ADAMSTOWN PLANNING SCHEME WINS NATIONAL PLANNING

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

On Friday 25 November (2.00 pm), The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. Dick Roche TD, will present South Dublin County Council with the overall Planning Achievement Award 2005, as part the Irish Planning Institute’s National Planning Awards which are held every two years.

The Council won the Planning Achievement Award for its ground breaking work in both preparing and implementing the Planning Scheme for the development of a new residential community at Adamstown near Lucan, Co. Dublin , which is the first Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) in the Country.

South Dublin County Council was particularly commended for taking a proactive approach to facilitating and regulating the implementation of the Adamstown Planning Scheme in order to secure a high quality urban environment with the necessary infrastructure and amenities, which included the establishment a specific project team to oversee and monitor development.

The awards panel considered that key aspects of the Adamstown Planning Scheme could serve as a model for delivering large scale urban developments elsewhere and that the project has been particularly innovative in the provision of mechanisms to ensure the timely delivery of the required physical and social infrastructure necessary to support a new community

Paul Hogan , Senior Planner at South Dublin County Council said that “We are delighted with the IPI Planning Achievement Award and we will continue to work with the Adamstown developer consortium, the relevant service providers and the local community to ensure the successful implementation of the Adamstown Project”.

Tom Doherty , Director of Planning at South Dublin County Council said that “We look forward to seeing the first new residents in Adamstown in 2006”.

Background Information for Editors:

Adamstown is a new urban district on a greenfield site adjoining the main Dublin-Kildare railway line, 10 miles (16km) west of Dublin City Centre. To be developed over 10 or more years and based on an approved Planning Scheme or ‘Masterplan’ prepared by South Dublin County Council, Adamstown will provide up to 10,000 new homes along with a range of shopping, employment, leisure, civic & cultural facilities.

Facilities and infrastructure for the new community of Adamstown must be provided in tandem with housing development. A new railway station, bus corridors, roads, schools, parks community buildings, childcare facilities and drainage networks are required on a phased basis.

As ‘Development Agency’ for the project, South Dublin County Council is committed to ensuring that Adamstown is a sustainable urban community with a strong sense of identity that is attractive, safe and secure in a traditional town and village format and that development occurs at a pace whereby it is supported by all necessary facilities and infrastructure.

To date, almost 700 dwellings have been permitted and approximately 200 of these are now under construction. In addition, a railway station, 3km QBC busway and 2km link road have been granted planning permission. The Link road and part of the busway are under construction and work on the rail station is due to start on site early in 2006. A planning application for a small park with play facilities is currently being considered and further applications are expected for the first school and elements of the district centre early in 2006.

More information on the Adamstown development is available at www.adamstown.ie

Date of Release: 24 November 2005

Contacts: Paul Hogan , Senior Planner/Adamstown Project Manager

Fionnuala Lennon, Adamstown Project Planner

South Dublin County Council

Tel: 01 414 9000/086 173 1721

Email: phogan@sdublincoco.ie or flennon@sdublincoco.ie