The council plan to carry out detailed analysis to consider plans for Newlands Farm
Newlands, Belgard and Grange Castle sites part of ‘long term development’
A number of sites that had been previously proposed for rezoning as residential have been earmarked as “future strategic long-term development areas”.
The council is set to launch a public consultation to rezone 15 sites around the county for residential development, out of a total of 39 sites they had identified in 2025, as well as measures to “assist in unlocking existing zoned land” on four other sites.
The Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, released in July 2025, set new annual housing growth requirements for each local authority and increased South Dublin County Council’s yearly housing targets by over 600 new dwellings per year, precipitating the need for an increase in residentially zoned lands in South Dublin.
The council sought proposals for sites “within the built-up footprint of Dublin City and Suburbs and other existing towns”, with good proximity to existing or planned public transport links and good social infrastructure (schools etc), and that could be “serviced or serviceable within the next five-year period”.
Four major sites that were proposed through this process have now been identified for “further detailed analysis to inform a future rezoning proposal and implement a plan-led approach to development”.
Newlands Farm, owned by developers Hibernia Real Estate Group (who unsuccessfully sought to have it rezoned as residential for the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028), had been proposed again for rezoning this year.
Instead, the council have proposed to retain its current zoning and carry out “detailed analysis to consider lands most suitable for future land uses and their extent”.
The proposed objectives for the site also include “commencement of preparatory work to inform a plan-led approach to development and future rezoning”, and measures to “protect and incorporate green infrastructure corridors”.
These objectives are also proposed for the former Roadstone site on Belgard Road, and for a major swathe of lands to the south and west of the Adamstown Strategic Development Zone and Grange Castle Golf Course, which will also be retained as a golf course.
In a presentation to councillors on Wednesday, February 4, additional measures for public consultation were also identified to help “unlock existing residential land”.
A “School Objective” on an existing residential site opposite Woodstown Abbey on Stocking Avenue is to be removed “to enable the delivery” of up to 90 housing units, while an existing “strategic residential reserve” objective will be removed from a residentially zoned site just outside of Rathcoole Village.
Two narrow strips of land have also been earmarked for a new six-year roads objective for a connection between Whitechurch Road and Edmondstown Road and for pedestrian, cycling and public transport upgrades of Edmondstown Road, to provide access to new residential areas and to “assist in unlocking existing zoned land and land proposed for rezoning”.
A Part 8 public consultation for these proposals and for the 15 sites proposed for rezoning is due to be launched by South Dublin County Council by mid-February.
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