Development plan · South Dublin County Council
South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Written Statement
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards. Variations adopted since are not in this text.
South Dublin County Council · 2022–2028 · 584 pages
Ask this document
Answers come only from the text of South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Written Statement, each claim linked to its page. They are not advice; check the page itself.
Free, with a daily limit.
No text on this page — it is probably a drawing, a map, a photograph or a scanned page. See it in the PDF.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028249Sustainable Movement (SM) Vision Increase the number of people walking, cycling and using public transport and reduce the need for car journeys, resulting in a more active and healthy community, a more attractive public realm, safer streets, less congestion, reduced carbon emissions, better air quality, quieter neighbourhoods and a positive climate impact. Sustainable Movement
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028250Sustainable Movement (SM)250 7.0 Introduction Movement is essential to how we live our lives and for society to function both socially and economically – for commuting to work, travel to school, social and leisure trips, and for the supply of goods and services. The private vehicle will always have an important role to play in how people move around South Dublin. However, in recent decades traditional layouts with low density housing, distributor roads and cul-de-sacs have resulted in people having to choose to drive for the majority of their trips. This has created environments which are dominated by the car and where distances to shops, bus stops, schools and workplaces are excessively long. This, coupled with the lack of adequate provision for walking and cycling has resulted in an urban environment dominated by motorised traffic and often hostile to cyclists and pedestrians. The dominance of car-based transport also has many adverse environmental and social impacts including traffic accidents, congestion, noise, and emissions with negative implications for air quality, health and climate change. Recent thinking in relation to development of sustainable towns and cities involves the ‘10-minute neighbourhood’ or the ‘connected neighbourhood’ concept, whereby the services people need in their daily lives are located a short distance from their home by walking or cycling. This concept facilitates active travel modes (walking and cycling) and the use of public transport resulting in more compact, vibrant and walkable urban areas. This approach is echoed in national planning policy (the National Planning Framework) which has Compact Growth and Sustainable Mobility as key National Strategic Outcomes and regional planning policy (the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy) which promotes more compact, higher density neighbourhoods focused on public transport nodes. In areas designed in this manner, people of all ages and abilities can choose to make short and medium length trips by walking and cycling, making it easier and more economical for public transport to operate and to cater for medium and longer trips. More pleasant urban environments are created where social and economic activity can thrive. The County Development Plan reflects national and regional policy and incorporates compact growth, sustainable movement and the connected neighbourhood concept at the core of its approach to placemaking. Travel data for the County indicates that one quarter of trips under 3km and almost half of trips under 6km are taken by car. There is significant scope for a shift to walking and cycling for these shorter trips. However, to make this shift attractive to people, changes to the environment are required to make walking and cycling easier – these changes include designing new development areas around active travel modes and public transport and building at higher densities. In existing areas, measures to promote active modes and public transport include improving pedestrian facilities by implementing measures such as widening footpaths and enhancing surfaces, removing obstacles such as walls and railings in order to create better permeability, and providing a network of safer cycle lanes. This County Development Plan contains policies and objectives for healthy placemaking and sustainable movement that over time, will achieve an increase in walking, cycling and use of public transport and a decrease in use of the private car.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028251Sustainable Movement (SM) 7.1 Sustainable Movement and Climate Action The national Climate Action Plan (2021) indicates that transport accounts for almost one fifth of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the South Dublin County area, data from the 2016 census indicates that 62% of journeys are by private transport, which are mainly car-based trips. It is therefore clear that changing the way in which we move around to more sustainable modes including walking, cycling and public transport has significant potential to help us tackle climate change by reducing emissions from transport. This chapter contains policies and objectives that seek to achieve this goal, and which will assist South Dublin County in achieving its climate action targets. There is also significant scope for movement and transport corridors to form important links in the Council’s green infrastructure network as they provide opportunities for additional and replacement planting of native species and pollinators, which will in turn contribute to biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Policies contained in this chapter for an increase in EV charging facilities to encourage the transition from petrol and diesel cars to electric vehicles will also make a big impact on emissions and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 7.2 Planning Policy Context Development Plan policies and objectives must be consistent with national and regional planning policy as set out in the National Planning Framework (NPF) and Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). A number of objectives in these documents are particularly relevant to the area of sustainable movement: à National Strategic Outcome 4 of the NPF is Sustainable Mobility; à National Policy Objective 64 of the NPF states ‘Improve air quality and help prevent people being exposed to unacceptable levels of pollution in our urban and rural areas through integrated land use and spatial planning that supports public transport, walking and cycling as more favourable modes of transport to the private car…’; à Chapter 5 of the RSES contains the Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP). Regional Policy Objective 5.2 of the MASP is to ‘Support the delivery of key sustainable transport projects including Metrolink, DART and Luas expansion programmes, BusConnects and the Greater Dublin Metropolitan Cycle Network and ensure that future development maximises the efficiency and protects the strategic capacity of the metropolitan area transport network, existing and planned’; à Regional Policy Objective 5.3 of the RSES / MASP requires that ‘Future development in the Dublin Metropolitan area shall be planned and designed in a manner that facilitates sustainable travel patterns, with a particular focus on increasing the share of active modes (walking and cycling) and public transport use and creating a safe attractive street environment for pedestrians and cyclists’.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028252Sustainable Movement (SM) There are many other national and regional policy objectives relevant to transport and sustainable movement, some of which are referred to within individual policies and objectives in this chapter. A full list of national and regional policy objectives is set out within Appendix 7. The NTAs Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area is a key policy document referenced below. 7.3 Overarching Policies and Objectives The social, economic and environmental wellbeing of South Dublin County and the Dublin Region is dependent on the efficient and sustainable movement of people and goods within and through the County. An overarching policy is to rebalance transport and mobility within the County by promoting ease of movement by sustainable modes (including walking, cycling and public transport). This will provide for the freeing up of road space for essential functions such as public transport and emergency vehicles. It will also allow for commercial transport which is essential to economic growth. In doing so, the Council will continue to provide for all elements of the transportation network that are within its remit and will engage with external agencies including the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to assist the delivery of sustainable transport projects that are provided at a regional or national level. In preparing this County Development Plan, in addition to the policy documents outlined above, the Council has had regard to a number of strategic documents with relevance to transport and movement including: à Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (2016-2035), National Transport Authority: This strategy was updated in 2022 setting out the framework for investment in transport infrastructure and services to 2042, including measures to tackle climate change, reduce congestion, provide safe cycling and develop sustainable communities for Dublin City and region; à Climate Action Plan (2021), Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications: This document charts a course towards meeting EU emissions reduction targets for Ireland to 2030, with a view to reaching the longer term target of net zero emissions by 2050. Modal shift to walking, cycling and public transport is one of the main measures being promoted by the Action Plan to achieve its targets for transport as well as building the EV charging network, conversion of the public fleet to EVs, and use of biofuels; à Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (2013; updated 2019), Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: This document provides guidance relating to the design of urban roads and streets. The focus of the manual is on the fact that well-designed streets can create connected physical, social and transport networks that promote walking, cycling and public transport as real alternatives to car journeys; à National Cycle Manual (2011), National Transport Authority: This document offers guidance on integrating cycling in the design of urban areas in order to create a
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028253Sustainable Movement (SM) safe traffic environment for all road users and to encourage more people of all ages and abilities to cycle. The Council recognises that new development, both residential and commercial, permitted in line with this Plan will lead to additional trips being generated. The Council will work with the relevant agencies to seek to ensure that as high a proportion as possible will be conducted by sustainable means. However, it is accepted that a residual proportion of the trips generated will be taken by private vehicle. The challenge is to ensure that this does not add to existing levels of congestion or saturation of the road network. Policy SM1: Overarching – Transport and Movement Promote ease of movement within, and access to South Dublin County, by integrating sustainable land-use planning with a high-quality sustainable transport and movement network for people and goods. SM1 Objective 1: To achieve and monitor a transition to more sustainable travel modes including walking, cycling and public transport over the lifetime of the County Development Plan, in line with the County mode share targets of 15% Walk; 10% Cycle; 20% Bus; 5% Rail; and 50% Private (Car / Van / HGV / Motorcycle). SM1 Objective 2: To ensure consistency with the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (2016-2035) as updated to 2042, as required by RPO 8.4 of the RSES. SM1 Objective 3: To support the delivery of key sustainable transport projects including DART and Luas expansion programmes, BusConnects and the Greater Dublin Metropolitan Cycle Network in accordance with RPO 5.2 of the RSES / MASP. SM1 Objective 4: To ensure that future development is planned and designed in a manner that facilitates sustainable travel patterns, with a particular focus on increasing the share of active modes (walking and cycling) and public transport use and creating a safe and attractive street environment for pedestrians and cyclists, in accordance with RPO 5.3 of the RSES / MASP. SM1 Objective 5: To ensure that future development is planned and designed in a manner that maximises the efficiency and protects the strategic capacity of the metropolitan area transport network, both existing and planned, and to protect and maintain regional accessibility, in accordance with RPO 8.3 of the RSES. SM1 Objective 6: To safeguard the County’s strategic road network and to improve the local road and street network in a manner that will better utilise existing road space and encourage a transition towards more sustainable modes of transport.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028254Sustainable Movement (SM) SM1 Objective 7: To engage with relevant agencies including the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in relation to strategic and local transportation issues including delivery of transport projects and to encourage consultation with local communities. SM1 Objective 8: To prepare Integrated Transport Studies for urban areas within the County, as need arises, to provide a long-term plan for the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and private vehicles and to have regard to the European Commission’s Guidelines for Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (2nd Edition, 2019) in the preparation of such studies. SM1 Objective 9: To support micro-mobility in line with legislative / statutory requirements. 7.4 Travel Mode Share Data indicates that a significant majority of trips (62%) originating in South Dublin County are by private transport and are mainly car-based. Cycling accounts for a very small proportion of journeys at 5% while walking comprises 13% of trips. Approximately one fifth (20%) of trips are taken by public transport which breaks down as 17% bus and 3% rail. 13%5% 17% 3% 62%SDCC Existing Mode Share Source: Census 2016 POWSCAR data (Place of Work, School or College Census of Anonymised Records). Car symbol refers to all motorised private transport (car, van, HGV, motorbike, and so on). Figures have been rounded for presentation purposes. When length of trip is factored in, just over one quarter of car-based trips are for journeys of under 3km. There is scope for many of these short trips to be made on foot or by bicycle, given the right conditions including wider paths, cycle lanes with better surfaces, and the creation of more direct routes, resulting in a more permeable and connected environment. Just under a quarter of trips of between 3km and 6km
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028255Sustainable Movement (SM) are by car – some of these medium-length trips could be undertaken by cycling, with the improvement and provision of facilities such as safe cycle lanes and secure bike parking at key destinations. Just over half of car-based trips are for distances of more than 6km. Similarly, many of these trips could be undertaken by public transport. 26% 23% 51% Lengths of Car Journeys Originating in South Dublin County 0 3KM 3 6KM 6KM+ Transition to public transport will be aided by improvements in the pipeline including the roll-out of BusConnects which will include proposals for six new dedicated bus routes through the County. BusConnects will provide a redesigned more efficient bus network with high frequency spines, new orbital routes and increased bus services. Similarly, heavy rail services within the County are scheduled for significant upgrade and improvement including proposals for DART+ that will see increased train frequency on the Heuston to Hazelhatch line with capacity for up to 23 trains per hour in each direction with stops at Adamstown, Clonburris and Park West in the Naas Road area, along with the opening of the rail station at Kishogue in Clonburris. In addition, there is scope for increased capacity on the existing Luas lines to Tallaght and Saggart, as well as the potential benefits that new Luas lines to both Lucan and the southern part of the County would bring. Considering the urgent need to transition to more sustainable modes of transport, the Council has set mode share targets for the County which aim to increase the amount of people walking, cycling and using public transport and decrease the number of journeys in private vehicles over the lifetime of the County Development Plan and beyond. These targets are set against a backdrop of planned improvements to public transport and cycling infrastructure. In particular, the roll-out of the Cycle South Dublin network which will encourage safer cycling within the County. There are several strategic development areas within the County where higher density and more compact development is planned which will facilitate sustainable travel in growth areas. These areas include the Tallaght and City Edge regeneration areas and Clonburris and Adamstown SDZs. South Dublin’s targets will see walking increase from 13% to 15% and cycling double from a low base of 5% to 10%. Bus mode share would increase from 17% to 20% while rail mode share would increase from the current very low level of 3% to 5%. These incremental increases in mode share would result in the decrease in private car use from the current high level of 62% down to 50% during the County Development Plan period.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028256Sustainable Movement (SM) 15% 10% 20% 5% 50% SDCC Target Mode Share Table 7.0 Existing and Target* Mode Share (percentage) Mode SDCC Existing Mode Share (%) SDCC Target Mode Share (%) Walk 13 15 Cycle 5 10 Bus 17 20 Train 3 5 Private (Car, Van, HGV, Motorcycle) 62 50 *Note this relates to targets within the lifetime of the Development Plan. As transport investment provides for further improvements in bus, rail and cycling schemes, the mode share outcomes for cycling and public transport will also rise. 7.5 Walking and Cycling To make active travel a credible alternative choice to car-based transport, and to facilitate the ‘10-minute neighbourhood’, certain critical factors need to be in place: à A permeable pedestrian and cycling network that allows for multiple direct connections between key destinations such as residential areas, shops, schools, employment centres and public transport links; and à An attractive and safe pedestrian and cycling environment where high quality facilities are provided supporting their use by all ages and abilities. To achieve these objectives, the Council is actively engaged in initiatives which will have a direct positive impact on walking and cycling: à Cycle South Dublin – This is a programme of works to provide a safe cycle network within the County over the next decade; à Sustainable Movement Studies – These background studies, carried out as part of the preparation of the Development Plan, involved close examination of movement within neighbourhoods with a view to identifying projects that will encourage active travel and the use of public transport;
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028257Sustainable Movement (SM) à Greenway projects including the extension of the Grand Canal Greenway and the continuing rollout of the Dodder Greenway. A target mode share of 15% for walking and 10% for cycling has been set by the Council increasing the mode share from 13% and 5% respectively. 15% 10% Current TargetWalking Current TargetCycling 13% 5% 7.5.1 Sustainable Movement Studies Sustainable Movement Studies were undertaken for each of the seven Neighbourhood Areas with the support of the NTA. The purpose of the studies was to: à Paint a picture of movement issues within each area; and à Identify measures to increase active transport modes (walking and cycling) and public transport to help achieve their target mode share and reduce dependency on the car. The outcomes of these studies have informed the policies and objectives on sustainable movement within this chapter of the Development Plan. Summaries of the issues identified within each Neighbourhood Area are set out in Appendix 12: Our Neighbourhoods. Travel data for the County indicates that one quarter of trips under 3km and half of trips under 6km are car-based. Many of these short trips could be done by walking or cycling. c a r b a s e d 1/4 of trips under 3km 1/2 of trips under 6km The Studies identified various measures to trigger a shift towards active travel and public transport including:
Source South Dublin County Council: South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Written Statement (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.