Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss this topic and outline how key Departments have been working with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to progress the development of Cherrywood which represents one of the largest remaining undeveloped land banks in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, consisting of approximately 350 hectares, although some mixed residential and office development has taken place nearby at Loughlinstown. The county council estimates that, over a 15-20 year timeframe, Cherrywood has the potential to accommodate a resident population of 32,000, equating to some 12,500 residential units, and a working population of 18,000, with 350,000 sq. m of commercial and business units. It can also provide for 140,000 sq. m of general services and retail development. Facilitating substantial development in Cherrywood is consistent with the national spatial strategy which seeks to consolidate such development in or adjacent to the metropolitan area in well designed and integrated urban environments serviced by public transport. In addition, the regional planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area specifically designate Cherrywood as a moderate growth town within the Dublin metropolitan area.

Having regard to the scale of development envisaged and its strategic planning importance in facilitating the consolidation of the greater Dublin metropolitan area, it is considered that the sustainable development of Cherrywood is of significant economic and social importance to the further growth of the capital. The county council has invested considerable resources in developing a strategic vision for Cherrywood called the draft "Cherrywood Masterplan and the Common Infrastructure Implementation Plan", based on the creation of a town centre and three village centres, each with an appropriate range of retail, commercial, community and other facilities. The plan sets out the type, location and scale of development envisaged and the way in which the delivery of the required economic and social infrastructure will be provided for. The council has also held consultations with key Departments and delivery agencies regarding, for example, the provision of transport infrastructure such as the extension of the Luas line to Sandyford, the extension of the quality bus corridor network to service the area and the provision of new schools to cater for the planned level growth.

Based on the success of the strategic development zone, SDZ, model in Adamstown in south County Dublin, the county council believes the SDZ mechanism provides the best solution to meeting the challenges in delivering the major servicing infrastructure and creating a sustainable, integrated and well planned neighbourhood. Experience of the Adamstown SDZ has shown that this designation has proved very advantageous in creating an agreed planning context for development, a certainty and clarity of approach to development, in fostering co-operation between land owners and securing more "buy-in" from public sector agencies such as the Department of Education and Science and larnród Éireann. The phasing of the provision of both "hard" and "soft" infrastructure with the completion of new housing have demonstrated best practice which is being emulated elsewhere

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has had ongoing contacts with the county council on the planning strategy for the Cherrywood area. A formal proposal has been submitted to the Department by the council for the designation of the area as a strategic development zone under Part 9 of the 2000 Planning and Development Act. The request is under consideration and a decision on the matter is expected shortly.