properties. While there is no specific national guidance prescribing separation distances, the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028 contains land use zoning objectives and development management policies which seek to ensure that development is appropriate to its location and does not adversely affect the amenities of adjoining areas.
Data centres are assessed against the policies and objectives of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028, including Policy EDE7 “Space Extensive Land Uses”, which sets out criteria against which such developments are assessed.
More generally, the Development Plan recognises the importance of managing interfaces between different land uses. In particular, the Development Plan states that abrupt transitions in scale and use should be avoided adjacent to the boundary of land use zones and that development proposals in such Transitional Areas should seek to avoid development that would be detrimental to the amenities of the contiguous zone. The Development Plan further notes that regard should be had to the use, scale and density of development proposals in zones abutting residential or rural areas in order to protect residential and rural amenity, as appropriate.
These principles are reflected more broadly in the assessment of development proposals where employment, industrial, commercial and residential uses occur in proximity to one another. Particular regard is had to matters such as noise, air quality, traffic, visual impact and other potential sources of disturbance.
Each planning application is assessed on its merits and includes an assessment of the potential impact on residential amenity, among other considerations. Where development has the potential to impact residential amenity, the Planning Authority seeks to ensure that the potential for noise pollution, air pollution or other nuisance will not exceed acceptable environmental standards.
This typically involves the submission of technical assessments by suitably qualified professionals to identify and quantify potential sources of noise, air pollution or other nuisance, assess likely impacts and propose mitigation measures. Such measures may include building design, orientation and layout, screening, landscaping, plant enclosure, insulation and operational controls, as appropriate.
Accordingly, impacts on residential amenity are assessed on a case-by-case basis having regard to the characteristics of the proposed development, the receiving environment, applicable Development Plan policies and any proposed mitigation measures, rather than through the application of a prescribed minimum separation distance.