Locals urged to have their say on new plan for South Dublin

SOUTHSIDERS have been invited to have their say in the future development of their county.

The Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Ed O’Brien, officially launched the pre-draft public consultation of the SDCC Development Plan 2022- 2028 online on Friday, July 31.

The adoption of a County Development Plan is one of the responsibilities of a local authority as the document sets out the “spatial framework” for the future growth of the County.
Spatial framework refers to where, how and why development is constructed throughout the County.

In a statement, the council said: “The Development Plan must consider the social, economic and environmental aspects of our future development. That involves a careful balance of the ways in which we use our land.

“Finding that balance is not always easy. The first stage, the pre-draft, sets out the strategic context of the plan.

“It forms the framework into which objectives and policies at the later stages will sit.
“Public consultation at this first stage is an opportunity for everyone to input into the process.

“By planning for great places in which to live through high quality, well designed and well-planned neighbourhoods, we will enhance the quality of life for existing and future populations.”

According to the council, the Development Plan will set out the strategy to co-ordinate and prioritise areas of population growth as South Dublin moves towards an additional 80,000 people and 32,000 new homes by 2040.

In the past six years Brexit, local industrial and population growth and the current Covid 19 pandemic have all had an impact on the amount and location of future development across the County.

“How we use our land, where we put housing, employment, and community facilities, is of relevance to people living and working in the County,” SDCC added.

“The plan will impact on how the county deals with climate change, how people move around the county, where people live and work and the quality of their lives.

“It is of great importance that everyone makes their views known as early as possible so that their thoughts and ideas can feed into the plan making process.

“Everyone should engage in the process in order to get the best out of it and improve how people live and work within the county,” Mr O’Brien added.
All information regarding the reviewing and preparation of the County Development Plan can be found at www.sdcc.ie/en/devplan2022.

Everyone is invited to make their thoughts and views known either online or by posting their submissions to County Hall, Tallaght by the end of September.