Development plan · Dublin City Council
Dublin City Development Plan 2022–2028 – Volume 1: Written Statement (as varied by Variations Nos. 1–11)
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Dublin City Council · 2022–2028 · 696 pages
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- Climate Action | Chapter 3 81 Figure 3-3: RSES Climate Strategy The overall strategic approach to climate action is to integrate climate mitigation and adaptation principles across all chapters of the plan in order to ensure that Dublin becomes a low carbon and climate resilient city. While this chapter provides the overall strategic approach to climate action, related more specific detailed policy requirements are provided in each individual development plan chapter. 3.5 Policies and Objectives The policies and objectives set out below accord with the overall objectives of national climate action policy, the Dublin City Council CCAP as well as the climate action principles set out in the NPF and RSES.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 82 As climate action policy continues to develop with the publication of the Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities June 2022 and annual updates to the National Climate Action Plan, Dublin City Council acknowledges that it may be necessary to adapt policies in future in order to ensure full compliance with any new legislative or policy requirements. It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA1 National Climate Action Policy To support the implementation of national objectives on climate change including the ‘Climate Action Plan 2021: Securing Our Future’ (including any subsequent updates to or replacement thereof), the ‘National Adaptation Framework’ 2018 and the ‘National Energy and Climate Plan for Ireland 2021‑2030’ and other relevant policy and legislation. CA2 Mitigation and Adaptation To prioritise and implement measures to address climate change by way of both effective mitigation and adaptation responses in accordance with available guidance and best practice. It is an Objective of Dublin City Council: CAO1 Dublin City Council Climate Change Action Plan To implement Dublin City Council’s 2019 Climate Change Action Plan in consultation and partnership with stakeholders including the Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office (CARO), Codema, residents and elected representatives. CAO2 Variation of Development Plan to Reflect New Guidance / Legislation To consider a future variation(s) of the development plan, where required, to ensure consistency with the approach to climate action recommended in forthcoming ministerial guidelines, any other relevant guidelines and/or relevant legislation and government climate action policy. CAO3 Quantification of Greenhouse Gases To support the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) in identifying a robust method for quantifying the relative GHG impacts of alternative spatial planning policies as part of the European Union ESPON ‘QGasSP’ research programme.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 83 3.5.1 Sustainable Settlement Patterns Settlement patterns, built form, mobility and the mix of land uses in the city will be key factors in transitioning to a low carbon city, as well as providing a range of other environmental, social, and economic benefits. Planning the city such that people are enabled to live and work and access facilities by walking and cycling or through the provision of convenient public transport options (bus / rail) will reduce the need to travel by car and the associated carbon emissions. This aligns with the 15 minute city concept whereby people have the ability to access most of their daily needs within 15 minutes on foot or bicycle from where they live. It also aligns with the overall approach set out in the government’s Housing For All Plan (2021) which emphasises that compact growth contributes to a low carbon climate resilient society. Chapter 2: Core Strategy sets out a sustainable settlement strategy for the city in which compact growth, including brownfield redevelopment and urban infill, is a priority in line with the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. Chapter 4: Shape and Structure of the City sets out a strategy which places a focus on the development of lands located within the existing footprint of the city, centred around convenient public transport options and developed to increased densities to prioritise sustainable low carbon movement and the creation of walkable mixed use neighbourhoods. This strategy is also reflected in Chapter 8: Sustainable Movement and Transport. It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA3 Climate Resilient Settlement Patterns, Urban Forms and Mobility To support the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient city by seeking sustainable settlement patterns, urban forms and mobility in accordance with the National Planning Framework 2018 and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2019. CA4 Improving Mobility Links in Existing Areas To support retrofitting of existing built-up areas with measures which will contribute to their meeting the objective of a low-carbon city, such as reopening closed walking and cycling links or providing new links between existing areas. CA5 Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in Strategic Growth Areas To ensure that all new development including in Strategic Development and Regeneration Areas integrate appropriate climate mitigation and adaptation measures. See also Section 15.4.3. Sustainability and Climate Action and Section 15.7.3 Climate Action and Energy Statement.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 84 3.5.2 The Built Environment It is vital that the current and future form of the built environment will respond, and be resilient to the impacts of climate change. As a result, there is a need for both new and existing development not only to mitigate against climate change, but also to adapt to such changes. Chapter 15: Development Management contains comprehensive guidance regarding the standards and criteria by which development proposals for the city will be assessed. A central guiding principle of this chapter is to ensure that climate action forms an integral consideration in the development management process. Climate Mitigation Actions and the Built Environment With regard to climate mitigation actions, given that existing commercial and residential sectors accounted for approximately 70% of total carbon dioxide emissions for the Dublin City area according to the Dublin City Climate Action Plan, 2019, these sectors require targeted intervention in order to reduce their impact on climate change. The government’s Housing for All Plan will support the retrofit of 500,000 homes in Ireland by 2030 to a B2 Building Energy Rating (BER). In line with this overall approach, proposals for major retrofitting of existing buildings should seek to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve the efficiency of resource use (such as water) and minimise the generation of pollution and waste from existing building stock. Such retrofitting projects should also seek to use innovative energy efficiency measures, such as decentralised and renewable energy in order to further reduce their carbon footprint. In this regard, some 9,000 DCC homes have already had energy upgrades as part of an ongoing energy upgrade programme. Another key mitigation measure in relation to the built environment is to ensure that proposals for substantial demolition and reconstruction works can be justified having regard to the ‘embodied carbon’ of existing structures as well as the additional use of resources and energy arising from new construction relative to the reuse of existing structures. Climate mitigation actions will also be required to be integrated into the building design, construction and operation of new development in the city. In this regard, sustainable building design will include consideration of the building fabric, energy efficient services, energy generation and material resource conservation. A key climate mitigation action which should be implemented into all new development relates to the need to reduce energy demand, to increase energy efficiency and to provide renewable energy on-site if possible.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 85 In this respect, it will be important to have regard to the potential of waste heat and district heating in addressing the heating needs of new development in the city, particularly having regard to the ongoing development of the Dublin District Heating System (DDHS). Climate Adaptation Actions and the Built Environment With regard to climate adaptation actions and the built environment, both existing and future development should be resilient to climate change. This will entail encouraging ‘soft measures’ such as promoting initiatives to encourage behaviour change and advising citizens of how to prepare for extreme weather events; ‘green measures’ which include green infrastructure and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), and finally, ‘grey measures’, namely infrastructure such as walls, embankments and attenuation tanks. Climate Action Energy Statements In order to ensure that all future development integrates the principles of energy efficiency in the built environment and the use of efficient and renewable sources of energy, all applications for significant new developments, or for significant refurbishment projects, shall be required to submit a Climate Action Energy Statement as part of any overall design statement for a proposed development (see Chapter 15, Section 15.7 for further detail). This statement shall also provide outline information relating to the anticipated energy performance and CO2 emissions associated with the development as well as information outlining how the potential of district heating and other low carbon energy solutions have been considered in relation to the development. Details as to the required contents of any such Climate Action Energy Statement is included in Chapter 15: Development Standards. It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA6 Retrofitting and Reuse of Existing Buildings To promote and support the retrofitting and reuse of existing buildings rather than their demolition and reconstruction, where possible. See Section 15.7.1 Re-use of Existing Buildings in Chapter 15 Development Standards.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 86 It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA7 Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings To support high levels of energy conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in existing buildings, including retro-fitting of appropriate energy efficiency measures in the existing building stock, and to actively retrofit Dublin Council housing stock to a B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) in line with the government’s Housing for All Plan retrofit targets for 2030. CA8 Climate Mitigation Actions in the Built Environment To require low carbon development in the city which will seek to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and which will meet the highest feasible environmental standards during construction and occupation, see Section 15.7.1 when dealing with development proposals. New development should generally demonstrate/ provide for: a. building layout and design which maximises daylight, natural ventilation, active transport and public transport use; b. sustainable building/services/site design to maximise energy efficiency; c. sensitive energy efficiency improvements to existing buildings; d. energy efficiency, energy conservation, and the increased use of renewable energy in existing and new developments; e. on-site renewable energy infrastructure and renewable energy; f. minimising the generation of site and construction waste and maximising reuse or recycling; g. the use of construction materials that have low to zero embodied energy and CO2 emissions; and h. connection to (existing and planned) decentralised energy networks including the Dublin District Heating System where feasible.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 87 It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA9 Climate Adaptation Actions in the Built Environment Development proposals must demonstrate sustainable, climate adaptation, circular design principles for new buildings / services / site. The council will promote and support development which is resilient to climate change. This would include: a. measures such as green roofs and green walls to reduce internal overheating and the urban heat island effect; b. ensuring the efficient use of natural resources (including water) and making the most of natural systems both within and around buildings; c. minimising pollution by reducing surface water runoff through increasing permeable surfaces and use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS); d. reducing flood risk, damage to property from extreme events– residential, public and commercial; e. reducing risks from temperature extremes and extreme weather events to critical infrastructure such as roads, communication networks, the water/drainage network, and energy supply; f. promoting, developing and protecting biodiversity, novel urban ecosystems and green infrastructure. CA10 Climate Action Energy Statements All new developments involving 30 residential units and/or more than 1,000sq.m. of commercial floor space, or as otherwise required by the Planning Authority, will be required to submit a Climate Action Energy Statement as part of the overall Design Statement to demonstrate how low carbon energy and heating solutions, have been considered as part of the overall design and planning of the proposed development. 3.5.3 Energy The decarbonisation of the energy sector by shifting from fossil fuels to low- or zero-carbon energy sources is a key element of climate action policy. As stated in Chapter 9: Sustainable Environmental Infrastructure, this will require the energy sector to embrace a more diverse range of low, zero-carbon and renewable energy sources and to provide for secure, resilient, decarbonised and decentralised utilities. In addition, area based initiatives, such as Decarbonising Zones, and initiatives aimed at changing how energy is produced and consumed, such as the SEAI’s Sustainable Energy Communities play an important role in transitioning towards low carbon energy solutions.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 88 Renewable Energy Renewable energy comes from natural sources that are continuously replenished by nature and is, therefore, a more sustainable alternative fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources include: wind energy, solar energy, water energy (hydro, wave and tidal energy), geothermal energy (from heat below the surface of the earth), ambient energy (from air) and biogas (anaerobic digestion). The National Climate Action Plan includes a target to increase the share of electricity demand generated from renewable sources to up to 80% where achievable and cost effective, without compromising security of electricity supply. The plan outlines a number of measures to deliver this target including the decarbonisation of our energy systems, reinforcing and upgrading our grid, a new approach to electricity demand management, large scale investment in renewable energy generation, micro-generation and communitybased projects, as well as other supporting measures. In the spatial context of Dublin City, the principle renewable energy sources include solar power, micro-renewable energy and offshore wind energy. In addition, a potentially significant future source of low carbon energy for the city is geothermal energy. Solar Energy With regard to solar energy, there are a range of technologies available to exploit the benefits of the sun, including photovoltaic panels (PV), solar thermal panels, solar farms and solar energy storage facilities. Small to medium scale solar rooftop PV installations are suitable for urban areas, particularly large industrial roof spaces, where land availability is limited. Solar PV can be installed in new developments, or retrofitted on to existing buildings. Wind Energy It is envisaged that wind power will make the most significant contribution to the achievement of national targets for renewable electricity. Micro-renewable wind energy generation has a part to play in reaching these targets, and potential may exist for on-site and micro wind energy production in industrial areas and business parks subject to the requirement to protect residential amenity in surrounding areas. In residential areas of the city, micro-renewable wind energy generation is currently permissible under the provisions of the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (as amended). Potential also exists for the production of electricity from large scale offshore wind energy facilities off the coast of Dublin City in the Irish Sea. In this regard, Dublin City supports the implementation of the ‘Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan’ (OREDP) published in 2014 by the Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources (and subsequently reviewed in 2018) and will co-operate with state and semi-state agencies in relation to the implementation of projects in the Irish Sea.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 89 Where appropriate, Dublin City Council will also seek to facilitate infrastructure such as grid facilities on the land side of any renewable energy proposals of the offshore wind resource, in accordance with the principles of the National Marine Planning Framework. Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is heat energy stored below the surface of the Earth which can be used for heating and/or to generate electricity. To support its commitments under the National Climate Action Plan and the 2019 Programme for Government, the government carried out an “Assessment of Geothermal Resources for District Heating” and also prepared a “Roadmap for a Policy and Regulatory Framework for Geothermal Energy in Ireland”. According to these documents, Ireland has a recognised potential for low-to-medium temperature geothermal energy resources (> 400 m deep) suitable for large-scale or district heating and cooling in municipal, residential and industrial areas. To support the greater deployment of geothermal energy in Ireland, the government is developing a policy regulatory framework to facilitate the exploration for, and development of, geothermal energy resources. Other Sources of Renewable Energy In addition to the primary sources of renewable energy addressed above, other sources of renewable energy exist, which have the potential to contribute to the overall goal of decarbonising the energy sector. One such example relates to the extraction of energy and other resources from sewage sludge as referenced by the RSES (RPO10.13). It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA11 Energy from Renewable Sources To support, encourage and facilitate the production of energy from renewable sources, such as from solar energy, hydro energy, wave/tidal energy, geothermal, wind energy, combined heat and power (CHP), heat energy distribution such as district heating/cooling systems, and any other renewable energy sources, subject to normal planning and environmental considerations. CA12 Micro-Renewable Energy Production To support, encourage and facilitate the development of small scale wind renewable facilities / micro-renewable energy production.
- Climate Action | Chapter 3 90 It is the Policy of Dublin City Council: CA13 Offshore Wind-Energy Production To support, encourage and facilitate the implementation of the 2014 ‘Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan’ (OREDP) and any forthcoming review and to facilitate infrastructure such as grid facilities on the land side of any renewable energy proposals of the offshore wind resource, where appropriate and having regard to the principles set out in the National Marine Planning Framework. CA14 Geothermal Energy To support, encourage and facilitate the exploration for, and development of, geothermal energy resources having regard to emerging government policy on geothermal energy. District Heating and Waste Heat District heating and waste heat recovery is a highly significant source of low carbon energy, and as set out in the RSES, in the form of projects such as the Dublin District Heat System will act as key enabling infrastructure for the city in the medium to long term. District Heating networks typically use locally sourced heat energy, and distribute it to local homes and businesses, therefore, reducing Dublin’s reliance on imported energy and fuel. District heating utilises low carbon heat sources such as renewable energy and waste heat recovery, reducing Dublin’s CO2 emissions, while achieving energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. The 2021 National Climate Action Plan is highly supportive of the development of district heating and includes a specific target to deliver up to 2.7 TWh of district heating, with the exact level to be informed by the outcome of a National Heat Study. The Climate Action Plan includes specific actions relating to district heating including Action 183 "to ensure that national, regional and local planning frameworks encourage and facilitate the development of district heating where appropriate to facilitating compact urban development". The Climate Action Plan refers to the ongoing work being carried out to inform the development of district heating policy, including the completion of the comprehensive assessment to support the rollout of district heating in Ireland. It also refers to two district heating projects in development, one of which is the Dublin District Heating System (DHS) centred at Poolbeg and the Docklands.
Source Dublin City Council: Dublin City Development Plan 2022–2028 – Volume 1: Written Statement (as varied by Variations Nos. 1–11) (2022–2028) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.