Fingal Development Plan 2023–2029 – Written Statement (Consolidated)

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   SUSTAINABLE PLACEMAKING AND QUALITY HOMES111FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 under successive Development Plans in providing new and expanded communities, developing extensive community infrastructure and providing high-quality public realms and recreational amenities across the County. This approach will be continued in a more focused manner under the Plan. 3.3 Opportunities National and Regional planning policy focuses on improving quality of life, creating compact growth, strengthening employment opportunities and increasing the delivery of housing as set out in the NPF and RSES. Both identify healthy placemaking and the creation of attractive, accessible neighbourhoods with access to high quality social infrastructure as key principles. The NPF emphasises that homes are both the places where we live and the foundation stone from which wider communities and their quality of life are created. The Plan will promote a range of policies and objectives aimed at achieving compact growth as a cross-cutting theme, not only in this chapter but in interrelated sections including climate action, community infrastructure and open space, connectivity and movement. Making better use of underutilised land and buildings including infill, brownfield and vacant/under-occupied properties in our urban and rural areas is key to ensuring communities are better served by and in easy reach of social and community infrastructure, employment and recreational opportunities and high-quality sustainable travel options. The Fingal Urban Capacity Study 2021 undertaken to inform the preparation of the Development Plan and constituting a snapshot in time of potential opportunities for consolidation within existing settlements, has identified a range of sites of varying size within villages, towns and large urban centres which offer the possibility of significant residential delivery on greenfield, brownfield, vacant and underutilised lands. While not all sites identified under the study will ultimately come forward for development, significant potential exists to consolidate the footprint of existing settlements rather than extend beyond, with consequent benefits of climate resilience, compact growth, return on capital investment in large-scale public transport and public realm enhancement schemes. This also presents opportunities to increase the variety of housing options, and to improve the vitality and economic wellbeing of town and village centres. In total, opportunities exist to construct 27,500 new homes through this settlement consolidation approach. The preparation of the Development Plan is also occurring at a time of unprecedented focus on the housing market and renewed national focus on housing delivery. Initiatives and national policy guidance including Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland which has the primary objective to transform the housing system in Ireland, has the largest housing budget in the history of the State at in excess of €20bn in funding through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the Housing Finance Agency over the next five years. The programme has set ambitious targets of 33,000 homes per year nationally by 2024. Healthy placemaking is a key element of the overall vision of this Plan and is enshrined in national and regional planning policy which places a strong emphasis on the need to create settlements which are welldesigned, of unique character and which are accessible to all. The Sustainable Swords Strategy 2022, a flagship initiative to enhance connectivity and provide significant public realm improvements, encompassing the Swords Cultural Quarter, is an example of a key opportunity to achieving a coordinated healthy placemaking strategy for the administrative capital of Fingal. Core recreational and amenity spaces will be promoted in the Plan, including the Ward River Valley, Town Parks and the continuing development of Swords regional park in Oldtown.

2. Page 112

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   SUSTAINABlE PlACEMAkING AND QUAlITy hOMES 112FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 This follows on from the success of Our Balbriggan 2019–2023 Rejuvenation Plan, which will transform Balbriggan Main Street and Harbour with continued investment in public realm, town centre improvement and rejuvenation of the north Dublin town. In the same vein, Keeping it Green An Open Space Strategy for Fingal, provides a vision for the planning, development, and sustainable management of our open spaces. This chapter will set out the policies and objectives which must be adhered to in ensuring the delivery of sustainable communities within Fingal’s towns, villages, and rural areas, including those focused on the key complementary components of delivering quality homes and ensuring healthy placemaking. This will ensure that the ambitious housing targets identified in the Core Strategy and Housing Need Demand Assessment are delivered. This chapter should be read in conjunction with Chapter 4 Community Infrastructure and Open Space and with the Development Management Standards set out in Chapter 14 to ensure consistently excellent housing design and the realisation of exceptional public realms, public spaces and ultimately, sustainable communities. 3.4 Strategic Aims The policies and objectives of the Plan must be consistent with those encompassed in the NPF and RSES. In this regard, the following sections set out guidance relating to healthy placemaking, consolidation and compact growth, social inclusion, housing choice and design which are key to delivering national and regional planning objectives. The Strategic Aims in achieving Sustainable Placemaking and Quality Homes are as follows: ¨ Promote the compact, consolidated development of our towns and villages to provide for settlements which are sustainable and resilient to climate change. ¨ Deliver successful and sustainable communities through the provision of infrastructure, a range of housing typologies and tenure options, open space, retail, leisure, employment, community, and cultural development supporting the needs of residents, workers, and visitors, whilst conserving our built and natural heritage. ¨ Ensure that the public realm is of a high-quality design standard, is inclusive and accessible for all, irrespective of age, abilities, for all genders, non-binary, or none. ¨ Require that the principle of healthy placemaking underpins the design and functionality of new and expanding communities. ¨ Ensure communities develop in a coordinated sustainable manner to create vibrant and viable places and ensure new development respects the character of existing centres. ¨ Ensure adequate provision of accessible high-quality open space and recreational facilities in the County. ¨ Promote adequate provision and distribution of accessible community infrastructure in Fingal that caters for the needs of our diverse communities.

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   SUSTAINABLE PLACEMAKING AND QUALITY HOMES113FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029

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   SUSTAINABlE PlACEMAkING AND QUAlITy hOMES 114FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 3.5 Policies and Objectives The policies and objectives set out below accord with the NPF and RSES, the Housing Strategy and HNDA prepared in support of the Development Plan and national planning guidance with respect to placemaking and housing delivery. As policy in relation to housing provision continues to develop with the recent publication of Housing for All – A new Housing Plan for Ireland together with likely changes to legislation in relation to specific housing tenures and future updated Planning Guidance under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, (as amended) in relation to e.g. rural housing, the Council acknowledges that it may be necessary to adapt policies in the future in order to ensure full compliance with any new legislative or national policy requirements emerging. 3.5.1 Healthy Placemaking Healthy placemaking is a key element of the overall vision of this Plan and both the NPF and RSES recognise and support the principle of healthy placemaking and its importance in the achievement of quality spaces and communities. Healthy placemaking seeks to promote quality of life through the creation of healthy and attractive places to live, work, visit, invest and study in. The RSES recognises the importance of healthy placemaking and seeks to protect and enhance the unique identity and character of places and to facilitate improvements to human wellbeing and the quality of life that comes from the interaction of people and their environment. Placemaking is underpinned by good urban design, which seeks to create public spaces that are vibrant, distinctive, safe and accessible and which promote and facilitate social interaction. Such measures may include the provision of outdoor spaces for leisure, exercise and cycling within easy reach of new communities. Community gardens and allotments in appropriate locations, may also be considered in conjunction with local communities. The NPF identifies key priorities and principles for the housing sector to 2040 including ensuring a high standard of quality of life for future residents as well as environmentally and socially sustainable housing and placemaking through integrated planning and consistently excellent design. Furthermore, RSES through RPO 9.10, 9.11, 9.12 9.13 seeks to ensure that healthy placemaking, adherence to design guidance, equality of accessibility and a universal design approach are encapsulated in creating new and expanding communities. Policy SPQHP1 – Healthy Placemaking The Council will support the development and creation throughout Fingal of successful and sustainable settlements which endorse the principles of healthy placemaking and which through a multi-faceted approach to planning, design and management continue to ensure the development of attractive high-quality places to live, work, recreate, visit and invest in, served by a range of local services, provision of quality public realms, diverse and accessible community facilities for all genders, non-binary or none and open spaces for the benefit of the community. Policy SPQHP2 – Balanced Sustainable Communities Foster the development of socially and economically balanced sustainable communities.

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   SUSTAINABLE PLACEMAKING AND QUALITY HOMES115FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Objective SPQHO1 – Sustainable Communities Ensure that proposed residential development contributes to the creation of sustainable communities and accords with the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, DEHLG 2009 (and any superseding document) and companion Urban Design Manual – A Best Practice Guide, DEHLG 2009 and the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) (as revised). Objective SPQHO2 – Key Principles Support development which enhances the quality of the built environment, promotes public health, and supports the development of sustainable, resilient communities. In particular development which supports the following key principles will be supported: ¨ Demonstrates compliance with the Guiding Principles for the creation of healthy and attractive places as set out in Healthy Placemaking, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) 2019–2031. ¨ Promotes the development of healthy and attractive places to live, work, socialise and recreate through the delivery of high-quality public realms and open spaces which encourage physical activity and support wellbeing. ¨ Is inclusive of all members of society, all genders, non-binary or none, irrespective of age, or levels of mobility. ¨ Advocates a universal design approach and is socially inclusive. ¨ Prioritise sustainable, active transport modes by e.g. providing safe cycle lanes and by facilitating public transport services in conjunction with State agencies to meet the needs of the community and to provide access to local services. ¨ Encourages the development of car free neighbourhoods and streets, where appropriate. ¨ Contributes to our climate goals. 3.5.2 Successful Public Realms including Town Centre First Policy The County’s identity and sense of place contribute directly to its economic success and its attractiveness as a place to live and work. For Fingal to maintain and enhance its competitive position, it must continue to put its sense of identity and place at the centre of its strategic activities. The public realm has a key role to play in this process and the Council is dedicated to enhancing and improving the unique built and natural heritage of the County and to providing well-designed, sustainable places. The public realm can be defined as those parts of the County where people can gain unrestricted access for the purpose of passing through, meeting, visiting and enjoying. It is where we come together as a community, not merely a place for functional movement. Particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, we as a community have a better understanding of the importance of public realm and the economic, social and environmental benefits it can contribute to an area. The Council has under successive Development Plans implemented public realm strategies to great success at numerous locations throughout the County including Malahide and Balbriggan as well as more recent initiatives such as the Sustainable Swords Strategy.

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   SUSTAINABlE PlACEMAkING AND QUAlITy hOMES 116FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 The Council will apply a targeted approach to the roll out of focused, public realm strategies under the Plan to provide guidance on measures to strengthen and enhance the attributes of a town or village. In all instances, and as a prerequisite, public realms should be universally accessible, safe and easy to access by all, irrespective of mobility levels or gender or age. A guiding principle must also be ensuring that the interests of all users of the public realm are considered in a socially inclusive and holistic manner and the views of all stakeholders are taken into consideration. Active involvement is considered central to the success of any public realm strategy and in this regard, successful plans and projects have an agreed approach to policy, prioritisation of work and increasingly implementation of individual projects through joint working and cooperation between different individuals or organisations. While these strategies will be design-led, compliance with prevailing planning legislation and Development Plan context is required. In tandem with public realm improvements, regeneration of towns and villages will be guided by Town Centre First: A Policy Approach for Irish Towns and its role in regeneration of such settlements post Covid-19. Fingal County Council has taken a proactive approach to improving the attractiveness of towns and villages in the aftermath of the pandemic, with schemes to upgrade the public realm with the provision of planting, seating, bike parking, parklets, toilets and pedestrianisation to encourage footfall and the encouragement of outdoor public realm spaces. This strategy is addressed from an economic perspective in Chapter 7 Employment and Economy. Policy SPQHP3 – Successful Public Realms Promote, develop, and implement policies and initiatives which shape and deliver quality accessible and sustainable public realms, which can facilitate a variety of uses, throughout Fingal including enhancement of existing and developing centres in accordance with the principles of good urban design. Policy SPQHP4 – Town Centre First: A Policy Approach for Irish Towns Promote a strategic approach to town centre regeneration through the Town Centre First: A Policy Approach for Irish Towns by utilising existing buildings and unused lands for new development, promote increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages, support high quality design of the public realm and provide for a mix of uses within these areas, including arts, educational, cultural, community and residential uses as appropriate. Policy SPQHP5 – Quality Placemaking Add quality to the places where we live, work, and recreate by integrating high quality design into every aspect of the Plan, ensuring good quality accessible public realms, promotion of adaptable residential buildings, and by ensuring development contributes to a positive sense of place, local distinctiveness and character.

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   SUSTAINABLE PLACEMAKING AND QUALITY HOMES117FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Policy SPQHP6 – Urban Design Enhance and develop the fabric of existing and developing centres in accordance with the principles of good urban design. Policy SPQHP7 – Clean Air and Noise Reduction Promote a clean air and noise reduction approach to public realm in town and village centres through pedestrianisation of streets and/or restriction of through traffic where possible and appropriate. Policy SPQHP8 – Women and Children’s Safety The Council will, during the lifetime of this Plan complete a study of Women and Children’s Safety in the public realm in order to identify the factors that make women and children feel safe and unsafe in public spaces, and to make recommendations to guide future public realm changes and developments. Objective SPQHO3 – Building Height Strategy and Density Study Prepare a Building Height Strategy and Density Study for the larger urban centres of the County. Objective SPQHO4 – Public Realm Strategies Prepare Public Realm Strategies, where appropriate, liaising closely with residents and other relevant stakeholders. Objective SPQHO5 – Amenity of Town and Village Centres Enhance the amenity of existing town and village centres, minimising clutter and proliferation of street furniture and provide guidance on public realm design, including wirescape, shopfront design, street furniture, climate resilient and pollinator friendly planting, signage and the adequate provision of bins and recycling options. Objective SPQHO6 – Universal Design Approach Promote and facilitate a Universal Design for all developments. Objective SPQHO7 – Vibrant Town and Village Centres Support measures required to create vibrant town and village centres with high quality public realms. Objective SPQHO8 – Our Balbriggan and Sustainable Swords Support the objectives arising from Our Balbriggan and the Sustainable Swords Strategy.

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   SUSTAINABlE PlACEMAkING AND QUAlITy hOMES 118FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Figure 3.1: Healthy Placemaking: Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy Physical Infrastructure Provide good connectivity and infrastructure to attract investment and diversify local economies Strong inclusive communities Ensure good access to health, education and services for all ages, abilities and backgrounds Sustainable travel Prioritise walking, cycling and sustainable travel in the planning, layout and design of places Public realm Promote good urban design to create vibrant urban centres and attractive, safe and accessible public spaces Sense of place Promote arts, culture and heritage led regeneration as key to our identity and the character of places Recreation and open space Provide access to nature and green spaces, and play and active recreation opportunities Healthy Placemaking Improve both physical and social infrastructure to create places that are healthy and attractive to live, work, visit and invest in…

9. Page 119

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   SUSTAINABLE PLACEMAKING AND QUALITY HOMES119FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 3.5.3 Core Strategy and Housing Growth Chapter 2 Planning for Growth, Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy sets out the Core Strategy, which informs the growth of the County over the life of the Plan period 2023–2029. These figures are based on the Housing Supply Targets from the Housing Supply Target Methodology for Development Planning, December 2020. Based on the population projections over the life of the Plan and the results of the Housing Supply Targets, approximately 16,245 no. housing units will be required within the County. Parallel to this, the Housing Strategy, which includes a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA), further examines these figures. The HNDA tool projects an annual average requirement of 564 social houses over the lifetime of the Development Plan. Policies and objectives relating to the Housing Strategy and HNDA are provided below: Policy SPQHP9 – Core Strategy and Housing Growth Implement the adopted Fingal County Council Housing Strategy, which includes the Housing Need and Demand Assessment 2023–2029 (and any superseding Housing Strategy agreed by the Members of Fingal County Council). A review of the Housing Strategy will be carried out as part of the two-year review of the Development Plan. Policy SPQHP10 – Support Compact Growth Support the implementation of and promote development consistent with the National Strategic Outcome of Compact Growth as outlined in the NPF and the Regional Strategic Outcome of Compact Growth and Regeneration as set out in RSES. Objective SPQHO9 – Consolidated Residential Development Consolidate within the existing urban footprint, by ensuring of 50% of all new homes within or contiguous to the built-up area of Dublin City and Suburbs and 30% of all new homes are targeted within the existing built-up areas to achieve compact growth of urban settlements, as advocated by the RSES. Objective SPQHO10 – New Residential Development Focus new residential development on appropriately zoned lands within the County, within appropriate locations proximate to existing settlement centres where infrastructural capacity is readily available, and along existing or proposed high quality public transport corridors and active travel infrastructure in a phased manner, alongside the delivery of appropriate physical and social infrastructure. Active travel options should also be considered while liaising with the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to ensure public transport options to and from new developments to local amenities such as shops and libraries. Objective SPQHO11 – Housing Need Ensure that adequate and appropriate housing is available to meet the needs of people of all incomes and needs including marginalised groups within our communities, including but not limited to, Traveller households, older persons, people with disabilities, and the homeless, through an appropriate mix of unit types, typologies and tenures provided in appropriate locations and in a manner appropriate to specific needs.

10. Page 120

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    SUSTAINABlE PlACEMAkING AND QUAlITy hOMES 120FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Objective SPQHO12 – Fingal Settlement Strategy Ensure that all proposals for residential development accord with the Fingal Settlement Strategy and are consistent with Fingal’s identified hierarchy of settlement centres. 3.5.4 Ensuring Housing Supply The Core Strategy prepared in support of the Plan identifies a requirement for approximately 16,245 new homes over the lifetime of the Plan. A phased approach to housing provision is set out in Chapter 2, including the identification of Long-Term Strategic Reserve Lands to accommodate the future housing needs of the County into the future. The Plan must ensure sufficiency of land supply to enable compliance with the consolidation approach advocated by RSES by seeking to provide 50% of all new homes within or contiguous to the built-up area of Dublin City and Suburbs and seeking to provide 30% of all new homes within the existing built-up areas are supplied. To align with the provisions of the NPF, RSES, the Settlement Strategy and overall vision for the County, the Council will continue to utilise all policies available to it to ensure the optimum delivery of residential units over the duration of this Plan. In seeking to secure this objective the Development Plan will seek to: Increase the supply of housing in a compact and sustainable manner and in appropriate locations. ¨ Provide housing choice for the residents of the County through an appropriate mix, type and range of units. ¨ Create attractive, healthy, liveable communities in urban and rural areas. ¨ Proactively facilitate and support Túsla, the Child and Family Agency, service providers and other relevant agencies in the provision of a domestic violence refuge in the county and work towards the realisation of one refuge space for every 10,000 people, as per the recommendation of the Istanbul Convention, particularly when initiating planning on larger regeneration lands. Policy SPQHP11 – Ensuring Housing Supply Ensure that sufficient zoned lands are made available at appropriate locations to meet the housing needs of Fingal over the life of the Development Plan. Policy SPQHP12 – Active Travel Links Ensure that all necessary active travel links to access public transport, schools, amenities and neighbouring communities from new or expanded residential developments to be available where possible before the first housing units are occupied, whether the infrastructure is being provided by the Council or by a private developer. Policy SPQHP13 – Housing Strategy Ensure that the Housing Strategy recognises the diverse needs of all of Fingal’s citizens meeting insofar as is feasible their diverse accommodation needs. Policy SPQHP14 – Infrastructure Deficits Accelerate the availability of lands ready for residential development by aiming to address current infrastructural deficits delaying residential development, and by working collaboratively with all infrastructure providers in facilitating such infrastructure.

Source Fingal County Council: Fingal Development Plan 2023–2029 – Written Statement (Consolidated) (2023–2029) · 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.