The Development Plan

Closed12 Mar, 2021, 9:00am - 12 May, 2021, 11:59pm

THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

What is a Development Plan?

A County Development Plan is a public document used to guide development and sets out the vision for how the county should develop and evolve. It must be prepared every six years in order to respond to the county’s changing needs. The Fingal Development Plan is required to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the county.

It comprises a series of chapters that cover the broad aims of Fingal County Council and includes cross cutting themes, as well as policies and objectives regarding future development. The Plan also includes a series of zoning maps which form the basis for deciding the appropriate location for different types of development across the county and which underpin the decision-making process for planning applications.

The new Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029 will set out the landuse framework to guide the appropriate development of Fingal supported by the delivery of critical social and physical infrastructure. It will focus on the places we live, work, visit and do business and on how these places are integrated and connected through public transport, walking and cycling in order to deliver sustainable development.

What are the statutory requirements for the Fingal Development Plan?

The Fingal Development Plan must consist of a written document called the “Written Statement” and a Plan or Plans indicating the development objectives for the area. The new Development Plan will specifically set out how land in Fingal is to be used and will outline objectives and policies to guide proposed development and to allow planning applications to be assessed. The Plan must also include the identification of land supply to accommodate development growth, with the proposed growth and settlement strategy for the County summarised within a section of the Plan called the ‘Core Strategy’. The Core Strategy includes a concept map showing where growth is to be directed and provides guidance on the location and delivery targets for new housing and employment, and the key infrastructure needed to accommodate this growth, i.e. water, health, transport and community facilities.

In addition to compliance with National, Regional and Ministerial Guidelines, the Development Plan must include a number of mandatory requirements as set out under Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended).

Such Objectives include;
  • The zoning of land for particular uses.
  • Infrastructure facilitation and provision and transport strategies.
  • Core strategy and housing strategy.
  • Sustainable settlement and regeneration areas, development and renewal.
  • Social Community Cultural Considerations.
  • Conservation & protection of the environment.
  • Preservation of landscape character and recreational amenities.
  • Protection of structures and preservation of character of Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs).
  • Address climate change adaptation and reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

In making the Plan, the Elected Members of Fingal County Council must only consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, statutory obligations and policies and objectives of the Government.

How long will it take to prepare the new Fingal Development Plan?

The review of the current Fingal Development Plan 2017 – 2023 begins on 12th March 2021 and the process to prepare a new Development Plan for the period 2023-2029 will take almost two years, finishing in late March 2023. An indicative timeline for the preparation of the new Fingal Development Plan is shown below.

County Development Plan process diagram