SDCC Development Plan: ‘Successful urban areas must create a sense of community’
By Mary Dennehy
The Echo has started a new series that looks at the eight strategic issues that those living in South Dublin County can make suggestions on as part of the County Development Plan 2022 – 2028 consultation stage.
South Dublin County Council has started the process of reviewing the County Development Plan, with those living across communities invited to have their say on how their county and neighbourhood develops into the future.
According to South Dublin County Council, the County Development Plan is one of the most important documents for a local authority, and impacts on how the county deals with climate change, how people move around, where people live and work and the quality of their lives.
The first eight-week public consultation stage of the new plan started last Friday, July 31, with citizens of the county invited to make submissions under one or all of eight strategic issues.
The eight key strategic issues include;
● Built environment and place-making
● Climate action and energy
● Population growth and housing
● Sustainable movement
● Community services
● Economic development and employment
● Natural heritage and biodiversity
● Infrastructure and utilities
Adamstown
This week, The Echo asked South Dublin County Council about the first strategic issue:
Built environment and place-making
According to the council: “The County Development Plan has a key role to play in guiding the creation of great places within the County by incorporating policies and objectives which seek high-quality design and exemplar place-making.
“Policies and objectives for development within the County must build upon the national strategic objectives, which include compact growth, energy efficiency and accessibility.
“To meet national guidance the plan must ensure that we reach our goal of creating attractive places to live, work and visit.
Garden at the Heritage Centre, Clondalkin
“Successful urban areas must be attractive to live in, legible to move around, be robust for everyday and lifetime living and create a sense of community.”
The council added: “Policies and objectives relating to the Built Environment and Place-making are one of the most important ways in which to make our urban environment more attractive.
“It benefits us all economically through offering a competitive edge in attracting and retaining skills and talent on which foreign direct investment is reliant.”
The council is now asking through the issue papers “how do we deliver higher densities in our county to facilitate compact growth patterns and reduce urban sprawl?”.
They are also asking those living in the county for their thoughts and ideas on how to ensure that compact urban areas can be designed to give citizens the health and economic benefits that ‘great urban design’ can offer.
According to Stephen Willoughby, Senior Executive Planner: “This stage of the County Development Plan process provides the opportunity for people to get involved and shape policy which will influence how the County of South Dublin delivers great public spaces.
“Tandy’s Lane Park, Tallaght Stadium 4th Stand and the currently proposed public realm works at Belgard Square North Tallaght, provide a snapshot of projects which will contribute towards the creation of great places in which to live, work and visit within the County.
North Stand at Tallaght stadium
“The planning and design phase of such projects is influenced by the policies set out in the County Development Plan.
“This stage of the plan process provides everyone with a great opportunity to contribute towards ‘shaping’ the future development and delivery of a well-designed and constructed built environment within the County.”
If you live in South Dublin County and have an idea or a thought on how your area has been developed to date, or what it needs for the future, engage with the County Development Plan.
Inform the council of what it is like to live in communities across South Dublin County and what neighbourhoods need as their residents look towards the future.
Tell the council what works and what doesn’t work.
Full details and to make a submission online, visit www.sdcc.ie/en/devplan2022/.
Anybody who would like to arrange a meeting with member of the council can email devplan@sublincoco.ie.
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