Dún Laoghaire Harbour

Public Consultation opens on Dun Laoghaire Harbour Draft Masterplan

General News
St Michael's Lookout Tower

St Michael's Lookout Tower

St Michael's Lookout Tower

Pavillion Garden

Pavillion Garden, Dún Laoghaire Harbour

Pavillion Garden, Dún Laoghaire Harbour

Nature Park and Education Centre

Nature Park and Education Centre

Nature Park and Education Centre

Leisure Quarter Overview

Leisure Quarter Overview

Leisure Quarter Overview

Floating Platform

Floating Platform

Floating Platform

Dún Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan map

Dún Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan map

Dún Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan map

Today, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have launched the public consultation on the Draft Masterplan for Dún Laoghaire Harbour, inviting residents, stakeholders, and visitors to share their views on the future of this iconic coastal destination.

The Draft Masterplan outlines a bold and long-term vision for a ‘Living Harbour’—a vibrant, accessible, and sustainable waterfront that enhances recreation, tourism, and economic vitality while strengthening climate resilience and biodiversity.

 

Cllr Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council highlighted:

 

“This Masterplan is about reimagining Dún Laoghaire Harbour as a place where people can connect with the water and nature, and spend time together. We’ve already received incredibly thoughtful feedback during the Pre-Draft phase, and we’re excited to continue that conversation with the wider community. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of Dún Laoghaire Harbour. We want to hear from everyone who lives in, works in, or visits the area”.

 

The Masterplan reimagines Dún Laoghaire Harbour as a vibrant, living part of daily life—where people can walk, swim, sail, and gather by the water’s edge. Rather than preserving the past in place, it builds on the town’s maritime legacy to create a Harbour that’s open, connected, and welcoming. The vision sees the Harbour not as a single site, but as a series of linked spaces—each with its own character, yet united by movement and purpose. Some changes will happen quickly, others over time, but all aim to restore the Harbour as a place where the town meets the sea – face to face.

 

Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said:

 

“The ideas in this Draft Masterplan have been shaped by the community. During the Pre-Draft phase, members of the public shared a strong desire to see the Harbour reimagined as a vibrant, accessible space—activating the waterfront with enhanced public facilities, supporting local businesses, promoting sustainable tourism, and improving connectivity through better pedestrian, cycling, and transport links. This feedback has been instrumental in guiding our vision for a Living Harbour.”

 

What’s in the Draft Masterplan?

 

The Masterplan proposes a range of short-, medium-, and long-term actions, shaped by feedback from the Pre-Draft phase. Key themes include:

 

  • Activating the waterfront with public spaces, gardens, promenades, and cultural amenities.
  • Supporting local businesses through mixed-use developments that blend leisure, retail, and community uses.
  • Promoting sustainable tourism that respects the town’s heritage and environment.
  • Improving connectivity with better pedestrian, cycling, and public transport links.

 

How to Participate

 

The consultation runs from 16 June to 28 July 2025. Feedback can be submitted through:

  • Online Survey
  • Pop-up Event: Saturday 5 July at dlr LexIcon during the Coastival Festival
  • Drop-in Information Event: Wednesday 16 July at County Hall, Marine Road. Dún Laoghaire
  • Online Webinar: Tuesday 8 July, 7–8pm – Register here
  • Exhibit at dlr LexIcon Library: View project posters and leave feedback
  • Email Submissionsharbour@dlrcoco.ie
  • Postal Submissions:
    Harbour Section
    Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
    County Hall, Marine Road
    Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

 

For more information and to view the Draft Masterplan, visit Dún Laoghaire Harbour Draft Masterplan Consultation - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council - Citizen Space

You can listen back to  an interview with Tim Ryan, Operations Manager, Dún Laoghaire Harbour here.

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