Preparing a new Dublin City Development Plan – June 2021

Next week, City Councillors will meet to consider and debate proposals for inclusion in the pre-draft stage of the Dublin City Development Plan.

You may remember, the public consultation that took place earlier this year that enabled Dubliners have their say on what they wanted to see included in the new City Development Plan which will come into effect in late 2022. The delivery of new housing, how we rebuild our City Centre in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the provision of an enhanced public realm with greater levels of pedestrianisation, protecting our built heritage and improving community, recreational and green spaces within the city are among the issues we heard about from Dubliners. So, across the coming days, starting from Tuesday, Councillors will be considering more than 1100 motions and proposed amendments for inclusion in the new Plan.

I submitted 70 motions on a range of subjects including our night-time economy, building a 24/7 city, ensuring there is mixed tenure housing across the city, plans to return O’Connell Street to its pre-eminent role as our Nation’s ‘National Street’, encouraging the delivery of family friendly apartment living and increasing the availability of housing within the city centre, given how the pandemic has impacted upon the heart of our city. You will see below, the motions and proposed inclusions I lodged for consideration at our special Council meetings this week. If you have any specific questions or queries about these or indeed, any other aspect of the Development Plan and the proposals being debated by Councillors, then email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

Dublin City Development Plan 2022 – 2028

Pre-Draft Motions, Councillor Ray McAdam.

Theme 1: Shaping The City:

• That any draft City Development Plan includes with Strategic Development and Regeneration Areas the objective that high end high order all-weather pitches be included as part of any substantive ‘community gain’ requirement.

REASON: to support the provision of community gain as a result of local redevelopment.

• That any draft City Development Plan will have at its core an objective that seeks the creation of mixed-use environments in the commercial core.

REASON: to support the economic core of the city centre.

• That any draft City Development Plan sets as an over-riding objective to create a compact, high-quality, environmentally friendly, and well-connected city that generates economic success and socially inclusive neighbourhoods.

REASON: to help further develop the notion of the 15-minute city.

• That any draft City Development Plan supports the establishment of a specific urban regeneration and development fund to facilitate bringing brown field sites into use.

REASON: to help tackle dereliction.

• That any draft City Development Plan seeks to support the provision of commercial development that seamlessly integrates with the public realm.

REASON: to support the principle of permeability within the city.

• That any draft City Development Plan supports the idea of increase densities and use both within and adjacent to the city core.

REASON: to support the idea of a more Compact city.

• That any draft City Development Plan gives consideration to the revocation of the North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock SDZ Planning Scheme so that greater heights and densities of residential development can be facilitated.

REASON: to provide for greater housing supply.

• That any draft City Development Plan will ensure that all city planning be gender and diversity proofed and based on the example provided in Barcelona.

REASON: to support the principle of a more inclusive city.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes a specific objective that would require the preparation and implementation of a Public Realm Master Plan for the entirety of the North Georgian Core.

REASON: to connect the major redevelopment projects in that part of the city, including the Parnell Quarter with Mountjoy Square Park.

• That any draft City Development Plan promotes the attractiveness of apartment living within the Canals.

REASON: to support the idea of city centre living.

• That any draft City Development Plan encourages the development of more three- and four-bedroom apartments to foster greater apartment family living.

REASON: to increase more family friendly sized apartments within the city centre.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes provision for the potential redevelopment of the Dublin Industrial Estate and that these lands be designated as a Strategic Development and Regeneration Area.

REASON: to better plan the delivery of a new residential quarter of the city and to ensure the appropriate delivery of associated social infrastructure.

• That any draft City Development Plan provides for only mixed tenure development on all lands ripe for development within the North Inner City, Cabra-Glasnevin, South-West Inner City, South-East Inner City Local Electoral Areas.

REASON: to enable all types of housing to be delivered within these areas.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes a Cultural Heritage (Built Environment) Strategy, within a focus on the now-diminishing stock of hand-built structure in the city.

REASON: to protect against the destruction of our Cultural & Built Heritage.

• That any draft City Development Plan promotes schemes such as the Living City Initiative, Living over the Shop Scheme and the Vacant Site Levy to further support the development of brownfield sites and to encourage further densification of development within the city.

REASON: to deter against dereliction and increase possible housing supply.

• That any draft City Development Plan incorporates the objectives of those contained within the Reimaging Dublin One strategy and actively promotes their implementation.

REASON: to better utilise our public spaces.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes the Broadstone CIE Depot as a potential site for development and therefore designates the area as a Strategic Development and Regeneration Area.

REASON: to plan for the increased delivery of housing in the city.

• That any draft City Development Plan commits to the undertaking of a strategic review of underutilised lands within the city.

REASON: to plan for the increased delivery of housing in the city.

Theme 2: Climate Action:

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an objective making provision for the retrofitting of homes and buildings and that a particular focus is placed on older parts of our city in a coordinated way.

REASON: At present over 80% of homes in Dublin City have an energy rating which is inconsistent with our Climate Action ambitions and this objective seeks to improve that statistic.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an overall development framework like that adopted in London with the LETI Climate Emergency Design Guide.

REASON: So as to ensure the Development Plan outlines the requirements of new buildings to ensure our climate change targets are met.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an objective that seeks to ensure that Greening Strategies are prepared and implemented for specific local areas in the city and that each Area Committee will determine on the selection of the area for which a Greening Strategy is to be prepared for.

REASON: The need to make the city greener and more supportive of biodiversity.

Theme 3: Quality Housing and Sustainable Neighbourhoods:

• That any new City Development Plan promote as an objective the provision of new and varying housing typologies to facilitate the increased housing supply needed within the city.

REASON: to support the provision of increased housing supply.

• That any new City Development Plan gives consideration to supporting the expansion of the Living City Initiative to include the potential conversion of Georgian buildings into modern apartments that would bring life and vitality into underused parts of Georgian Dublin and support neighbourhood retail and other economic activity.

REASON: to supply increased housing supply and to bring existing buildings back into the housing stock.

• That any new City Development Plan provides for the opportunity to repurpose unused or under used Georgian (and other) housing stock can be economically brought back to high quality modern living standards.

REASON: to supply increased housing supply and to bring existing buildings back into the housing stock.

• That any new City Development Plan provides the opportunity for an easy and sustainable conversion of unused or under used office or retail space for residential use.

REASON: to supply increased housing supply and to bring existing buildings back into the housing stock.

• That any new City Development Plan includes a policy objective that promotes the provision of quality retirement community developments to facilitate down-sizing by older people and encourages independent & supported living.

REASON: to provide for a range for housing typologies and needs.

• That any new City Development Plan contains a requirement for emergency temporary accommodation facility providers, including public bodies to submit an assessment of all similar facilities within a 0.75km radius of the proposed location of new facilities.

REASON: to prevent the over proliferation of one type of development within a specific area.

Theme 4: The City Economy:

• That any new City Development Plan reiterates the importance of the City Centre not only to economy of Dublin but also to the country.

REASON: Dublin’s economy and its health is central to the economic health of the country.

• That any new City Development Plan from the perspective of the City Economy reiterates that Dublin is not competing with other cities within the State but as Ireland’s only international city of scale, it adopts a strategy to ensure Dublin as the largest English-speaking city within the European Union is an attractive and unique location and therefore is best placed to host further trade and investment between North America and the European continent.

REASON: Dublin’s competitor cities are international and policies being advanced for the city economy should be compared with our international competitors as opposed to with our national competitors.

• That any new City Development Plan designates the area bounded by O’Connell Street, the North Quays, Busaras/Connolly and Sean MacDermott Street as an Economic Rejuvenation and Redevelopment Area as a means of growing the commercial offering in this part of the city and increase the potential for growth in footfall.

REASON: this part of the city needs a targeted initiative to grow commercial and retail opportunities to further expand Dublin’s economy.

• That any new City Development Plan commits to encouraging the provision of flexible office spaces and hubs and provides for workspace hubs in the suburban areas of the city.

REASON: Following the pandemic, people may not be comfortable going into the office five days a week, nor may they want to work from home five days a week, the provision of hubs can provide another environment to work from, especially for those living in limited space.

Theme 5: The City, Urban Villages & Retail:

• That any new City Development Plan sets as a core objective to encourage the growth of a residential community within the core City Centre.

REASON: the pandemic has exposed how empty the city centre is outside or normal working hours.

• That any new City Development Plan provides for the preparation and delivery of targeted rejuvenation plan for the North-East Inner City to further build on the work of the Government’s NEIC Initiative.

REASON: to target the growth of commercial and retail opportunities located within this area.

• That any new City Development Plan provides for the preparation and delivery of a targeted rejuvenation plan for the Dorset Street area that better connects with the North Georgian Core.

REASON: to target the growth of commercial and retail opportunities located within this area.

• That any new City Development Plan sets a key policy of reviewing all planning schemes relating to O’Connell Street with a view to returning the street to its pre-eminent role within Dublin City and ensuring that is respected across the country in the same way the Champs-Elysée is viewed in France.

REASON: to restore O’Connell Street and its environs to its rightful place as our main national thoroughfare.

• That any new City Development Plan will seek to foster the redevelopment of the Victorian Fruit & Vegetable Market on Mary Street and use it as the basis for a new Markets Area Regeneration Project as a means of guiding the type of development to be permitted in the area.

REASON: the potential for redevelopment in the area is significant and needs to be managed and planned well.

• That any new City Development Plan seeks to foster the development of a dedicated Night Time Economy Plan on foot of the impact of the Pandemic on the hospitality and entertainment industry within the city.

REASON: How the city needs to better plan for the other ‘9 – 5’ over the lifetime of the Development Plan.

• That any new City Development Plan includes a specific objective that prioritises the facilitation of pop-up uses in vacant spaces.

REASON: to tackle the growing problem of vacancy in the city.

Theme 6: Sustainable Movement & Transport:

• That any draft City Development Plan sets as an over-riding objective to lessen the overall dependence on private transport within the city boundaries and places the provision of public transport at the heart of any new plan relating to sustainable movement and transport.

REASON: to deliver on the objective of a 15-minute city.

• That any draft City Development Plan has at its core from a Sustainable Movement & Transport perspective the over-riding priority in transport infrastructure for the city as being the delivery of MetroLink.

REASON: to support the further development and growth of the city and to provide better connectivity between the City Centre and Dublin Airport.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes policies and objectives that encourages the provision of greater pedestrian accessibility throughout the city.

REASON: to further aid the advancement of the principle of a 15-minute city.

• That any draft City Development Plan prioritises the provision of safe, segregated cycle infrastructure in our city’s urban villages.

REASON: to enhance the delivery of sustainable transport options.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an objective of undertaking an audit of streets and avenues within our urban villages that can be pedestrianised on a permanent basis.

REASON: to further enhance mobility around the city.

• That any draft City Development Plan prioritises the reduction of empty poles, irrelevant signs and other obstacles should be matched with footpath build-outs around trees and other immovable objects.

REASON: to further aid mobility and remove street clutter.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an objective to establish Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in our urban villages and residential areas.

REASON: to further improve road and pedestrian safety in our residential neighbourhoods.

• That any draft City Development Plan priorities the installation of Electric Vehicle charging points on public streets, in residential areas, particularly those areas where homes have no gardens and whose doors open directly onto the footpath, in shop car parks, in library car parks, in lampposts, in apartment complexes, in our public housing complexes.

REASON: to further expand the opportunities for citizens to own electric vehicles.

• That any draft City Development Plan seeks to promote the Liffey as a key cyclist and pedestrian artery from Dublin Sea to the Phoenix Park.

REASON: to further build on the success that has been the temporary Liffey Cycle Route.

• That the preparation for a new draft City Development Plan includes the examination of the existing provision of car-parking requirements for residential developments located within the canals and to assess whether residential developments should be permitted on the basis of no vehicular parking provision.

REASON: to establish whether car-free residential development is feasible within the city.

• That any draft City Development Plan incorporates an objective that seeks for the better utilisation of the heavy rail network which can aid in the delivery and provision of sustainable public transport.

REASON: to support the delivery of sustainable public transport.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes an objective supporting the delivery of a new Dart Stations in Ballyfermot and Cabra as part of the planned Dart+ South West.

REASON: to support the delivery of sustainable public transport in all parts of our city.

• That any draft City Development Plan should incorporate a specific objective that seeks to improve inner city areas from a pedestrian perspective given that these areas are not currently pedestrian friendly particular for children, people using buggies, wheelchair users and people with mobility issues.

REASON: to further enhance pedestrian mobility within the city.

• That any draft City Development Plan incorporates an objective at its core in respect of Sustainable Movement and Transport for the expansion of the Bike Bunker scheme across the entirety of the city.

REASON: to facilitate inner city communities and those beyond the city centre to store bicycles locally and securely.

• That any draft City Development Plan includes a specific objective that explicitly includes Section 4.3.4 – Pedestrian and Shared Surfaces from the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets for new and existing pedestrian and shared traffic streets.

REASON: To improve and enhance the public realm for pedestrians and cyclists.

• That any draft City Development Plan seeks to ensure that the design of new junctions or renewal of existing ones must include raised tables as set out in Section 4.4.7 Horizontal and Vertical Deflections from the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, where these junctions intersect between residential streets and carriageways.

REASON: For the by-design safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

Theme 7: Green Infrastructure, Open Space, Recreation and Natural Heritage:

• That any new City Development Plan sets an objective for the establishment of Green Streets, similar to which has been rolled out in Toronto.

REASON: Green Streets are road rights-of-way that incorporate green infrastructure to complement or replace grey infrastructure.

• That any new City Development Plan include specific objectives, including:
  • Enhancing the extent and longevity of the urban forest;
  • Mitigating urban heat island effect;
  • Managing stormwater runoff to mitigate flooding and enhance water quality;
  • Promoting infiltration to sustain shallow groundwater systems and maintain interflow patterns;
  • Enhancing air quality; and,
  • Conserving / generating energy.

REASON: to support measures to help address the climate crisis.

• That any new City Development Plan contain specific objectives that will regulate the construction of new streets and reconstruction of existing streets including:
  • Limited combined sewer systems;
  • Limited overhead utilities;
  • Moderate flexibility in location of underground utilities; and,
  • Limited utility relocations at localized areas possible.

REASON: to provide guidance to City staff, developers and consultants who are involved in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of Dublin’s inventory of streets.

• That any new City Development Plan includes objectives that enables the creation of parklets on underutilised council land suitable for this purpose.

REASON: to ensure the better utilisation of unused lands within the city.

• That any new City Development Plan prioritises the planting of trees on streets within the Dublin Central administrative area.

REASON: to green the city and to help meet the requirements of the Climate Change strategy.

• That any new City Development Plan sets an objective of supporting the development of micro green spaces and that this policy for focused primarily on Inner City communities where the levels of greenery are low.

REASON: to support the delivery of an increased amount of green recreational space for use by Dubliners.

• That any new City Development Plan seeks to revitalise and reimage our urban laneways akin to The Laneway Project that has been so successful in Toronto.

REASON: to transform laneways and other neglected public spaces into complete, living public places:

Theme 8: Built Heritage and Archaeology:

• That any new City Development includes a commitment to prepare and implement a Public Realm Master Plan for the area surrounding Mountjoy Square Park.

REASON: to further enhance the public realm in and around the Square which as it the heart of the city’s North Georgian Core.

• That any new City Development Plan includes a specific objective that will see the preparation of a dedicated plan to restore O’Connell Street to its pre-eminent place within city as its principle thoroughfare and our country’s ‘National Street’.

REASON: to restore O’Connell Street.

• That any new City Development Plan includes an objective to review back lands developments in the North Georgian core with the aim of guiding future planning applications on mews sites.

REASON: to regulate better the type of infill development permitted in this area.

Theme 9: Culture:

• That any new City Development Plan further supports businesses in the night-time economy, by supporting the reimagination of how the nightlife scene and venues will operate in space and time.

REASON: To plan for how the night-time sector can contribute to the economy by generating jobs and attracting tourists that bring new money into the city’s economy.

• That any new City Development Plan would further the expansion and frequency of initiatives like ‘Culture Night’ to highlight to a wider audience, Dublin’s cultural offering.

REASON: to further encourage cultural attarctions within the city.

• That any new City Development Plan support the creation and delivery of suitable spaces for performance, the need for workspaces of appropriate dimensions for all art forms and ambitions, and affordable housing for artists in neighbourhoods.

REASON: to support the arts sector.

• That any new City Development Plan will support live music, entertainment, and social culture at night that reflects the diversity of the city and enhances the global position of Dublin as a tourist destination and cultural innovator.

REASON: The economic and cultural value of live music, entertainment, culture and culinary arts in a city should not be underestimated and therefore its contribution to the city economy should be supported.

• That any new City Development Plan recognise and advance the importance of safety for nightlife patrons and workers, respect for residents and the long-term sustainability of music and entertainment venues.

REASON: The economic and cultural value of live music, entertainment, culture and culinary arts in a city should not be underestimated and therefore its contribution to the city economy should be supported.

• That any new City Development Plan positions Dublin as a 24-hour city that can harness the potential of the entertainment-related night-time economy as a producer of jobs and economic growth.

REASON: The economic and cultural value of live music, entertainment, culture and culinary arts in a city should not be underestimated and therefore its contribution to the city economy should be supported.