City Council Adopt Phibsborough Local Area Plan

The Phibsborough Local Area Plan (LAP)was adopted by Dublin City Council at City Council meeting on Monday 6th October.

The Phibsborough LAP is the first Local Area Plan to be adopted by Dublin City Council and is the product of careful and successful co-operation and negotiations residents’ associations, individual residents, public representatives and the City Council.

This plan sets out a vision for Phibsborough which when fully implemented will transform the area and enable Phibsborough Village at last realise its true potential. Unfortunately, over the years, the area has been very much neglected by the authorities.

The LAP will provide a framework for all future development in the Phibsborough area. It will form a statutory basis for all planning decisions in the area for both Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanala

Phibsborough is one of the most historic and vibrant villages of Dublin. It also contains some of the City’s more strategic sites which are due for redevelopment such as the Mater Hospital, Dalymount Park, Mountjoy Prison, Phibsborough Shopping Centre, Cross Guns Bridge and the Smurfit Printworks. The Local Area Plan will ensure that Phibsborough is developed on a planned basis, retaining its rich architectural and residential character and that all future developments are carefully planned and monitored.

Cllr Emer Costello successfully proposed over 40 amendments to the draft plan in order to address the concerns of residents and ensure that the plan addressed the needs of the local community.

A steering committee comprising representatives of all the stakeholders is to be established and chaired independently to oversee the implementation of the plan over the next six years.
It is extremely important that the vision enunciated in this plan is now delivered. Residents have invested much their time and energy into the plan and hopes are high that Phibsborough can once again be a thriving modern urban village.

Main Issues Covered by Phibsborough Local Area Plan

Masterplan for Development Sites
The LAP provides for detailed objectives for each of the development sites:
Mater Hospital, Dalymount Park, Mountjoy Prison, Phibsborough Shopping Centre, Cross Guns Bridge and the Smurfit Printworks
Developers will have to draw up a masterplan which should be consistent with the objectives laid down for each site in the LAP.

Building Heights
The LAP also sets out that the maximum height on each of the development sites in the area should not normally exceed five to six storeys (20 meters in height).

New Architectural Conservation Areas
Three Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) are to be designated at Great Western Square, Monck Place/ the Borough; Royal Canal Bank/Blessington St Basin/Primrose / Fontenoy Street and Phibsborough Centre.

Mixed Use Developments & Quality Retail Outlets
Dublin City Council will encourage high quality retail uses within Phibsborough Shopping Centre and the North Circular Road in an effort to reverse the trend of adult shops, bookmakers, take-aways, off-licenses and charity shops, in the area.

Social/Community/Cultural Infrastructure
The Local Area Plan will ensure that all development will bring much-needed social/community and cultural infrastructure to the area. Planned community facilities will include a 2,500 m2 multi-purpose sports centre, a swimming pool, a cinema/theatre/auditorium, a new public library, three new schools, new playgrounds and much improved public parks etc. There is a commitment to ensuring that the community sporting facilities on the site of Dalymount Park will be an equivalent area to that of the pitch.

Public Realm Improvements
Moreover, Dublin City Council has committed to working with the local residents to improve the public realm such as Mount Bernard Park, the Royal Canal, introduce new north south and east west pedestrian routes and the introduction of “homezones” and traffic calming measures in the area.

Subdivision of existing dwellings
Dublin City Council have undertaken to ensure strict enforcement of the planning and waste regulations on subdivided properties. They have also given assurances that they will conduct an audit of rental properties in the area.