Plans for 8,400 new south Dublin homes approved

Plans for a new south Dublin town of more than 8,400 homes, for a population exceeding 21,000, have been approved by An Bord Pleanála.

Approximately 280 hectares of land at Clonburris, to the east of Adamstown along the Dublin-Kildare railway line, has been designated a strategic development zone (SDZ) to tackle the capital's housing crisis by providing homes using "fast-track" planning.

The board's approval of the SDZ scheme allows South Dublin County Council to grant permission for developments which cannot be appealed to the board, allowing construction to start two months after an application is made.

Cairn Homes, the largest private landowner in Clonburris, has said it could provide homes costing less than €300,000, and would be in a position to start construction straight away.

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The board has made some changes to the council’s plan – reversing proposals to restrict heights, and omitting some proposals which would have tied the development of homes to the provision of public transport.

Boundary walls

Councillors had put provisions in the SDZ that would have meant new developments beside existing two-storey houses could only be two to three-storeys in height, but the board rejected this restriction.

Councillors had wanted to retain decision-making powers over proposals to remove any boundary walls between existing estates and new developments, but this was also rejected.

A train station was built in 2008 at Kishoge, between Adamstown and Clondalkin, but never opened. Councillors had wanted the station to be operational by 2020, and that if it was not, no further housing developments would be granted until it was opened. However, the board said this would restrict the "timely delivery of residential development". Other proposals to tie development to the delivery of bus services were also rejected.

Car rights

Councillors had said that while car use should be discouraged, “the scheme shall not impact on the rights of residents to own cars. Sufficient underground car parking spaces shall be provided to cater for residential parking if desired.” This was not approved by the board.

However the majority of the SDZ has been approved. Three primary and three secondary schools will be built in phases, along with houses and apartments.

The majority of homes will be between two and four storeys high, increasing to six stories near two railway stations. Provision has been made for two “landmark” buildings of 42m.