DCC Cultural Toolkit to help developers create new cultural and community spaces

Dublin City Council has announced the development of a new ‘Cultural Toolkit’ resource and guidance for property developers, to be published this Spring.

The toolkit is designed to help developers fulfil new requirements under the Dublin City Development Plan.

Masterplans or statutory plans prepared for lands over 2 hectares that were previously zoned for industrial purposes and are now identified for mixed use, must include dedicated locations at the design stage for cultural uses.

All new regeneration areas (SDRAs) and large scale developments above 10,000 sq. m. in total area must provide at a minimum for 5% community, arts and culture spaces as part of their development at the design stage.

Pictured at the launch of the Dublin City Council Culture Toolkit are Ray Yeates, City Arts Officer, Dublin City Council, Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste and Deirdre Scully, City Planning Officer, Dublin City Council – Credit Fennell Photography

The Toolkit provides some of the building blocks to help guide the process of delivering cultural infrastructure, through identifying and responding to a real need, designing for a clear cultural use, and selecting a delivery model that is sustainable for both the developer and operator.

Details of the new Toolkit were announced at the Building Culture event hosted by Dublin City Council.

The event aimed to foster collaboration between key stakeholders in the Arts and Culture sector and the Development industry in Dublin.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste, speaking at the event said, “Culture is the lifeblood of Dublin.

“We need to provide for a vibrant and sustainable cultural sector and to cater for future population growth in a way that keeps culture at the heart of our communities.”

Ray Yeates, City Arts Officer, Dublin City Council said, “As we build new housing and offices in a growing Dublin we will have to have new theatres, galleries, concert halls not to mention studios and other critical infrastructure for Artists and their communities.

“Property Developers, Dublin City Council and Arts Organisations have a new opportunity to work together with this toolkit under the new Dublin City Development Plan.”

Attendees heard from speakers detailing stories of cultural infrastructure delivery in other European cities, while local speakers from Dublin also demonstrated the progress the Council has made in developing new space for culture and spearheading the implementation of this policy.