Plans for a new town with 3,000 homes in blocks of up to 50 metres high and office, commercial and retail space for 8,000 workers have been unveiled by Dublin City Council.
The Poolbeg West planning scheme incorporates some 34 hectares of land south of the Dublin Docklands beside Ringsend, and a film studio is open to consideration under the plans.
The scheme includes the 10-hectare former Irish Glass Bottle site, which was bought for more than €400m in 2006 but remains undeveloped. Other lands include the 4.6 hectare Fabrizia site, and 17 hectares owned by the Dublin Port Company, which will continue to be used for port activities.
The area was designated as suitable for fast-track planning permission in May last year. The master plan does not make specific reference to a proposed €80m film studio mooted by Dublin Bay Studios, which includes Windmill Lane Studios founder James Morris and producer Alan Moloney, but says there “may be” an opportunity to develop “media/ digital media and film production” facilities on a portion of the site or on nearby lands.
The master plan sets out proposals to build 3,000 homes in blocks of up to 50m, or nine storeys. Of these, up to 600 will be build-to-let to cater for the city’s rental market.
In addition, up to 100,000sq m of commercial and retail space is proposed to accommodate 8,000 workers.
But no large-scale retail development is proposed. Instead, offices and local services including shops, cafès, a hotel, two supermarkets and offices are earmarked for the site. No retail unit can be more than 5,000sq m.
“A primary challenge for the scheme is addressing a city-wide shortfall in housing supply,” the Poolbeg West Planning Scheme says. “The site has potential to provide significant numbers of new housing in an area well served by infrastructure . . . and for this reason can play an important part in improving housing supply.”
It says the age profile of the area is young, with 69pc of the local population aged 44 or younger, and there is a “high demand” for one- and two-bedroom homes.
Overall, up to 900 of the 3,000 homes would be one-bedroom units, some 450 would be three bedrooms or more and the balance would be two-bed properties. Under existing planning rules, 10pc of all new houses must be for social housing.
The plan also includes a new bridge across the River Dodder, coupled with the extension of the Luas Red Line and more bus routes. Car use would be minimised, and walking, cycling and public transport prioritised.
Three public parks are also proposed, along with a primary school. Heat and hot water would be provided to homes in a district heating system, using heat from the nearby Poolbeg Incinerator.
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