Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council

5.4 Land Use
The Cultural Quarter will accommodate a major civic space, cultural and
recreational facilities including a theatre/arts centre, town library, community
resource centre, art gallery and an exhibition venue extending into the
landscape. Other elements may include a hotel with conferencing facilities and
commercial and public facilities on the extended park fringe including uses such
as a fitness centre/gym.
RETAIL
An anchor retail unit will adjoin the cultural square, providing active frontage
onto this public square, and act as a draw to the area. The public square will be
the main social and cultural space serving Swords Town Centre and will be
capable of supporting outdoor performances, outdoor dining, artwork and
meeting/seating spaces. It is imagined that a calendar of events would allow for
markets, festivals etc.
Non retail services (including cafes, sandwich bars etc) may be located around
the square to compliment the main cultural uses. These may be in the form of
small kiosks within the square itself or on the park side of the Dublin Road. Any
proposed Kiosk will form part of the overall design of the space and not be
visually obtrusive or add clutter.
LIBRARY AND THEATRE / ARTS CENTRE
A town library of a scale similar or larger than that which currently exists in
Blanchardstown will be developed fronting onto the cultural square. It is
proposed to house both the Local Studies and Archives Units of the Council in
the same library.
The Theatre/Arts Centre will be a multi-purpose facility which will become the
focus of drama, music, dance and visual arts activities. It is envisaged that this
Centre would be designed on a model similar to Draíocht in Blanchardstown and
would be part of the same building as the Library, Local Studies, Archives et al.
A common lobby will serve the Library and the Theatre/Arts Centre.
HOTEL DEVELOPMENT
Any hotel development must provide active frontage to address the cultural square.
PARKING PROVISION
S W O R D S M A S T E R P L A N
Parking facilities serving the Cultural Quarter will be provided via a new
underground car park below the development area to the east.
Land Use – Key Requirements
● The land use mix in the Cultural Quarter will be predominantly
made up of public and cultural uses.
● All buildings addressing the cultural square must provide direct
active frontage.
● Shopfront signage shall integrate with the character of the Cultural
Quarter and promote the formation of a legible urban environment
● Parking shall be facilitated below ground level.
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5.5 Heights and Massing
Building heights and massing around the Cultural Quarter will be controlled
within a strategy which responds to the size of the adjoining spaces. Shadow
studies will be conducted to ensure that the height and mass of the buildings
are appropriate and do not have a negative impact within the site or on the
surrounding areas.
CULTURAL SQUARE
It is envisaged that there will be a reasonably consistent parapet height around
the cultural square to ensure a coherent space. The scale of buildings in this
location will be 5-6 storeys taking its cue from the existing Penney’s store. This
new datum is in keeping with the Pavilions retail mall adjacent and reflects the
viable retail storey heights and required mixed use to achieve a compact and
sustainable Town Centre development.
WARD RIVER PLACE
Buildings in this area will be 2-4 storeys in height and will be linear in their form
responding to the park side location and the desire to form a view from the Cultural
Square to the Ward River Valley Park and St. Columbas Church and Round Tower.
It is important that no buildings in this location restrict this view and connection.
EDGE CONDITIONS
Buildings at the south side of South Street will step down in scale to respect their
domestic neighbours along the Dublin Road and at Carlton Court. This issue is
addressed further within Section 6.0 relating to the Pavilions Development Area.
LANDMARK BUILDINGS
There are opportunities to create landmark buildings on both sides of Dublin
Road addressing the Cultural Square and the Ward River Valley Park. Landmark
buildings are not required to be large in scale rather they should be distinctive
in character and of outstanding architectural merit.
Height & Massing – Key Requirements
● No buildings fronting the Cultural Quarter shall be higher then the
precedent set by the adjacent Penneys development on the Dublin
Road.
● No buildings will obscure views into the Ward River Valley Park and
St. Columba’s Church and Round Tower from the Cultural Quarter.