Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022

The Dublin City Development Plan (2016-2022) sets out policies and objectives to guide how and where development will take place in the Irish capital over the lifetime of the plan. It provides an integrated, coherent spatial framework to ensure the city is developed in an inclusive way to improve the quality of life for its citizens, while also being a more attractive place to visit and work. The plan is based on the principles of sustainability and resilience on the social, economic and environmental fronts, with green infrastructure, open spaces and recreation being among the main themes of the plan. The Plan was subject to extensive public consultation at various stages and it was adopted by Dublin City Council and came into effect in 2016. The plan has been developed in line with the requirements of a number of national and EU-level policies and in coordination with existing local strategies and plans.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Urban planning mechanisms

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Social cohesion
Social equity
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The plan has a section dedicated to green infrastructure and open spaces management. The plan recognises the role of green infrastructure in contributing to environmental risk management, climate change, delivering health-related benefits, better air and water quality, increasing social equity, improving community cohesion, developing local attachment and promoting well-being. In the plan, the Dublin City Council commits itself to developing a green infrastructure network to improve connectivity between the green spaces in the city; developing linear parks to provide green chains for the city; coordinating open space, biodiversity and flood management requirements and increasing the number of permeable surfaces in city. The Council also commits itself to working with the multifunctional role of the open spaces to harness opportunities for urban drainage, flood management, biodiversity, outdoor recreation carbon absorption and to ensure equality of access for all citizens to the public parks and open spaces in city.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

Blue areas

Green areas for water management

Derelict areas

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Support multifunctional NBS

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Dublin City Council

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The development of the plan was led by the Dublin City Council and involved a process of extensive public consultation with communities throughout the city, infrastructure providers, sectoral groups, statutory agencies and neighbouring local authorities. The first stage - the pre-draft public consultation - included a number of public information events to encourage as much public engagement as possible. A total of 303 written submissions, together with the opinions and comments arising from the public consultation meetings, and other meetings held, were taken into account when formulating the draft development plan. The views expressed by the public were considered and discussed by the elected representatives. The plan was then subject to public consultation again and a further 1484 submissions were received. The final version of the plan was agreed in 2016.

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private sector, corporate, business

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups / NGOs

Type of actor involvement:

Civil society consultation through e.g. workshops, surveys

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The plan is to be primarily implemented by public institutions at a city, regional and national level, with a range of agencies and stakeholders involved. Additionally, the plan indicates that its successful implementation will necessitate ongoing collaboration, co-operation and support from all sections of society.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Implementation of NBS (e.g. with government funds)

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private: household, real estate developer, business , financial

Financing

Budget:

Unknown

Details about instrument financing:

The plan provides an overarching and integrated the strategy for the spatial development of the city. It does not, however, have its own dedicated budget. The cost of preparation and implementation of the plan are not known.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

In 2018, a situation report was prepared in which the progress in the objectives set in each area of action was reported. The status report is available online (see references).

Did an evaluation take place?:

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

In order to achieve the objectives of the Development Plan, the Dublin City Council introduced a Green Infrastructure Strategy that connects green spaces and other natural features such as rivers and canals to different parts of the city. The strategy includes integrated open spaces, green ways for cycling and walking, areas of high biodiversity value and recreational areas. The council has also developed and progresssed a number of green spaces projects in the city that unlocked spatial gaps identified in the plan, to improve health and wellbeing of the local community. The city also supported flora and fauna monitoring programme in the city. Based on the directions for development set out in the plan, the Dublin City Council has applied for funding to the nationally-funded Urban Regional Development Fund, to improve a number of green spaces and water ways. A new Development Plan for 2023-2028 is currently in preparation.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The plan provides a coherent spatial framework that brings together environmental, social and economic considerations to ensure all new developments in the city contribute to the city's objectives of ensuring sustainable and resilient development. The importance of improving the provision and quality of green and blue spaces and increasing ecological and spatial connectivity to help achieve the environmental, social and economic goals is recognised in the plan. Similarly, the plan recognises the multifunctional nature of nature-based solutions and sees these as means to address variety of challenges. The plan was subject to extensive public consultation, with more than 2000 contributions received and considered, making it fit for the needs and expectations of the local community. The plan was also subject to being debated and approved by elected representatives, making it binding and politically credible.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

Dublin City Council (2016) Dublin City Development Plan 2016–2022. Available at: https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2020-08/written-statement-volume-1.pdf

Dublin City Council (2016) Dublin City Development Plan 2016–2022. Appendices. Available at: https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2020-08/dublin-city-development-plan-2016-2022-volume-2.pdf

Dublin City Council (2018) Dublin City Development Plan 2016–2022 Progress Report Available at: https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2021-05/report-no.-3132018-of-the-assistant-chief-executive-r.-shakespeare-dublin-city-development-plan.pdf

LOKRA (2021), DCC Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028, DCC Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 SUBMISSION TO Pre-Draft Plan Public Consultation Strategic Issues Paper. Available at: https://www.lokra.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/LOKRA-Submission-to-DCC-Development-Plan-2022-2028.pdf

Further documents

Weblinks:

https://www.dublincity.ie/dublin-city-development-plan-2016-2022