PART 1: Legislative Requirements and Consultation Process

Introduction

Fingal County Council is currently in the process of preparing a new Development Plan for 2023-2029. The preparation of the Development Plan is one of the most important functions of the Council acting as a blueprint for the development of Fingal from a physical, economic, social and environmental viewpoint over the lifetime of the Plan. The Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 will set the longer-term vision for the County’s future. The preparation of a new Development Plan involves three key stages, scheduled to finish in late March 2023.

The Draft Fingal Development Plan was prepared and circulated to the Elected Members in December 2021. This was considered and agreed by the Members in January and February 2022. The Draft Plan was put on public display on the 24^th February 2022 for a period of 12 weeks (until 12^th May 2022). A total of 1,937 no. submissions and observations were received during the prescribed period in response to this stage of public consultation.

A Chief Executive’s Report on submissions to the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029 was prepared in accordance with Section 12(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), which summarised and detailed the submissions received on the Draft Development Plan and provided the response and recommendations of the Chief Executive to the issues raised for the Elected Members to consider.

Stage 3 of the plan-making process now relates to the proposed Material Alterations to the Draft Plan. The proposed Material Alterations (Amendments) originated from the consideration of the submissions received between February and May 2022 on the Draft Development Plan 2023 - 2029. The Chief Executive prepared a report on these submissions and the Elected Members considered the report at Special Council Meetings held in September and October 2022 (September 20^th, 21^st, 26^th, 29^th and October 3^rd, 4^th, 7^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 17^th, 18^th and 19^th), where they resolved to amend the Draft Plan.

In accordance with Section 12 (7) of the Planning and Development Act (as amended) this document sets out the Proposed Material Alterations to the Draft Plan as made by the Elected Members of Fingal County Council following consideration of the Draft Development Plan 2023-2029 and the Chief Executive’s Report on submissions.

Material Alterations Report

The purpose of this report is to help inform and assist the public and other interested parties in consideration of the proposed amendments to the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029. The proposed amendments constitute ‘Material Alterations to the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029'.

Format of Report

The proposed material alterations to the Plan are set out as follows. This document consists of five parts including:

• PART 1 - Legislative Requirements and Consultation Process
• PART 2 - Proposed Amendments to the Draft Development Plan Written Statement
• PART 3 - Proposed Amendments to the Draft Development Plan Map Sheets
• PART 4 - Proposed Amendments to the SEA, AA and SFRA
• PART 5 – Maps of Proposed Amendments

In addition, further material alterations are shown in the separate documents which include the following:

• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report
• SEA Non-Technical Summary
• SEA Determination
• Appropriate Assessment (AA) Natura Impact Report
• AA Screening Determination
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

The proposed changes to the Plan are set out by Chapter under Part 2. They include changes to the text and maps (where appropriate) of the Draft Fingal Development Plan Written Statement and certain Appendices which were also subject to amendments and to the maps (sheets), where appropriate.

The proposed material alterations are displayed by Chapter, Sheet Number, Appendix, etc. and include: the location (page number) and section the proposed material alteration relates to in the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 and details of the proposed material alteration. Maps accompany the text where required.

Deletions to the text are shown in red text with a strikethrough. New text to be inserted is shown in green. A number of proposed amendments may contain a mix of deleted text and new text which would contain both red strikethrough and green text, for example:

Relocated text is shown in blue. Where a proposed material alteration involves the insertion of a new section / policy objective or an existing part of the Draft Plan is removed, the updated section / policy objective numbering has been applied or is referenced with an ‘X’.

References to existing sections of the Draft Plan listed thereafter will remain as per their existing section / policy objective number for ease of reference.

In the event of minor typographical errors or discrepancies, these will be amended in the Draft Plan. Similarly, where draft plans or policy documents, prepared by other bodies, have been updated or approved during the Development Plan preparation process, these will be amended accordingly in the final Development Plan.

Non material alterations such as dates of Draft Documents, updated names of Departments or any publications will also be updated and included in the final version of the Plan.

Please note that numerical data, will also be updated as necessary and that that data set out in Chapter 2 – the Core Strategy regarding the census and information from the Dublin Task Force returns will be updated prior to final publication to reflect the most up to date information available at that time.

Mapping

The proposed material alterations to the maps of the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 are set out separately in Part 5 of this document and on the full map sheets which accompany this document. These maps show the sites subject to rezoning, map based local objectives and specific objectives.

The map reference number (e.g. PA SH 8.1) should be referenced when referring to maps when making a submission or observation. For the avoidance of doubt, please note that Part 3 provides the definitive wording for the map based amendments shown in Part 5.

Final amendments and updates to the zoning maps will be made in the final publication including any necessary updates to the legend and to include all relevant SDZ, LAP, masterplan and framework plan boundaries.

Environmental Reports

The proposed material amendments to the Draft Plan have been assessed in terms of their potential for impact on the environment, European Sites and areas at risk of flooding.

In accordance with Section 12(7) of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 (as amended), the SEA Determination, the AA Screening Determination, the SEA Environmental Report (which includes information on the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing relevant alterations) and the Natura Impact Report will be available for public inspection and are included as supplementary documents associated with the material alterations to the Draft Plan.

An updated SFRA for the Draft Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 and Material Alterations will also be available for public inspection and is included as a supplementary document associated with the material alterations to the Draft Plan. The updated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment also provides a Stage 1 flood risk identification assessment of the proposed zoning amendments.

Making a Submission

Observations or submissions regarding the proposed material alterations only can be made:

• Online via https://consult.fingal.ie/en/browse or
• In writing, to: Development Plan Team, Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department, Fingal County Council, County Hall, Main Street, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 X8Y2.

Ensure your submission or observation is clearly marked ‘Draft Fingal County Development Plan 2023 – 2029’.

Submissions can be made from the 11^th November 2022 and the final date for receipt of all submissions is before 4.30pm on Friday 9^th December 2022.

Submissions/observations should be made by one medium only and should refer to

• Proposed Material Alteration Reference number (s) as shown in the document.
• Full Name & Address of person making submission/observation.
• Details of organisation/community group/company which you represent where relevant.

Please note that late submissions will not be considered.

If you require any assistance, you can contact a member of our Development Plan team throughout the consultation period on:

• Tel: 01 890 5000
• Email: Fingal.DevelopmentPlan@fingal.ie

Council staff will also be available to answer queries in connection with the proposed amendments on Wednesday 16th and Wednesday 30th November between 10am and 12pm at the main reception desk, County Hall, Main Street, Swords.

Next Steps

The Chief Executive will prepare a report on the submissions received on the Proposed Material Alterations and the Environmental Report and Natura Impact Report and SFRA and will submit this to the elected members on 13^th January 2023. The Elected Members will consider the CE Report and will adopt the final Plan at one or more Special Council Meetings, the last to be held no later than 24^th February 2023.

The Planning Authority envisages that the final Plan will be adopted in February 2023 and come into effect six weeks later.

The timetable for the completion of the Development Plan is set out below: