Residents to object against plans to turn golf courses into housing

Saggart residents are organising an objection against proposals to rezone two former golf courses in Citywest for a massive residential development.

The former owners of the Citywest Hotel, Tetrarch Capital Ltd, submitted rezoning proposals for both the former Citywest and Executive Golf Courses in Saggart, despite previous planning applications to turn them into a park and a cemetery, and are proposing up to 2,453 homes across both sites.

These proposals were submitted to South Dublin County Council as part of their major public consultation in October 2025 that invited landowners, developers, members of the public and other interested stakeholders to “put forward suggestions for lands within the county that may be suitable for residential uses to contribute to meeting the revised housing requirements”.

The Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, released in July 2025, set new annual housing growth requirements for each local authority and increased SDCC’s yearly housing targets by over 600 new dwellings per year.

SDCC have since put together a list of their “emerging preferred options” of sites to be rezoned, drawing from the 43 sites suggested through the public consultation and from sites they had earmarked themselves previously.

On the council’s list only the Citywest Golf course, closest to the former Citywest Hotel, is listed for rezoning, leaving out Tetrarch’s proposal for the former Executive Golf Course (called Sacre North and Sacre South respectively in the developers proposal to the council).

Saggart Village Resident’s Association (SVRA) are objecting to the rezoning proposals “given existing infrastructure pressures and the loss of remaining green space” in the area.

“Many residents in Saggart may have received an information booklet through their door today about a major rezoning proposal for the former Citywest Golf Course,” the group said in a statement on January 10.

“For those who may not have seen it, or for neighbours in surrounding areas who will also be affected, we want to ensure everyone is informed and has the opportunity to have their say.

“This proposal has the potential to significantly change our community, and your voice matters.”

According to a list of objections on the group’s website, the rezoning of the Citywest Golf Course would double the size of Saggart Village, “add thousands of cars to already congested roads”, overwhelm already strained school, crèche, GP and Garda services, increase pressure on water and other utilities and “proceed without the Citywest Hotel as a community asset”.

SVRA are now calling on residents to take part in a survey so they can “accurately represent the views and concerns of our community when engaging with councillors” and have also shared templates for objection emails for residents to send to their local representatives.

“It will only take you a couple of minutes and is very important in letting all the local councillors and South Dublin County Council know that local residents feel strongly against rezoning of green spaces and overdevelopment in our community,” they said.

“This proposal has the potential to significantly change our community, and your voice matters.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme