DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL Development Plan 2011-2017

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Your City, Your Say

Dublin City Council

Development Plan 2011 - 2017

Issues Paper

Your City, Your Say

 Invitation From the City
Manager

One of the most important functions of

Dublin City Council is the making of a
Development Plan for the City. The
next Dublin City Development Plan will
provide for the future planning and
sustainable development of Dublin City
up to 2017.

This Issues Paper is the first step in the

preparation of a new Plan. As a starting
point, we have attempted to identify the
big challenges facing the City. We need
to hear from you. Have we overlooked
issues, which are of vital importance to
you in your daily life in Dublin City? We
need to know what these issues are.

The Development Plan can help to

create a more inclusive, attractive,
competitive and safe city. The success
of the next Dublin City Development
Plan depends on your active
participation.

Dublin is Your City and we want you to

have Your Say.

John Tierney,
City Manager, Dublin city Council
Jan 09.

Your City, Your Say

 Contents:

Introduction

International, National and Regional Dimension

Sustainable Dublin

Urban Form and Spatial Structure

Population and Housing

Economic Development and Employment

Movement and Transport

Community Development

Arts & Culture

Landscape and Open Space, Bio-diversity & Recreation

Conservation & Built Heritage

Sustainable Infrastructure

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Appendix 1: Development Plan Timetable

Appendix 2: Development Plan Mandatory Requirements

Your City, Your Say


Introduction
What is this Issues Paper for?
Dublin City Council is starting the
preparation of a new City Development
Plan. This plan-making process will
take two years and will end with the
publication of the Dublin City
Development Plan 2011-2017.
Public displays and wide ranging
consultation will take place throughout
the two year process and regular
updates on what's happening will be
available at www.dublincity.ie
This Issues Paper is meant to kick-start
public debate on what broad planning
and development matters should be
included in the new Plan. This paper
sets out what we consider to be the
main development issues facing Dublin
City but the list is not set in stone and we
want to hear what you think.
We want to hear your views on what you
think are the 'big picture' issues facing
the City. During the two year process
there will be plenty of opportunity to
raise and discuss more detailed matters
but at this stage we would ask you to
concentrate on the 'big picture' issues,
and not, for example on the rezoning of
particular parcels of land.
Your City, Your Say
If the new Plan is to reflect your
concerns and aspirations, in addition to
Government strategies and guidelines,
it is important that we have your input
right from the outset.
The City Manager very much welcomes
your views, or those of any group or
organisation you represent, on what
you consider the next City Development
Plan 2011 – 2017 should contain.
What is the City Development
Plan?
The Development Plan sets out a vision
and an overall strategy for the proper
planning and sustainable development
of Dublin City over a six-year period.
Basically, it sets out policies and
objectives that guide the development
of the city in terms of physical growth
and renewal, economic, social and
cultural activity, and environmental
protection and enhancement.
The City Council is following an
integrated or joined-up approach to
developing the new Plan so that all the
elements of what makes Dublin a great
place to live, work and visit will be
included. To do this we are looking at
how the issues for the Plan will help to
deliver:
1. An Economic Vision – Developing
Dublin City as the heart of the
Dublin region and the engine of
the Irish economy with a network
of thriving spatial and sectoral
clusters, a focus for creative talent
and creative assets.
2. A Social Vision – Developing Dublin
City as a compact city with a
network of sustainable neighbour-
hoods which have a range of
facilities and a choice of tenure and
house types, promoting social
inclusion and integration of all
ethnic communities.
3. A Cultural Vision – Making provi-
sion for cultural facilities through-
out the city and promoting aware-
ness of our cultural heritage and
promoting safe and active streets
through design of buildings and
the public realm.
4. An Urban Form and Spatial Vision
– Creating a connected and leg-
ible city based on active streets
and quality public spaces with a
distinctive sense of place.
5. A Movement Vision – Helping to
build an integrated transport net-
work and encouraging the provi-
sion of greater choice of transport.
Planning and zoning objectives will
be brought together to increase
the opportunities to live and work
close to transport hubs and
corridors
6. A Sustainable Vision – Providing
for an overall framework involving
key principles, strategies and
objectives to drive a vision of
'Sustainable Dublin' over the next
20 years, making sure that build-
ings can adapt to changing needs
and encouraging better waste
management strategies.
 International, National &
Regional Dimension
The current Development Plan sets out
the framework for the growth of the city
in line with the high-level policies of the
National Development Plan, the
National Spatial Strategy and the
Regional Planning Guidelines for the
Greater Dublin Area. In keeping with
these plans, the current strategy for
Dublin supports the consolidation of the
city by making the best use of land, and
integrating land-use and transport. The
Plan seeks to meet the needs of the city,
the wider region and the State as a
whole. As the Capital City, it is vital that
Dublin continues to grow and operate
on an international scale while at the
same time providing for the needs of its
residents, workers and visitors alike.
While the Regional Planning Guidelines
support the National Spatial Strategy,
the development surge which resulted
from our recent long period of economic
success has put pressure on
infrastructure, created unsustainable
commuting patterns and led to a
wearing away in the quality of the
natural environment in some areas.
In addition the built-up area of Dublin
City has now extended to the entire City
Boundary including north, west & south,
and this trend is likely to continue e.g. at
Naas Road. Therefore there is an
increasing need for co-operation
Your City, Your Say
between local authorities in the City
Region. There is also a growing sense
that Dublin should be more strongly
promoted as a city region. A
consolidating city region, with some two
million people by 2020, is more likely to
be able to compete and work with city
regions outside Ireland for investment,
jobs, tourism etc., provided the Dublin
City Region is developed as a
sustainable metropolitan area with
quality of life as its core value.
International Dimension
At an international level Dublin operates
in a globalised world economy where
city regions play an increasingly
important role. These city regions
compete not only on economic
grounds, but also across the
environmental, social and cultural
spectrum. Quality of life in Dublin is a
key factor that makes the City attractive
for foreign investment. In addition,
international benchmarking is now a
standard way to compare cities and it is
critical that Dublin develops strong
citywide strategies to maintain and build
on our international status. We also
need to build partnerships between
other global city regions.
National Dimension
The National Spatial Strategy is a 20-
year framework for balanced regional
development across Ireland. The
Strategy recognises the important role
that Dublin plays in the economic life of
the region and country. The Strategy
recognises too that successful
European capitals have a key role in
promoting the interests of the country in
an international arena.
The National Development Plan
recognises the unique role of the capital
as a national gateway and sees the
implementation of Transport 21 as part
of the sustainable consolidation of the
City by integrating transport and land
use. The National Spatial Strategy also
supports quality consolidation and the
need to develop the national roles of
Dublin Airport and the Trans European
Road Network, all of which are
necessary parts of Dublin as our
national hub.
Regional Dimension
The Regional Planning Guidelines for
the Greater Dublin Area 2004 include a
strong vision for Dublin as a major
European centre, competing and
collaborating as a city region
internationally.
The Settlement Strategy in the
Guidelines sets out a clear hierarchy
with the metropolitan area as its core.
The City forms the central part of this
metropolitan area. The main vision for
the metropolitan area is one of a
compact, sustainable city, supported by
a much enhanced public transport
system and community infrastructure.
Nevertheless, the recent economic
boom has put pressure on this
infrastructure, leading to unsustainable
urban sprawl.
The Regional Dimension for Dublin
tends to be focused on transport and
population. Other cities have wider
portfolios in relation to the economy,
multi-centred specialisms, green
infrastructure, city branding and cross
sectoral alliances / governance.
International, National and Regional Dimension:
The Big Picture Questions
How can we further develop collaborative city networks (e.g. with our twin
cities, such as San Jose) to facilitate information exchange and encourage
partnership in projects?

How can we build a concensus to brand and promote the Dublin City Region
internationally?

What can be done in the next Development Plan to support and develop a
creative alliance of sectors in Dublin, including the educational and research
sectors? For example, is there a need for an international school?

How can the Development Plan achieve economies of scale to make sure
it remains a major Global and European Centre, while still serving the
needs of the city region and the country as a whole?

How can we maintain Dublin as the national gateway for the country as a
whole and internationally (through its airport, port and emerging Transport 21
Network)?

What collaborative mechanisms can be put in place across the region to

support environmentally sustainable programmes (water supply, wastewater
management, transport and waste management)?

What further arrangements should be put in place between statutory

agencies to manage the structure and form of a consolidating Metropolitan
area e.g. along the major transport radial routes?

How can open spaces and green links in the Region be more strongly
developed and managed? (such as river valley, canals, parks)

What can be done to tackle the problem of unsustainable urban sprawl?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say


Sustainable Dublin
Dublin City Council is taking a
sustainable approach to achieving its
vision of a vibrant, healthy, clean, safe,
green and inclusive city. This approach
involves developing a compact city, with
intensification of mixed-use
development built around a well-
organised and developed public
transport system. It is a vision of a city
where, in the future, all residents will be
within walking distance of local services
and public transport.
An environment that supports the
wellbeing of the City's citizens is
becoming an important factor in
economic success. Sustainability is
both a global and local concern. As a
growing amount of the world's
population live in urban environments,
the responsibility is on cities to plan
growth in ways that make better use of
key resources such as land, buildings
and construction materials, water,
energy and waste. In short, Dublin
needs to consume less and recycle
more.
The City Council has been active in
promoting a sustainable environment
since the adoption of the last
Development Plan. In 2007, the City
Council developed a process through
which the City Council follows the
principles of sustainability.
Your City, Your Say
The process uses a four-step approach: But more needs to be done. For
creating awareness; conducting example climate change brings with it
analysis; developing a vision of a the challenge of flood management,
'Sustainable Dublin' in 2020 and due to extremes of weather and
implementing the vision. increased flood risk and the challenge
of supplying drinking water, particularly
Climate Change during periods of drought. We need to
It is crucial that the City Council, through come up with solutions to make the
the Development Plan, responds to most of new technologies and natural
climate change by making sure that resource management techniques.
new developments are designed to
lessen and adapt to the effects of
climate change. The first priority is to
reduce green house gas emissions,
primarily carbon dioxide, which
contributes to global warming. A major
opportunity is to focus on integrating
land use and public transport as a key
strategy in sustainable energy use; the
best location for new residential
developments is next to public
transport. The City Council has already
made a lot of progress in this area:
ü Adopted a Climate Change
Policy for Dublin City (May
2008)
ü Commissioned a feasibility
study and mapping of District
Heating Networks in the city
ü Adopted the Biodiversity Action
Plan, 2008-2012
ü Adopted policies for improving
energy efficiency and use of
renewable energy sources
ü Produced a Draft Action Plan on
Energy for Dublin (October
2008)
ü Uses Sustainable Urban
Drainage Systems to remove
pollutants and control surface
w a t e r r u n - o ff f r o m n e w
developments
Sustainable Dublin: The Big Picture Questions

How can we make better use of key resources of land, buildings,

materials, water and energy for the future sustainable development of the
city?

What should be included in a sustainability checklist for all new development

and in all plans?

Is the usage of renewable energy sources feasible in City Centre locations

and, if so, how?

How do we encourage use of the District Heating Network and get

commercial development to use Combined Heat and Power systems?

How do we protect and increase ecological habitats and identify

possibilities to create new linked habitats, especially, on open spaces
along rivers, canals and the coast and on institutional lands?

How can the Council encourage the control and conservation of water, for
example, the use of green roofs, semi permeable paving and rainwater
harvesting, and is there implications for the built environment?
Climate Change Strategy
What development policies would protect the City from the risk of flooding,
especially in high-risk areas?
Engery
Given the downturn in the Irish economy, how can the development sector
Transport
afford the additional costs in providing for sustainable infrastructure – can / 26% Planning
should the cost be borne by the consumer i.e. house purchaser? Residential
37%
Commercial Transport
37%
Could Dublin take the lead in promoting Environmental Green Industries? Waste Management

Biodiversity
Should we encourage more sustainable development by linking such
development (including Building Energy Rating) to tax incentives?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say

 Urban Form and Spatial
Structure
The spatial structure of Dublin is
provided by both its natural and man-
made features. The river Liffey,
together with the area between the
canals, containing both the old city and
the world famous Georgian Squares, all
help to convey the city's strong
character and identity. The basic
building blocks of this unique urban
character consist of individual
buildings, streets, urban spaces and
neighbourhoods. At all levels it is
important to foster character and
coherent patterns of urban structure, to
make the city more legible and create a
sense of place.
The existing Development Plan
strategy for the spatial structure of the
city has three key elements:
Expanding the city centre
eastwards to the Docklands
and westwards to Heuston
Developing 'Prime Urban
Centres' as sustainable hubs in
the suburbs e.g. North Fringe,
Ballymun, Crumlin and
Rathmines
Making new “developing
areas/regeneration areas, such
as Pelletstown, Digital Hub and
Poolbeg
Your City, Your Say
Urban Form & Density
One of the main objectives of the
current Development Plan is to create a
sustainable compact city with good
public transport, less reliance on cars
and a sustainable mix of services e.g.
schools, libraries, shops, parks for each
neighbourhood. Dublin is recognised
as a relatively low density city
compared to many European cities,
although there are a growing number of
good examples of quality higher density
accommodation being provided (e.g.
the new Ballymun, St. Anne's, Milltown
and at York Street in the city centre)
A Coherent, Connected City
The city centre contains new clusters of
development such as at Docklands,
Temple Bar, and Heuston. Others are
emerging, including the DIT at
Grangegorman and the Digital Hub. In
addition, a number of new civic spaces
have been created for example, the
GPO plaza on O'Connell Street,
Smithfield and at the City Hall. The City
Council aims to link these clusters and
spaces so that people can find their way
around the city and experience Dublin's
unique character and atmosphere.
Urban Design / Architecture
Urban design is essentially a tool to
assist in the craft of creating quality
urban spaces; it is about how buildings
are put together to shape and enliven
our streets and civic spaces. Good
urban design supports the economic,
social, cultural and sustainability goals
of the city.
Architecture, if done properly
contributes to the quality of urban life,
civic pride and city identity. Good
architecture recognises that most
buildings work quietly as a backdrop to
the city and in turn allows the city to be
distinctive.
Urban Public Space
Public space is fundamental to city
living and quality of life. Being able to
take part, as individuals and
communities, in our public spaces is an
affirmation of democracy, tolerance and
the enjoyment of urban life. Dublin has
in the last decade seen the growth of a
promising recent network of public
space from Meeting House Square,
City Hall, the Liffey Boardwalk and
Grand Canal Dock.
The Suburbs
Dublin's built-up area is now extending
out to the city boundaries, with new
communities at the North Fringe,
Pelletstown and Park West. The
challenge here is to ensure that these
areas are integrated into the structure of
the city. The strategy in the current City
Development Plan is to promote a 4-tier
hierarchy of suburban centres:
st
1 Tier Prime Urban Centres
2nd Tier District Centres
3rd Tier Village / High Street
Centres
th
4 Tier Neighbourhood
Centres
The suburbs also contain some large
tracts of industrial lands, which have
relatively low employment provision
e.g. at Naas Road and Clonshaugh.
 Urban Form and Spatial Structure: The Big Picture Questions
A City of Neighbourhoods
Dublin City Development Boards “City
of Neighbourhoods” Strategy 2002-
2012, aims to promote a hierarchy of
good neighbourhoods in all areas of the
city. There are many definitions of what
constitutes a good urban neighb-
ourhood. The National Economic and
Social Council Report 2004 states that
they should have a mix of uses, include
all generations, provide for a balanced
work / life and be safe and clean. The
Bristol Accord 2005, suggests that a
sustainable neighbourhood should be
inclusive, well designed, thriving and
tolerant.
How can the Development Plan enhance Dublin's uniqueness in this era
of globalisation?
How can the Development Plan help integrate regeneration areas into a
more coherent urban structure?
How can the urban structure facilitate the most sustainable patterns of
settlement and employment?
How can a tall building policy provide more certainty for investors and the
public?
How can we achieve sustainable densities which will enhance the urban
structure of Dublin and create a place where people will want to live /
work?
How can we create safe and pleasant linkages between different parts of the
city?

Tall Buildings as part of the City's
Urban Structure
Although Dublin remains predominantly
a low-rise city, it contains a number of
taller buildings such as Liberty Hall and
the Alto Vero building at Grand Canal
Dock. In previous centuries church
spires and domes punctuated the city
skyline. The current Development Plan
protects the historic city centre
including the Georgian Squares while
providing for height in certain locations
to promote investment and city identity.
However this policy appears to have
resulted in lack of clarity for both
developers and the general public.
How should we design and manage successful streets? Have our recent
streets e.g. Cows Lane, Ballymun High Street been successful?
How can we retain the urban grain and texture, given global trends for larger
floorplates?
How can contemporary architecture match the quality and longevity of earlier
periods?
Should the Development Plan set out principles for good architecture?
How can we develop public spaces for a variety of events, markets
entertainment, relaxation etc.?
How can spaces be designed and managed so that they are safe and clean?
How can the Development Plan enliven the existing Prime Urban Centres
(PUC's) of Finglas, Ballymun, North Fringe, Northside, Phibsborough,
Rathmines, Crumlin Shopping and Ballyfermot? Is there a need for new
PUCs?

How can the Development Plan ensure create good, sustainable

neighbourhoods with a distinct identities and strong community pride?

How can a tall building policy add to the identity and structure of the city
in a coherent way, without compromising the existing historic urban forum
and heritage?
What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?
We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say

 Population and Housing
Strategy
It is essential that Dublin City can
provide quality housing in sustainable
neighbourhoods to meet the future
needs of all members of the community.
The population of Dublin City is
c.506,000 and grew by 2.1% (or 10,430
people) between 2002 and 2006. Most
of this growth happened within the Inner
City where the population has, in fact,
increased by nearly 50% over the last
15 years. By contrast, parts of the older
suburbs are experiencing a decline in
population.
Our Future Population
The Department of the Environment,
Heritage and Local Government has
carried out a review of the population
forecasted in the National Spatial
Strategy 2002 and made a new
projection that the population of the
State would be 5.33 million by 2020.
Based on this national figure, the
Department developed a regional
target of 2.1 million people living in the
Greater Dublin Area by 2020. The
Regional Planning Guidelines revised
housing projections indicate that Dublin
City should plan to create 5,120 new
homes each year to 2016.
The ability to accurately forecast the
future population of Dublin City is
difficult due to the recent slowdown in
inward migration coupled with a decline
in housing construction.
Your City, Your Say
Building New Homes
Approximately 7,000 homes have been
completed in Dublin City each year for
the last three years. However this level
of construction has reduced in recent
times due to the economic downturn.
It is estimated that there are 480
hectares (1,186 acres) of zoned land in
Dublin City that could be developed for
residential use. However, only a portion
of this land will be available for
development at any given time. Dublin
City Council adopted a variation to the
current Development Plan in 2007 to
a c h i e v e l a r g e r, b e t t e r q u a l i t y
apartments to encourage families to live
in the city and has brought in new policy
to deal with the management of
apartment developments.
Dublin City Council reserves 20% of all
new private residential developments
for social and affordable housing, under
planning legislation. Since 2004, Dublin
City Council has secured 958
affordable and 380 social housing units
by using this mechanism. The
economic downturn will however, have
a significant impact on the amount of
social and affordable housing being
produced in this way.
The City has been making significant
progress in building new residential
neighbourhoods over the past 3 years
including the North Fringe (9,000 new
homes proposed), Pelletstown (2,800
new homes built), Ballymun (2,000 new
homes built), and Park West (1,200 new
homes built).
Housing Needs and Vacancy
The 2006 Census indicates that the
average household size in Dublin City is
falling and that the number of one-
person households is rising steadily.
One in five people in Dublin City are
over 55 years of age. Younger people
aged under 35 are more likely to live in
the Inner City. Approximately 15% of
Dublin City's residents are non-Irish
nationals and the majority live in rented
accommodation. The 2006 Census
also indicated that there are
approximately 26,000 vacant
residential units in Dublin City.
Housing Regeneration
To meet the challenge of creating
balanced and sustainable communities
in the City, the next Development Plan
must support the Housing
Regeneration programme to make sure
that regenerated areas have a mix of
housing type, size and tenure together
with a sustainable range of community
services, employment and public
transport.
Housing for All
Dublin City has done a lot to improve
living standards in terms of apartment
quality and management but we need
to do more to attract families to live in
the City. To encourage diversity in the
City, new housing developments should
to be designed to cater for the needs of
all sectors in terms of age, disability,
economic situation and ethnic
grouping.
 Population Pyramid Dublin City 2006

85+
80-84
75-79
Population Housing And Strategy: The Big Picture Questions 70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54 %Male
What is the best way of meeting the housing needs of Dublin City given that 45-49
40-44
there is a limit to land availability within the City boundary? 35-39 %Female
30-34
25-29
20-24
Is Dublin City achieving its objective to provide quality housing located in 15-19
10-14
balanced sustainable communities? 05-09
00-04

10 5 0 5 10
Where and how should social and affordable housing be provided within the
City?

How should the next Development Plan react to the changing demography of
the City in terms of household size and other indicators?

What policies should be included to address the high level of vacant

residential units?

What needs to be done to further enhance apartment living to ensure

compact city, which is attractive to all sectors and lifestyles?

How can the housing needs of all groups in our city be adequately catered for
e.g. disabled, students, older people, homeless etc?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say

 Economic Development
and Employment
Planning and development policies are
becoming more and more important for
economic development, employment
growth and prosperity.
With unprecedented public and private
investment planned for Dublin, the city
has the opportunity to become a world-
class city, depending on the policies
and approaches adopted and actions
taken. The review of the Development
Plan is therefore most timely.
There is an urgent need to make the
most of public benefits arising from the
unprecedented level of public
investment in recent years. For
example encouraging high densities
and mixed uses that allow employment
and housing to be located together will
make best use of public transport
infrastructure.
The need for planning to take economic
issues into account and to be
responsive to changing economic
circumstances is essential for Dublin's
future growth and prosperity.
Dublin A Global City
Dublin is the capital of one of the most
globalised economies in the world and
competes internationally to attract and
retain highly mobile investment and
key skilled workers. It is the engine of
the national economy.
Your City, Your Say
In order to maintain the City's economic
position we need to address the
challenges of global competitiveness.
The economic role of the City Centre
and other sustainable centres in the
City needs to be promoted in the
Development Plan.
Economic Growth
Economic growth in each year since the
current City Development Plan was
adopted has averaged 4.7%. However
the rapid and dramatically changed
economic environment in 2008, both
domestically and internationally,
highlights a challenge in reviewing a six
year Development Plan. We need to
look at policies that are able to respond
to changing economic circumstances.
A Safe, Clean Green City
A 'clean, green and safe' urban
environment is now seen to be part of
our economic infrastructure and is
important for promoting the city. A safe
and attractive city is a major
consideration for businesses when
deciding where to locate.
Urban Regeneration
The challenges and opportunities of the
regeneration of extensive areas of the
city is another key issue both for
economic growth and competitiveness,
and social equity reasons. How we
respond to the need for regeneration
and the approach we take is of vital
importance to the city.
The Knowledge & Creative
Economy, including Enterprise
There is a continuing move towards
the knowledge and creative
economy, where internationally traded
business, creative and financial
services will increasingly be the engine
of economic growth. It is likely that
these jobs will be concentrated in large
urban centres, presenting a great
opportunity for Dublin and an increasing
national economic role.
Agglomeration Economies
The benefits resulting from having a
high density of economic activities and
people in an area are well recognised.
There is a need to move towards more
dense development if good value is to
be obtained from the huge investment
in public infrastructure and if the
benefits of businesses specialisms
locating in clusters are to be realised.
Broadband Telecommunications
The availability of advanced
telecommunications services is an
essential part of sustainable
development in the City and is essential
infrastructure in meeting the demands
of global economics. To maintain
Dublin's economic position, broadband
telecommunications must be upgraded
to next generation networks.
 Economic development And Employment: The Big Picture Questions
Retail
Retail in Dublin is facing significant
local, regional and international
challenges and opportunities. The
Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin
Area (GDA) 2008-2016 reconfirms the
· How can planning policies be adaptable and agile in quickly responding to new
role of Dublin City centre as the prime
retail centre for the region. Retailing on
the northside of the city centre is
expected to greatly improve with some
significant developments proposed.
The challenge for the south inner city is
to develop large floorplates on suitable
sites without compromising the prestige
and character of Grafton Street. The
challenge for outer areas is to bring the
retail offer up to contemporary
requirements.
Tourism
Tourism is facing challenges and
opportunities including competition
from other cities internationally. There is
a need to continually improve the city's
attractions and the opening of the
Convention Centre in 2010 will be a
significant boost. Providing a broader
range of hotel accommodation and
spreading the benefits of tourism
across the entire city are other
important issues facing the City' tourism
industry.
What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?
We want to hear your views…
Your City, Your Say
How do we ensure economic growth in the future will deliver an increased quality of
life for people living and working in the city?
How can the Development Plan enable Dublin retain its competitiveness in an
increasingly global economy?
challenges and opportunities, while promoting sufficient certainty of land use to
encourage long-term investment?
How can greater collaboration between the leaders of Dublin's Business, University
and City Administration sectors be supported toward progressing a vision of
Dublin's future growth?
How can urban regeneration approaches be changed to facilitate transition of
disadvantaged areas into sustainable neighbourhoods?
How can Dublin's industrial lands be better used for clustering economic activity?
How can the Development Plan promote a range of start-ups/ incubators in
commercial schemes so that businesses can grow locally?
How can the Development Plan better foster entrepreneurial activity?
How can the Development Plan maximise economies specialising in different types
of employment, e.g. green technology, financial services, digital media, creative
industries and biotechnology?
How can high-speed broadband be provided & promoted across the city?
How can the Development Plan better distribute the benefits of strong tourism
across the city?
Can the City Centre develop into a world-class shopping destination?
How can the retail experience in city suburban areas be more competitive and offer
more choice for the consumer and contribute to sustainable centres which
complement the city centre?
How can the necessary movement of goods and services within Dublin City
be balanced with the need for a competitive city?
Is the quality of office accommodation in Dublin city adequate?

Movement and Transport
The vision for transport in the current
Dublin City Development Plan is to
promote the integration of landuse and
transport so that as much movement as
possible is accommodated by high quality
public transport, by walking and by
cycling. The basics of the Plan remain
robust, but with car ownership levels
continuing to rise and with increasing
concerns about the environmental
impacts of the transportation sector, the
need to actively promote and give priority
to sustainable transport is even more
urgent.
The transportation policies and objectives
of the new City Development Plan will
continue to be guided by the Dublin
Transportation Office (DTO) strategy
document 'A Platform for Change 2000-
2016'. This strategy sets out an integrated
transportation strategy for the Greater
Dublin Area and promotes greater use of
public transport as well as public transport
improvements.
The DTO has started to review and
update 'A Platform for Change'. This will
be published by 2010, before the new City
Development Plan is adopted. Any major
changes in policy by the Dublin
Transportation Office will have to be
reflected in the new City Development
Plan.
Your City, Your Say
Car ownership has been steadily
increasing, as has the demand for travel
and the movement of goods. The city's
road network is at full capacity and there is
no more room for additional cars on the
city's roads. The challenge for the next
Plan is to meet the growing demand for
travel by sustainable forms of transport
other than the private car, i.e. by public
transport, walking and cycling. The
biggest challenges facing us in keeping
the city moving are set out below.
Integrating Landuse and
Transportation
The integration of landuse and transpor-
tation has a key role to play in delivering
social, economic and environmental
s u s t a i n a b i l i t y. T h e c u r r e n t C i t y
Development Plan has a policy of
encouraging high density development
along transport corridors. Parking policies Regional Dimension The major challenge is how best to
The traffic that passes through the city manage access to and movement within
aim to limit car parking at destination
area cannot be considered in isolation the city, particularly with the significantly
points while the need to travel generally is
because trips begin, not only within the increased numbers of people likely to live,
reduced by designing mixed-use
city, but also throughout the Greater work and study etc. within the canals.
developments where people live close to
Dublin Area. The DTO's new strategy will
where they work, shop and socialize. The
challenge is to refine current landuse and identify areas that are most accessible Mobility Management as an
within the region and that are the most Approach
transportation policy so that all new
appropriate locations for more intense Mobility Management is an approach
development is as sustainable as
possible. development. It might also give the go- used to reduce demand for and use of
ahead for the different local authorities cars by making other forms of transport
within the region to jointly prepare plans
Sustainable Spatial Strategy more attractive and practical.Mobility
for development areas that straddle Management has the potential to play a
For the first time, the provision of a fully
county boundaries. much stronger role in the new
integrated public transport system for the
Dublin area is possible. Transport 21, the Development Plan so as to encourage
Future of the City Centre and support more sustainable travel
Government's blueprint for the Dublin
public transport system, gives a real The City Centre is the most accessible patterns.
area of the City for public transport
opportunity to achieve more sustainable
densities.The challenge for the infrastructure. It is therefore the most
Development Plan is to develop a spatial appropriate area to consolidate as
strategy based on the most accessible intensification here can be accomm-
areas of the city. odated in a sustainable manner.
Public Transport
The provision of a well functioning,
integrated public transport system is key
to providing a true alternative to private
car use in the city. Transport 21 projects
such as the Metro North, the proposed rail
i n t e r c o n n e c t o r, b u s i n v e s t m e n t
programme and further Luas line
construction will result in a fully integrated
public transport system for Dublin.
However there are some outstanding
issues that need to be addressed for
example, public transport integration, bus
priority measures, and coordination of
transport agencies.
Cycling
Significant progress has been made in
providing infrastructure for cycling in the
City since the current Development Plan
was adopted. The challenge for the next
Plan is to identify what initiatives can be
taken that would motivate greater
numbers of people to cycle in the City,
especially to work and education.
Walking
The quality of the pedestrian experience
is key to how people perceive and enjoy
the City Centre, and is an important factor
in the economic and social life of the wider
city. There is likely to be increasing
pressure on the use of footpaths and the
public realm (i.e. public places and
spaces) as more and more people will use
public transport once the Transport 21
projects are delivered.
Your City, Your Say
Car Parking
Car parking is an essential element of
overall landuse and transportation policy
within the city. Current Development Plan
policy is to restrict car parking, particularly
in areas with good public transport links,
for example there is a restriction on the
amount of car parking allowed in
developments within the City Centre. In
working towards better integration of
landuse and transport, a review of the
existing car parking standards will be
essential. There are many practical
issues that will arise in such a review, i.e.
ensuring adequate car parking provision
while encouraging a changeover to other
forms of transport.
Environmental Considerations
Increasingly, there is a greater awareness
of the potential negative impacts of the
transport sector on the environment, both
in terms of local air and noise pollution
and the effects of CO2 emissions. The
challenge is to encourage people out of
the car and on to more sustainable forms
of transport.
What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?
We want to hear your views…
Movement and Transport:The Big Picture Questions
How can the Development Plan make sure that there is better coordination between
landuse and transportation facilities in order to achieve more sustainable
development?
What areas of the city would benefit from greater access to transport (public &
private)?
How can the Development Plan support and facilitate timely and reliable links
between the city and Dublin Airport?
How can the city's limited road space accommodate the needs of public transport,
pedestrians, cyclists and the private car?
How can the existing policies in relation to mobility management be strengthened
and expanded in the next Plan to encourage and support more sustainable travel
patterns?
How can strategic coordination and cooperation between the various agencies
providing public transport in the city be improved, particularly in the context of the
long lead-time until delivery of Transport 21 projects, including the proposed Dublin
Transport Authority?
How can we motivate greater numbers of people to cycle, walk or use public
transport?
What measures are needed to create a safe, good quality and attractive streets for
people to move around, socialise and to do business?
Are car parking standards (i.e. residential, retail, office, etc.) in the current
Development Plan appropriate and adequate? If not what standards should be
introduced?
What role has the national road network and other road infrastructure to play in
delivering sustainable consolidation within the Dublin City Region?
How can we satisfactorily accommodate the movement of goods and services in
the city?
How can the city's limited road space accommodate the movement of goods and
people to business premises located in the city centre?
Should there be a “public transport” land use zoning?

Community Development
Successful, sustainable neighbour-
hoods need community facilities that
are fit-for-purpose (i.e. designed for
what they will be used for). These
facilities range from schools, libraries,
community centres, cultural spaces,
health centres, facilities for the elderly,
facilities for persons with disabilities,
childcare facilities, parks and open
spaces, places of worship etc. The
timely provision of these facilities can
have significant positive impacts on
social inclusion, enhancing quality of
life and helping to create attractive and
sustainable neighbourhoods where
people choose to live, work and
recreate throughout their life-time. A
clean, green, and safe city is another
key part of building sustainable,
attractive neighbourhoods.
Social Infrastructure
High quality social facilities and
infrastructure makes an important
contribution to the attractiveness of the
city and people's quality of life. It is also
an important factor in attracting key
skilled workers to Dublin. New
developments in the city must be
underpinned by sustainable social
infrastructure.
Your City, Your Say
Marginalised Communities Healthcare Facilities
Throughout the city many communities The provision of adequate healthcare
remain marginalised and deprived, facilities, including specialist hospitals,
evidenced by the presence of eight care services for the elderly and
Community Partnership Areas in the facilities for people with disabilities, are
City Council area. Unfortunately, anti- essential for a healthy city.
social behaviour remains a key concern
for residents of some areas in the city. Universal Access
The City Council is mindful of the need While much has been done to improve
to 'design out' crime in new physical access to the built and outdoor
developments. Furthermore, there are environment for people with disabilities
vulnerable areas in the city that contain it remains an ongoing priority for the
an over-concentration of social support City Council.
facilities, (e.g. hostels and clinics).
Integration
Childcare One of the most significant changes in
The provision of affordable, fit for the City since the adoption of the last
purpose childcare facilities in the right Development Plan has been the
locations throughout the City is still a increase in ethnic populations. The City
priority. is now home to c. 75,000 persons of
non-Irish nationality (15% of the City's
Play Facilities population).
Play is an extremely important part of
a child's development. With 20% of
Dublin City Council's population under
18 years of age it is vital that enough
play facilities and play opportunities
are provided in all areas of the city.
Education Facilities
As Dublin City moves into a knowledge-
based economy its ambitions to be a
'city of learning and knowledge' must be
supported by a strong education
system including the physical
infrastructure of schools and colleges
th
from preschool right up to 4 level
education facilities.
 Community Development: The Big Picture Questions
How can an adequate social infrastructure be provided to communities
and how should it be designed, resourced, managed and maintained so
that it remains sustainable and adequately addresses local needs?

How can regeneration programmes progress and benefit Dublin City's

marginalised communities?

How can the Development Plan facilitate the 'designing out' of crime and
anti-social behaviour in new developments in the city?

How can an over-concentration of social support facilities (e.g. hostels &

clinics) in some areas be addressed?

How can the Development Plan facilitate the provision of affordable,

appropriately designed and adequate childcare facilities in the right
locations?

What policies should be included in the next Development Plan to ensure

the provision of quality play spaces in new developments for children an
young people?

How can Dublin City Council facilitate the timely provision of new
educational facilities?

How can the Development Plan facilitate the provision of appropriate

healthcare and elderly care facilities in the city?

How can we make Dublin City a universally accessible city?

What policies are needed in the Development Plan to cater for the differing
housing, retail, economic, religious and recreation needs of the city's
diverse population?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say


Arts and Culture
Culture is one of the main elements in a
city's identity. Through its culture a city
is defined and its unique place in the
world illustrated. Culture is a key factor
in attracting people to live, work and
visit and is an essential ingredient in
local place-making and quality of life for
its citizens. For many generations Irish
artists, especially novelists,
playwrights, poets, musicians and
visual artists have been instrumental in
establishing our cultural identity in the
world.
Dublin City Council's policies and
objectives in the next Development
Plan must be strong and ambitious
enough to support, facilitate and
encourage investment in quality cultural
infrastructure in the city, allow for the
development of a leading cultural
capital where the cultural needs of all
citizens are met and support a city
which is capable of attracting talented,
international workers for the city's
growing economy.
Culture and Creative Economies
Cultural and creative economies are
major sectors in Dublin City's economy
and competitiveness and are key
elements in creating jobs and wealth. A
major challenge for the city is to
Your City, Your Say
recognise the competition from other Public Art
international cities in attracting talented Public art can improve the
workers and ensure that the cultural attractiveness of an area by creating
experience of the city is as rich as that of points of interest and a sense of place in
other cities. the environment. It can add to the
overall quality of life of an area, gain
Cultural Facilities profile for emerging artists and raise the
Dublin City would benefit from a greater profile of a development.
range of cultural facilities such as
libraries, living and working spaces for Outdoor Festivals and Events
artists, galleries, exhibition space, Outdoors events and festivals have
outdoors event spaces etc. All new increased enormously in the last few
developments should positively years in the city. Such activities need to
contribute to the cultural life of the city. be supported by fit-for-purpose venues,
supporting infrastructure and need to
The Spread of Cultural Activity be well managed, financed and
There are smaller, discrete areas in the maintained.
city that are building up as hubs of
cultural activity as well as larger cultural Night Culture
quarters. Every effort should be made Cultural activity in the evenings and at
to support and expand existing and night is a key attribute of an attractive
emerging clusters of culture, artistic and successful city. Dublin City Council
energy, innovation and knowledge is keen to build on the success of
throughout the city, both in the city 'Culture Night' in the City.
centre, the suburbs and particularly in
regeneration areas.
Cultural Inclusion
The city is now home to about 75,000
persons of non-Irish nationality. Issues
that relate to the cultural needs of the
City's new communities as well as its
existing citizens that are currently
'culturally excluded' should be
addressed. Participation in the cultural
life of the city by a wider spectrum of the
city's population should be encouraged.
The Irish Language
Efforts should be made to ensure that
the Irish language features more
prominently in the cultural life of the city
thus allowing for a richer cultural
environment in the capital.
 Arts and Culture: The Big Picture Questions
How can culture provision and promotion be used and enhanced to retain a
talented and highly mobile workforce?

How can the Development Plan help develop and support the growth o
cultural and creative industries in the city (e.g. filmmaking, digital media)?

Is it feasible that cultural infrastructure be provided 'as standard' in large

developments? For example, to address the shortfall on library provision.

What is the role of cultural quarters and clusters, both large and small, in the
city ? Should additional clusters and quarters be encouraged?

What policies could be incorporated into the Development Plan to allow for
the Irish language to feature more prominently in the cultural life of the city?

Are the cultural needs of the 'New Irish' different than the cultural needs of the
indigenous population? If so, how can planning help in meeting such needs?

How can the Development Plan serve to support the living, working
exhibition needs of artists in the city, particularly emerging artists?

How can planning exploit the potential of culture in urban regeneration,

community planning, social inclusion and place-making?

How can we facilitate the provision of multi-functional, fit-for-purpose outdoor

spaces for festivals and events?

How can the Development Plan encourage a vibrant 'Night Culture' (e.g.
Cultural Night) in the city while also ensuring that the residential amenities of
adjacent areas are protected?

How can we support educational initiatives which serve to enhance the

promotion and development of cultural and creative awareness and skills?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say

Landscape And Open
Space, Biodiversity And
Recreation
Dublin City is shaped by its major
landscape features - the Phoenix Park,
the Liffey, Dublin Bay and the river
valleys of the Tolka and Dodder -
complemented by the man-made
amenities and green spaces of the city
squares and historic gardens, the
parks, canals and waterfront
promenades. All of these features
contribute to the City's high quality
environment.
The city's 'green infrastructure' - the
networks of green areas around us, the
natural heritage and recreational
amenities - plays a key role in creating
and sustaining places, making the city
an attractive place to live, benefiting
health and well-being and making sure
that the essential components of
environmental sustainability are
safeguarded. There is a new emphasis
nationally and internationally on
planning for and managing the city
landscape at a strategic scale and as a
continuous green network.
Major Challenges
Rapid urbanisation and a growing
population are placing increased
demands on the City's open spaces.
Although almost one-fifth of the city's
land-area is set aside to preserve,
provide and improve recreational
Your City, Your Say
amenity and open space, there are
deficits in many areas, particularly the
inner city. It is a major challenge to find a
balance between providing for
economic development while at the
same time creating and enhancing
urban green spaces. [is economy
getting blamed for everything?]
Landscape and Open Space
The City Council manages over 1,400
hectares (3,460 acres) of public open
space and has started a programme of
improvements for 23 parks in the city
centre to make these parks accessible
for all.
Creating additional areas of urban
green space is a priority for Dublin City
Council, in both newly developing and
regeneration areas. New parks are
being developed or are proposed for
example, at Tolka Valley Park in
Pelletstown and in the Liberties.
A City Landscape Strategy
The major issue for the next
Development Plan is how to plan at a
high level for the City's green
infrastructure. An area-wide green
space strategy could result in the
development of a hierarchy of parks
ranging from sub-regional parks down
to pocket parks, and the creation of links
between parks, river valleys and other
amenity spaces. Such a linked network
would add to recreation options and
tourism infrastructure and would take
pedestrians and cyclists away from
busy roads.
Greening the City
Existing areas and streets in the urban
environment can be invigorated
through greening initiatives, for
example provision of green roofs and
soft landscaping can create new
habitats.
The City Council maintains more than
60,000 street and roadside trees within
the city. The quality of the city
landscapes contribute to the character
and visual amenities of the city.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity means the variety of living
things, and includes our rare plants and
animals as well as the common species
that show the richness of our local
environment. Biodiversity provides
important environmental services,
reducing pollution, controlling flooding
etc. Dublin City's natural heritage and
biodiversity is characterised by its
coastal location and access to
waterways and significant green
spaces. The city has EU designated
sites on Dublin Bay and the Bull Island,
part of the 'Natura 2000' network of
protected areas.
The Council has adopted and is
implementing the Dublin City
Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 – 2012.
This Action Plan has identified many
areas of high biodiversity interest and
features of the landscape such as
rivers, hedgerows, ponds and small
woods, which are of major importance
to flora and fauna.
 Landscape and Open Space, Biodiversity and
Recreation: The Big Picture Questions
Sport and Recreation
Dublin City Council's new Sports and
Active Recreation Strategy (2009-
2016) is being developed to deliver
enhanced services to encourage
healthy and active living. The Council is
promoting active participation for all age
groups, for example the Passport for
Leisure Scheme for the over 55s gives
free or low-cost access to the wide
range of facilities managed by the
Council, including swimming pools and
pitch and putt. The City Council is also a
key provider of children's play facilities
and is implementing its Policy on
Children's Play.
Meeting the increased demand for
sports facilities is a major challenge,
both in terms of resources and in finding
suitable locations for new facilities.
The issue of informal recreation is also
increasingly recognised as important,
particularly to encourage out-of-doors
activity for children and teens. There is
a need to provide space for
unstructured play, for casual games
and for young people to hang out in our
public spaces and parks.
What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?
We want to hear your views…
Your City, Your Say
Should a City Landscape Strategy be developed for the next Development Plan,
setting out a green network of parks, public spaces and routes?
How can we find an appropriate balance between accommodating development
and recreational use, heritage and biodiversity needs of the city?
How can the Development Plan facilitate the provision of more publicly accessible
open space and ensure that the new spaces created are located to meet
deficiencies?
Are current standards – both quantitative and qualitative - for public open space
provision associated with new developments appropriate? How might new
standards help achieve objectives for sustainable urban development?
How can we provide for a greening of the city landscape and the protection of
existing natural features including trees and hedgerows? What greening initiatives
should be considered for the city and incorporated into new developments?
How should the key areas and features of natural beauty or interest and the
landscapes of historic value be identified and conserved?
How can the Development Plan identify and protect areas or sites of high
biodiversity not designated in the Natura 2000 (EU designated) network?
How can the Development Plan develop ecological corridors linking green spaces
to benefit nature / wildlife and movement?
How can we exploit the development process to maximise biodiversity
opportunities?
How can we make sure that the increasing demand for Sports and Leisure facilities
can be met and that all new developments are addressing the Sport and Leisure
needs of their communities, including new communities?
How can we provide for informal recreation and play areas suitable for all ages
including older persons and teenagers?
How can the Development Plan bring about a national, regional and city focus in
development of Sport and Leisure facilities and facilitate the development of key
regional sports infrastructural projects?
How can the Development Plan assist in ensuring that existing sports /
recreational facilities which form part of educational establishments are made
more accessible to the public outside school hours?
 Conservation & Built
Heritage
Our built heritage is a unique resource,
an irreplaceable expression of the
richness and diversity of our past.
Dublin has developed over the last
millennium to become a multi-layered
city with a medieval core area and
surviving street pattern, concentrated
th th
areas of 17 and 18 century streets,
extensive suburban residential areas
th
from the 19 century, an impressive
range of Georgian and Victorian public
buildings, along with fine examples of
th
20 Century architecture.
Each stage in the city's growth has left
its mark on the built form and heritage.
We need to protect our heritage while at
the same time promote our city's
economic development. A fine balance
needs to be struck to achieve both
objectives.
The historic core of Dublin contains all
of the major tourist attractions. Figures
show that the cultural and historic
places of interest are a prime reason for
visiting the City so there is also a
cultural and economic justification for
looking after and protecting our built
heritage.
Your City, Your Say
The Record of Protected
Structures and Architectural
Conservation Areas (ACAs)
Dublin City Council has a statutory
obligation to maintain a Record of
Protected Structures (RPS) that gives
protected status to all structures that
are considered to be of special interest.
There are over 9,000 buildings on the
RPS for the city. A considerable number
of these buildings are considered to be
of Local Importance under the National
Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Guidelines and perhaps should not be
included on the RPS. It would be an
opportune time to reassess these
buildings and revise the Record of
Protected Structures.
There are areas of the city that are of
distinct character, because of their
buildings and their settings. The
Planning and Development Act 2000
provides for the protection of such
areas by the designation of
Architectural Conservation Areas. The
process of assessing and proposing
new ACAs will continue into the next
Plan. Simplified versions of current
ACAs could be introduced as a means
to alleviate current difficulties with
adding and removing buildings from the
RPS. This may be an effective way to
rationalise the numbers on the Record
particularly in areas that contain generic
terraces for example late Victorian
terraces.
Views and Vistas
The skyline, views and vistas in the
historic core of the City need strong
protection but there may be appropriate
locations for some carefully mannered
changes to the skyline in limited areas.
Other Conservation Issues
The Georgian Squares are unique to
Dublin and it is considered that the
northern squares are particularly
sensitive to development more so than
the southern squares. In particular
Parnell Square and Mountjoy Square
need specific development policies to
balance conservation and regeneration
in light of the impact of Metro North and
the opportunity to reuse vacant/derelict
buildings.
'New' 20th century architecture has to
date not been the subject of
coordinated study and debate. How we
should undertake such a study should
be considered in the new development
plan.
Heritage
Dublin City Council is preparing a new
Heritage Plan which is due for
completion in 2009. The Heritage Plan
will be a concise, focused action plan,
providing a delivery mechanism for the
policies and objectives included in the
City Development Plan.
Archaeology
Dublin City is rich in archaeological
heritage. Archaeological research has
been commissioned to bring about a
better understanding of Dublin's
Medieval City. This study has
highlighted the need for the protection Conservation and Built Heritage: The Big Picture Questions
of important ecclesiastical sites of
International significance e.g. St Mary's Should the Development Plan designate more ACAs as a means of
Abbey, St. Thomas's Abbey and urban rationalising the number of structures on the RPS?
landscapes of international heritage
importance e.g. Guinness's Brewery What policies should the Development Plan contain to protect Views and
Complex, and the Historic Water Prospects within the City?
Supply.
Should we develop a policy of public access to ground floor 18th century
Other studies have included the City town houses?
Walls Conservation Plan and the Ship
Street Research Agenda and What policies should the Development Plan include to promote
recommendations from these can be sustainable conservation of heritage buildings or their curtilage?
translated into the new Development
Plan. How can we promote the status of our Georgian Squares to increase their
historic, cultural and economic potential?
A key issue for the period of the next
Development Plan is recording and What policies should the Development Plan contain to protect our
conserving Dublin's unique industrial Industrial Heritage?
heritage. The network of Dublin's
churches and graveyards represents Should we introduce a new zoning for historic open spaces, for example
an important aspect of the city's graveyards?
th
character. In the late 20 century
Dublin City Council acquired many What, if any, policies should the Development Plan include to protect
deconsecrated churches and important ecclesiastical sites in the city?
graveyards and these have been
maintained and managed as public What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?
parks. Some of these are used as
pocket parks resulting in the removal of We want to hear your views…
monuments from their contexts, while
many have suffered from vandalism
and anti-social behaviour or have been
landscaped inappropriately, resulting in
further heritage loss.

Your City, Your Say


Sustainable Infrastructure
Providing water, drainage, wastewater
& waste management infrastructure is
fundamental to achieving a clean and
sustainable city.
Water Supply
Drinking water supply for the population
of the Greater Dublin Area is provided
from water treatment plants operated
by Dublin City Council and Fingal
County Council. Supply and demand for
quality drinking water is very finely
balanced. Demand will continue to
increase to 2020. Without a new long-
term source of water supply increased
demand will not be met.
The City Council is committed to
dealing with water supply and water
conservation in Dublin and a number of
projects, for example the extension to
t h e B a l l y m o r e E u s t a c e Wa t e r
Treatment Plant, reducing water
leakage and introducing more effective
water bye laws, are underway. Studies
to identify a major new water supply
source to meet demand in the long-term
are in also underway with the options of
either using a desalination process to
treat water from Dublin Bay or bringing
water from the river Shannon being
closely examined.
Water Ecosystems
The European Union Water Framework
Directive aims to make sure that all
Your City, Your Say
natural waters achieve “good ecological treatment for the treatment of residual
status” by 2015. This is done by wastes and, by doing so, minimize the
providing a new way of managing water use of landfills for disposing of our
resources and their ecosystems. The waste. By 2013, we should be recycling
environmental objectives and the 59% of our waste, sending 25% to
measures needed to achieve them will thermal treatment plants and sending
be set out in the River Basin 16% to landfills. While there is progress
Management Plan for the Eastern River in achieving the recycling target, there
Basin District (ERBD). The agreed plan is an over-reliance on landfill within the
will be published in 2009. region for most of our waste.
Drainage and Waste Water
Air Quality and Noise Pollution
The Dublin Bay Wastewater Treatment Dublin City Council and the other Local
Project has succeeded in meeting its
Authorities in the Dublin Region are
environmental targets, as well as updating the Dublin Regional Air Quality
making progress in creating new
Management Plan which will address
recycling by-products such as fertiliser air quality issues, including emissions
that is now used in south Leinster.
from the transport sector. Noise
However, problems with the capacity of pollution has become an important
our infrastructure to treat wastewater
issue, as it affects the quality of life and
created by our growing population will has health impacts. Dublin City Council
continue into the future. Even with the and the other Dublin Authorities are
planned upgrade of the Ringsend preparing a Noise Action Plan which
Waste Water Treatment Plant,
aims to identify and manage sources of
maximum capacity will be exceeded by noise in the region.
2014.
Shared issues
The Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage
All of the issues facing the environment
Study identified the need for an
have a regional as well as a local
additional treatment plant and an orbital
impact. We need greater co-ordination
sewer to be located in North Dublin.
with the other planning authorities in the
Deciding on the location of the plant and
Greater Dublin Region to deal with the
the route of the Orbital Sewer is of great
shared issues we must deal with.
importance so that the land needed can
be reserved.
Waste Management
While prevention and minimization
remain a priority for the City Council, the
strategy in the Waste Management
Plan for the Dublin Region aims to
deliver maximum recycling, use thermal
 Sustainable Infrastructure: The Big Picture Questions
How can we secure the necessary land, plant and underground corridors for
major utility infrastructure, including water supply and drainage in a compact
city to facilitate its growth and wellbeing?
Most Favoured Option
How can we change the behaviour of householders towards their use of
water by, for example, promoting and encouraging water conservation, Prevention
rainwater harvesting and provision of green roofs and semi permeable Minimisation
paving?
Reuse

How do we progress the provision of a new wastewater treatment plant and Recycling
orbital sewer?
Energy Recovery

How can we encourage sustainability by promoting the reuse of building Disposal

materials, recycling of demolition materials, use of materials from
renewable sources, and use of low embodied energy and low toxic
materials?
Least Favoured Option

Should the Development Plan identify and locate recycling facilities for
waste sorting?

How can we protect residents from noise from uses, such as traffic, shops,
offices, (air conditioning units) and nighttime uses whilst developing a
compact city?

How can new technologies be used as a power source in transport?

Should new commercial developments be required to provide publicly

accessible waste recycling facilities/bring centres?

Should the providers of private waste management services also provide

a comprehensive range of public recycling services?

What do you think? Have we left out any of The Big Picture issues?

We want to hear your views…

Your City, Your Say

 Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA)
Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) is the process by which
environmental considerations are
required to be fully integrated into the
preparation and adoption of the city
development plan. The SEA involves
assessment of the likely significant
environmental effects of the plan prior
to it being adopted. It provides for
strategic environmental consideration
at an early stage in the decision making
process.
The objective of the SEA process is to
provide for a high level of protection of
the environment and to contribute to the
integration of environmental
considerations into the preparation and
adoption of the plan with a view to
promoting sustainable development.
It is carried out in parallel with the review
of the Development Plan and can help
inform and influence decision-making
at each stage in the review process.
How can you participate in this
process?
The process involves the preparation of
an Environmental Report where the
likely significant environmental effects
are identified and evaluated. This will be
available and a public consultation on it
with the general public and the
Environmental Authorities also takes
place at this time.
Your City, Your Say
The Environmental Report, and A non-technical summary.
opinions expressed by the
Environmental Authorities and the If it is proposed to amend the Draft Plan
public, must be taken into account the likely significant effects on the
during the preparation of the Plan prior environment of implementing these
to it being adopted. Once submissions amendments will also be made
are reviewed, a decision must be made available and these will be subjected to
on whether any of the predictions the SEA process.
regarding significant environmental
effects need to be revised, and whether
any of the proposed policies should be
amended.
The required contents of an
Environmental Report are set out in
Appendix 2B of the Planning and
Development (SEA) Regulations, 2004
and will include:
The contents and main objectives of the
Draft Plan and an assessment of
alternatives.
Environmental baseline data detailing
the current state of the environment.
The significant environmental issues
and vulnerabilities facing the County.
The Council's broad Environmental
Protection Objectives.
The likely significant effects on the
environment of implementing the Draft
Plan
Measures to prevent or reduce any
significant adverse effects.
Measures for monitoring the significant
environmental effects of implementing
the plan, including appropriate
indicators to be used.
 Appendix 1: Development Plan timetable

Your City, Your Say

Appendix 2: Development Plan Mandatory Requirements. The control of establishments under the E.U. Major Accidents Directive;

The following objectives must be included in a development plan: The provision of community services including schools, crèches and other
education and childcare facilities.
The zoning of land;

The provision of infrastructure including transport, energy, communication
facilities, water supplies, waste recovery and disposal facilities;
The conservation and protection of the environment;
The integration of the planning and sustainable development with the social,
community and cultural requirements of the area and its population;
In addition, the First Schedule of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 sets out a
wide range of other objectives which may be included in a development, plan. These
objectives relate to the following areas:
Location and pattern of development,
Control of areas and structures,

The preservation of the character of the landscape and of architectural Community facilities,
conservation areas;
Environment and amenities,
The protection of structures of special architectural, historical,
archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest; Infrastructure and transport.

The preservation of the character of Architectural Conservation Areas;

NOTE: This does not purport to be a legal interpretation. For full details
The development and renewal of areas in need of regeneration; see Section 10 and the First Schedule of the Planning and Development
Act, 2000.
The provision of accommodation for travellers;

The preservation, improvement and extension of recreational amenities;

Your City, Your Say

 We want to hear what you think about the City.
How has it changed since the last Development Plan was adopted in 2005?
What do you think the Big Picture Issues facing the City up to 2017 are going to be?

Send your views on the questions posed in this Issues Paper or on any Big
Picture Issues you think we may have left out to:

Development Plan Team

Planning Secretariat
Planning & Economic Development Department
Block 4, Floor 3
Civic Offices
Woodquay
Dublin 8

or to

development.plan@dublincity.ie
On or before 4.30pm Wednesday, 18th March, 2009
Updates on the new Development Plan will be regularly available at
www.dublincity.ie

Please check in often and keep letting us know what you think!

Selection of photographs supplied by Dublin City Council Photographer

Your City, Your Say

Your City, Your Say