The North Central Area Committee recognises the significant residential development in the Northern Fringe area, in particular in Clongriffin town area. The North Central Area Committee recognises the lack in meaningful employment opportunities in the area and the lack of same in planning applications. The North Central Area Committee notes the minimal of day-time footfall in the area as a result and the impact of same on the area's ability to attract a large supermarket to the area and the challenges experienced by other retail owners in remaining viable. The North Central Area Committee also notes the impact limited employment opportunities within the immediate area has on traffic and transport in the area - with a significant proportion of the local residents using their cars to travel out of the area to other places of employment not served by the DART and/or north/south bus connections. Therefore, the North Central Area Committee seeks that the appropriate Managers liase with the IDA/Enterprise Ireland and our LEO to put in place and implement a proactive strategy to attract companies to local their offices in Clongriffin town so as to grown the town as a dynamic enterprise and employment hub.
Minutes:
The North Central Area Committee recognises the significant residential development in the Northern Fringe area, in particular in Clongriffin town area. The North Central Area Committee recognises the lack in meaningful employment opportunities in the area and the lack of same in planning applications. The North Central Area Committee notes the minimal of day-time footfall in the area as a result and the impact of same on the area's ability to attract a large supermarket to the area and the challenges experienced by other retail owners in remaining viable. The North Central Area Committee also notes the impact limited employment opportunities within the immediate area has on traffic and transport in the area - with a significant proportion of the local residents using their cars to travel out of the area to other places of employment not served by the DART and/or north/south bus connections. Therefore, the North Central Area Committee seeks that the appropriate Managers liase with the IDA/Enterprise Ireland and our LEO to put in place and implement a proactive strategy to attract companies to local their offices in Clongriffin town so as to grown the town as a dynamic enterprise and employment hub.
Reply:
Clongriffin Town Centre (and Belmayne) is designated as a Key District Centre (KDC) in the 2016 – 2022 City Development Plan and the Clongriffin – Belmayne Local Area Plan (LAP) 2012. This designation reflects the fact that the Town is a highly assessable location, centred on a railway station with a frequent bus service to the city centre. In accordance with this Key District Centre designation, the Local Area Plan seeks a mix of town centre uses. Mixed town centre uses can include, commercial and retail uses as well as residential uses and large and small office uses. Clongriffin and Belmayne centres are to serve the circa 20,000 to 25,000 population envisaged for the Plan area.
Clongriffin Town Centre and the surrounding residential area has yet to be completed. Some 13,000 sqm of commercial space has been developed at Clongriffin Railway Station (Station Square) and along Main Street. This figure includes a substantial and largely vacant building (c.9,000 sqm) at Block 12, Station Square. An extant permission exists for a large ‘office hub’ along with a previously permitted supermarket in the referred building.
While there is a visible level of commercial vacancy at Clongriffin, it is notable that the developer at Clongriffin, through its development agency – ‘Clongriffin Town’ actively promotes, supports and facilitates community facilities and enterprise in the Town.
In 2017, the Council commissioned AECOM Ltd to carry out an economic and retail study of the Local Area Plan lands in order to obtain an independent evidence based understanding of the economic and retail potential of its own lands in Belmayne in the context of the whole Local Area Plan area, including Clongriffin Town. The Clongriffin – Belmayne Economic & Retail Study was finalised in 2018. This study included a household survey and engagement with the key stakeholders for the area including the LEO Office.
The study specifically concentrates on commercial District Centre uses such as retail, retail services, leisure services, community and small own door office space. It identifies locally appropriate quantum’s of floor space for commercial development for Clongriffin having regard to the level of existing facilities / uses in the town, the potential for population growth in the area, existing vacancy levels and population spending power etc.
The study identifies that leisure services are likely to require the biggest amount of economic floor space in Clongriffin; this incudes cafes, gyms, leisure activities etc.
The study excludes the potential for large scale office space in the Town. This is done solely on the basis that it found there is little demand for large scale office space in the Northern Suburbs of the city – a point borne out by the fact that the permitted ‘office hub’ at Clongriffin and other office space as built in Clongriffin remains unused (circa 6,000 sqm). The report identifies the potential for enterprise / start up / office development at existing premises at Northern Cross / Malahide Road and Newtown Roads, Clonshaugh and Baldoyle. It also points out the future potential of lands zoned for large scale employment uses in Fingal County Council at the M1/M50 interchange and at Dublin Airport.
As indicated in Chapter 5 of the Clongriffin Belmayne LAP the economic and retail potential of Clongriffin is largely dependent on providing the critical mass of people to support a Town Centre. This has not been achieved to date however it is noted that planning applications for large scale residential and town centre services / employment generating uses have been recently submitted to An Bord Pleanala and the Planning Department.
In order to support Town Centre development in all its guises at Clongriffin, including office development (large and small), the implementation of the LAP is critical. The Council’s role is to facilitate the provision of required infrastructure where appropriate and to ensure, through the Development Management process, that the town is an attractive place to live, work and invest in.
Coilín O’Reilly
Director of Services – North City
Contact: Jane O’Donoghue, Senior Executive Planner
Tel: 222 3500
Email: jane.odonoghue@dublincity.ie
Order: Refer to January NCAC.