Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council
Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council
Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council
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5.4 Land Use<br />
The Cultural Quarter will accommodate a major civic space, cultural and<br />
recreational facilities including a theatre/arts centre, town library, community<br />
resource centre, art gallery and an exhibition venue extending into the<br />
landscape. Other elements may include a hotel with conferencing facilities and<br />
commercial and public facilities on the extended park fringe including uses such<br />
as a fitness centre/gym.<br />
RETAIL<br />
An anchor retail unit will adjoin the cultural square, providing active frontage<br />
onto this public square, and act as a draw to the area. The public square will be<br />
the main social and cultural space serving <strong>Swords</strong> Town Centre and will be<br />
capable of supporting outdoor performances, outdoor dining, artwork and<br />
meeting/seating spaces. It is imagined that a calendar of events would allow for<br />
markets, festivals etc.<br />
Non retail services (including cafes, sandwich bars etc) may be located around<br />
the square to compliment the main cultural uses. These may be in the form of<br />
small kiosks within the square itself or on the park side of the Dublin Road. Any<br />
proposed Kiosk will form part of the overall design of the space and not be<br />
visually obtrusive or add clutter.<br />
LIBRARY AND THEATRE / ARTS CENTRE<br />
A town library of a scale similar or larger than that which currently exists in<br />
Blanchardstown will be developed fronting onto the cultural square. It is<br />
proposed to house both the Local Studies and Archives Units of the <strong>Council</strong> in<br />
the same library.<br />
The Theatre/Arts Centre will be a multi-purpose facility which will become the<br />
focus of drama, music, dance and visual arts activities. It is envisaged that this<br />
Centre would be designed on a model similar to Draíocht in Blanchardstown and<br />
would be part of the same building as the Library, Local Studies, Archives et al.<br />
A common lobby will serve the Library and the Theatre/Arts Centre.<br />
HOTEL DEVELOPMENT<br />
Any hotel development must provide active frontage to address the cultural square.<br />
PARKING PROVISION<br />
S W O R D S M A S T E R P L A N<br />
Parking facilities serving the Cultural Quarter will be provided via a new<br />
underground car park below the development area to the east.<br />
Land Use – Key Requirements<br />
● The land use mix in the Cultural Quarter will be predominantly<br />
made up of public and cultural uses.<br />
● All buildings addressing the cultural square must provide direct<br />
active frontage.<br />
● Shopfront signage shall integrate with the character of the Cultural<br />
Quarter and promote the formation of a legible urban environment<br />
● Parking shall be facilitated below ground level.<br />
5 3<br />
5.5 Heights and Massing<br />
Building heights and massing around the Cultural Quarter will be controlled<br />
within a strategy which responds to the size of the adjoining spaces. Shadow<br />
studies will be conducted to ensure that the height and mass of the buildings<br />
are appropriate and do not have a negative impact within the site or on the<br />
surrounding areas.<br />
CULTURAL SQUARE<br />
It is envisaged that there will be a reasonably consistent parapet height around<br />
the cultural square to ensure a coherent space. The scale of buildings in this<br />
location will be 5-6 storeys taking its cue from the existing Penney’s store. This<br />
new datum is in keeping with the Pavilions retail mall adjacent and reflects the<br />
viable retail storey heights and required mixed use to achieve a compact and<br />
sustainable Town Centre development.<br />
WARD RIVER PLACE<br />
Buildings in this area will be 2-4 storeys in height and will be linear in their form<br />
responding to the park side location and the desire to form a view from the Cultural<br />
Square to the Ward River Valley Park and St. Columbas Church and Round Tower.<br />
It is important that no buildings in this location restrict this view and connection.<br />
EDGE CONDITIONS<br />
Buildings at the south side of South Street will step down in scale to respect their<br />
domestic neighbours along the Dublin Road and at Carlton Court. This issue is<br />
addressed further within Section 6.0 relating to the Pavilions Development Area.<br />
LANDMARK BUILDINGS<br />
There are opportunities to create landmark buildings on both sides of Dublin<br />
Road addressing the Cultural Square and the Ward River Valley Park. Landmark<br />
buildings are not required to be large in scale rather they should be distinctive<br />
in character and of outstanding architectural merit.<br />
Height & Massing – Key Requirements<br />
● No buildings fronting the Cultural Quarter shall be higher then the<br />
precedent set by the adjacent Penneys development on the Dublin<br />
Road.<br />
● No buildings will obscure views into the Ward River Valley Park and<br />
St. Columba’s Church and Round Tower from the Cultural Quarter.