Dublin councillors slam moves to scrap planning rule for 5pc community space

Irish Independent

5 days ago

Dublin city councillors have hit out at the Government's plans to scrap a key planning rule that required large apartment developments to include 5pc of their footprint for community or cultural use.
Some have accused ministers of 'trampling on local democracy' and pandering to developers.
Under the 2022–2028 Dublin City Development Plan, any scheme over 10,000sqm and located in designated development zones, had to include minimum space for community centres, studios, rehearsal rooms or similar amenities.
But that requirement is now under threat, with recent reports suggesting Minister for Housing James Browne plans to remove it under new apartment guidelines.
The proposed new rules will state that communal, community or cultural facilities within apartment schemes shall not be required by local authorities on a mandatory basis if they have implications for the viability of a development.
Green Party councillor Donna Cooney said the move 'risks undermining the heart of Dublin', calling it 'a regressive step' that could leave the capital a 'cultural wasteland'.
'The Minister paints a sad vision for our city if these regressive measures are adopted by cabinet,' she said.
'Our capital city could become a cultural wasteland with single people surviving in small dark studio apartments, in blocks with less private space, fewer couples, or family apartments and no community or cultural space, to reduce developer's costs.'
The Greens have tabled an emergency motion at Monday night's meeting of the Arts Special Policy Committee, seeking cross-party support to push back on the proposal.
Labour councillor Darragh Moriarty, chair of Dublin City Council's Community, Gaeilge, Sport, Arts & Culture Committee, also criticised the move as an attack on the 'fundamental principle of building sustainable communities'.
'Culture is dying in Dublin,' he said. 'Artists are being driven out of our city because they can't afford to live and work here. Our communities increasingly have nowhere to gather and come together.'
He described the 5pc rule as a 'hard-fought win' for artists and local groups, adding that many developers had resisted the measure from the start.
'If Government goes ahead and rips away this provision, they will be trampling all over local democracy, undermining our role as local authorities and paying total lip service to the principle of sustainable community development,' he said.
The Department of Housing has been contacted for comment.