Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council

9.1 Introduction
Successful Town Centres have a multi-functional role to play. The modern
competitive urban landscape is one of vibrancy, diversity, amenity and
sustainability and uses are mixed rather than segregated.
The Landscape & Public Realm structure is a key element of a successful Town
Centre, with the quality of design reinforcing and enhancing the urban setting.
This is particularly relevant to Swords Town Centre where a strong natural
landscape and spread of trees throughout the town environs is further enriched
by the Ward River Valley Park and water course, as well as the mature tree lines
along Main Street and R132 parkway/landscaped condition [see map ‘Green
Spaces, Pedestrian Links, Views].
The effective screening of the current disparate set of uses and built forms by
dense tree planting has permitted Swords to retain its identity. The protection
and extension of this historic use of planted and retained natural tree planting as
structured landscape elements is a key component of the urban design
framework and a defining element of Swords as a whole.
In conjunction with the strengthening and consolidation of landscaping, a Public
Realm Strategy for the Main Street Area, linking to North Street and Town Centre
extension areas (Pavilions and Barrysparks) is required.
S W O R D S M A S T E R P L A N
9.0 Public Realm and Landscaping Strategy
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9.2 Characteristics of the
Public Realm
Public realm is the space between and within buildings that are publicly accessible,
including streets, squares, forecourts, parks and open spaces. It also includes
landscape elements, street furniture and public art. The Masterplan seeks to
improve and expand the public realm in Swords Town Centre by addressing
existing deficiencies and promoting proposals for public realm enhancements.
A strategy for the Public Realm should address:
● Amenity – creating a safe, attractive and accessible Town Centre environment
● Coherence – establishing a clear set of design principles which run
throughout the Town Centre
● Identity – the principles should reinforce the character and identity of Swords.
The public realm derives from the urban strategy of connecting the evolving
Swords with the Metro. To this end, the Masterplan proposes a network of new
and enhanced streets and spaces in order to deliver these connections.
The principal streets to be enhanced include Main Street and associated
transport corridors leading to and from Main Steet, connecting Main Street to
Metro and surrounding amenities and services. In addition, the importance of the
R132 as a main arterial route through Swords cannot be underestimated. It will
create a first impression of the city of Swords for many people, and is examined
in detail under Section 7.0, Metro Quarter.
The major urban spaces are:
● Civic Quarter.
● Cultural Square.
● Pavilions Place.
● Malahide Place.
● Metro Plaza.
● Main Square, Barrysparks.
● Barrysparks Place.
Swords already has the benefit of three existing major public green spaces:
● Town Park
● Rivervalley Park
● Broadmeadow Valley Park
While the parks are an important and integral part of the public realm they are
not considered in detail in the Town Centre Masterplan which focuses
predominately on hard landscaping and urban nodes within the Town Centre