Proposed Variation No.1 to the County Development Plan 2022-2028
Proposed Variation No.1 is on public display from Thursday 18th December 2025 to Monday 26th January 2026
Frequently Accessed
In accordance with Section 13 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has prepared a proposed Variation No. 1 to the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2022 – 2028.
Reason for Proposed Variation No. 1
This Proposed Variation No.1 has been prepared to respond to the recent changes in National planning policy, namely the publication of the National Planning Framework (NPF) First Revision and the publication of the following Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines:
- NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2025),
- Planning Design Standards for Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2025) and
- Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2024)
The proposed variation is also responding to Pillar 1: Activating Supply as set out in the Government Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness – Delivering Homes, Building Communities, 2025-2030 (November 2025).
The zoning of sufficient land is seen as a key enabler in the delivery of housing.
What is proposed in Variation No.1?
The proposed variation to the County Development Plan is intended to address specific, immediate policy updates that are needed in the short term and proposes changes to:
- A number of sections in the Written Statement including:
- Core Strategy in Chapter 2
- Policy Objectives in Chapters 4, 5 and 8
- Various sections in Chapter 12 - Development Management
- Chapter 13 – Landuse Zoning and
- Chapter 14 – Specific Local Objectives
- Appendices 13, 15 and 16
- Mapping changes setting out:
- Amended Local Area Plan (LAP) boundaries to align with adopted LAP’s for Dundrum, Kiltiernan-Glenamuck and Old Connaught
- Proposed rezonings, the addition of Long-Term Strategic Sites (LTSS) and
- New specific local objectives (SLO’s).
The proposed variation is accompanied by a Draft Strategic Environmental Assessment, a Draft Natura Impact Report (in support of Appropriate Assessment) and an updated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA).
Public Consultation
Proposed Variation No.1 is on public display from Thursday 18th December 2025 to Monday 26th January 2026.
There are 2 public information sessions at:
- County Hall, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Thursday 15th January 2026, 2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 8pm.
- Dundrum Council Offices, Tuesday 20th January 2026, 4pm - 8pm.
You are now invited to make a written submission / observation on any proposed change set out within Proposed Variation No.1 by one of the following means:
- through our consultation portal, or
- by post to: Variation No.1, Administrative Officer, Planning Section, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire A96 K6C9
Proposed Variation No.1 - Documents and Maps
FAQ
A Variation is a way to make changes to an existing development plan, such as adding a new policy, altering zoning for a specific area, or updating development objectives to reflect new information.
Variations allow for a more flexible and responsive approach to planning, enabling local authorities to address new challenges or opportunities that were not covered in the original plan.
This Variation is proposed to update the County Development Plan to respond to recent changes in national planning policy contained in the National Planning Framework (NPF) which sets out housing targets for the county and new ministerial guidelines on apartment design standards and the promotion of sustainable well designed housing growth through the creation of compact settlements.
The Variation proposes text changes to the written statement of the County Development Plan and certain appendices to reflect recent changes in national planning policy and relevant Section 28 guidelines.
The proposed Variation will update the dlr County Development Plan maps to reflect the correct boundaries of Dundrum Local Area Plan 2023, Kiltiernan – Glenamuck Local Area Plan 2025 and Old Connaught Local Area Plan 2025 which were adopted since the County Development Plan was made.
In addressing the new housing growth requirements, the Variation will propose rezoning of lands in the Sandyford Business District area, in Woodbrook and in Old Connaught.
The proposed Variation also identifies some Long Term Strategic and Sustainable Settlement Sites (LTSS) which may deliver housing (subject to rezoning) in future Development Plan periods. These are located in Rathmichael, Carrickmines, Kiltiernan and lands between Kiltiernan and Stepaside.
New Specific Local Objectives are proposed in association with the proposed rezoning of lands and Long Term Strategic and Sustainable Settlement Sites.
Planning authorities must have regard to Section 28 guidelines which are Ministerial guidelines issued under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). They provide guidance on various planning matters, including the design standards for new apartments and housing growth requirements to meet the National Planning Framework (NPF) housing targets.
The proposed Variation will address recent changes in national planning policy (NPF) and specific policy updates (SPPR’s) that are needed in the short term.
Where a ministerial guideline contains a Specific Planning Policy Requirement (SPPR), it is legally binding and must be applied by the planning authorities. The proposed Variation addresses SPPRs from the Planning Design Standards for Apartments and the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlement Guidelines.
The proposed Variation documents will be available to view at the following locations, during their normal opening hours, from 18th December 2025 to 26th January 2026 inclusively at:
- Planning Counter, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire (10.00am – 4.00pm)
- Council Offices, Dundrum Office Park, Dundrum (9.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 4.30pm)
- All branches of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Libraries during Library opening hours.
- Copies of the proposed variation are available to download and view on this webpage through our online consultation portal.
Anyone or any group / organisation.
You should make your submission / observation in writing as early as possible as late submissions will not be accepted.
You should clearly mark your submission / observation ‘Variation No.1’, include your name and a contact address, a map (where appropriate) and, where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company etc., which you represent.
Your submission should be made in one medium only, i.e. hard copy or via the online consultation portal.
Yes. Every submission will be published, and all valid submissions will form a part of the statutory Chief Executive’s report and will be available to view on the website.
Yes. Members of the planning team will be available to answer queries at the our public information sessions as follows:
- County Hall, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Thursday 15th January 2026 at 2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 8pm
- Dundrum Council Offices, Tuesday 20th January 2026 at 4pm - 8pm.
For queries outside of these times, please contact the forward planning team at dlrforwardplanning@dlrcoco.ie or call 01 2054700
The Chief Executive will prepare a report on any submissions or observations received during the public consultation period, and this report will be furnished to the Office of the Planning Regulator, the Elected Members and the Minister upon completion.
Following consideration of the report the Elected Members can then make the variation, or they may refuse to make it.
If the Elected Members propose material alterations to the variation there will be a further 4-week public consultation period.
The variation will have immediate effect once it is made.
The list of FAQs does not purport to be a legal interpretation of the Planning and Development Act 2000, (as amended) and are simply for information purposes.