Dublin rezoned for 25,000 new homes - but councillors demand infrastructure

As Dublin City Council rezones land for up to 25,000 new homes across the city, councillors warn that to foster community among a growing population, schools, public transport and appropriate infrastructure must also be prioritised

While Dublin City Council has rezoned land for up to 25,000 new homes across the city, councillors stress that delivering the appropriate infrastructure must also be prioritised.

At a special council meeting held on Monday, variations to the Kylemore Masterplan were agreed upon. This aims to enable planned growth of the city’s housing market from 49,000 to 73,000 units up to 2032.

Brought forward inline with the National Planning Framework (NPF) Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements, the approval of the Masterplan for Broombridge–Hamilton in Glasnevin and its incorporation into the City Development Plan provides capacity to accommodate approximately 8,500 homes. This is already progressing through the planning system.

The approval of the Masterplan for City Edge in Kylemore provides for approximately 5,300 homes around Ballyfermot and Inchicore. The meeting also approved an expansion to eight strategic growth areas and rezoning of seven key sites, which have the potential to deliver 10,000 additional homes.

These plans were welcomed by Ballyfermot-Drimnagh Green Party Councillor Ray Cunningham who said “we are in desperate need for housing in Dublin city” and that this rezoning will allow thousands of new homes to be built. He said the city centre is where “we want people to be living” and that this means less will have to “commute from Westmeath and other places like that”.

“It’s underused land at the moment. There’s lots of warehouses and uses that could be pushed further out of the city. We should be building homes closer to the city,” he said.

While industrial uses in areas like Kylemore made sense “50 years ago”, Cllr Cunningham said these plans align with accommodating a growing population. “It’s a 30-minute cycle from the city centre,” he said, stating plans for the Luas Lucan and Dart+ South West will make it an even more attractive location in the coming years.

However, the community benefits of this rezoning is dependent on the delivery of other projects and appropriate funding from central government. Delays to transport projects in recent years means there is some concern that promised Luas and Dart expansion projects will actually be delivered on time.

Cllr Cunningham said it’s important that additional infrastructure is delivered to support an influx of thousands of new residents . Whether it’s more public transport or addressing a lack of schools in the area, he said there are still some “big questions” that need to be addressed as this high-level plan means a lot of fine details have yet to be decided.

“The Masterplan has set out a location for a school but it's up to the Department of Education to actually provide the funding for a school. We can say a school should go here, but we can’t control whether it’s actually built or not,” he said.

City Planner Emer Uí Fhátharta said the Masterplan aligns with the council’s “ long-term vision of a thriving city for all ”. She explained that they aim to “lead the way in being ambitious on behalf of existing and future Dubliners”.

“Sustainable communities aren’t just abstract ideals; they are felt in areas like shorter journeys to work and school, the availability of crèches, community centres, and places for children to play in our neighbourhoods. Places with vibrant streets and cleaner air all contribute to a greater sense of belonging - one where all residents have a stake in the future of their neighbourhoods,” she said.

“This is why zoning additional land to enable communities to grow and thrive is not simply about increasing the number of homes that are delivered; it is about shaping a sustainable urban future for Dublin in a plan-led, evidence-based manner.”

People Before Profit Cllr Hazel De Nortúin expressed frustration at Travellers from Labre Park being excluded from the plan and said that it is “deeply disturbing" to hear city planners discuss “inclusivity and everyone having access to services”, while residents of Labre Park have been pushing for redevelopment for decades.

As the oldest Traveller-specific accommodation site in the country, promised regeneration of Labre Park has been continually delayed for three decades, with residents remaining in substandard conditions. Cllr De Nortúin tabled a motion calling for the inclusion of Traveller-specific accommodation within the plan, but it was dismissed as not relevant to the variations being discussed.

DCC said that the rezoning of land for housing does not specify what type of housing needs to be built. Deputy City Planner Malachy Bradley said there is nothing in the plan to inhibit Traveller accommodation, but highlighted there is already a phased regeneration plan in place to address the needs of communities at Labre Park.

Cllr De Nortúin issued a statement stating that “Kylemore is being sold as a major regeneration opportunity” but stressed "communities already living there cannot be treated as an afterthought”. She expressed concerns that such a major project is being prioritised while nearby Travellers remain in “substandard conditions with no resolution in sight”.

“Any plan for Kylemore has to respect the families living there, with real protections on height, overlooking, privacy, flooding, access and future Traveller-specific accommodation. We cannot keep drawing up plans that talk about sustainable communities while leaving marginalised groups behind. People are sick of being told every rezoning is about solving the housing crisis when what actually follows is expensive apartments, weak community gain and fat profits for developers,” she said.

Another major point of concern was the rezoning of Shanowen Road lands for housing, which was the focal point of a campaign by the Santry Forum. Local residents, who protested the rezoning plan outside City Hall on numerous occasions, described the plan as “a step too far” for the area and said that housing was being prioritised over appropriate infrastructure.

Chair of the Santry Forum Frank Keoghan previously spoke to Dublin Live about the dramatic population growth in his area over the past decade and said they are encouraging DCC not to move ahead with the rezoning plan they are due to decide on next month. Instead, their group seeks a variation of the plan that incorporates a residential element to relieve pressure on the housing crisis but is 80% focused on providing for the community.

The rezoning of Shanowen Road sparked significant debate in the council chamber and it was decided that there would be a local area plan for Santry. While the land was still rezoned for housing, Cllr Cunningham said the plan will look especially at the amenity needs for the area.

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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