Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council

6.4 Density and Mix
LAND USE STRATEGY
Objectives
● To promote a mixed use, primarily retail led, development, which
will integrate with the evolving city of Swords, adding to its vitality
and sustainability. The mix of uses shall include retail, retail
services, residential, office, hotel, social, and cultural uses.
● To ensure the provision of residential units at strategic locations
overlooking 24 hour streets.
● To promote the creation of active ground floor frontages, such as
restaurants, cafes, bars and retail services, particularly at public
places/squares and along 24 hour streets.
● To support access to the Town Centre by sustainable modes of
transport and accommodate appropriate levels of parking within
800m distance of the Swords Metro Stop.
The land use mix within this urban extension area will relate to retail, retail
services, residential, office, hotel, social, community and cultural uses. This mix
of uses and the quantum of this mix is important in the overall vitality and
viability of the Town Centre, as is the urban design framework, street network,
form and scale of development [see map Uses Diagram].
RETAIL DEVELOPMENT
In terms of the retail mix, it is deemed appropriate that the majority of new retail
provision be in the form of comparison shopping, with expansion in large scale
convenience retail more appropriately located outside of the Town Centre in
proximity to the local population it serves. Retail anchors are proposed within
the Pavilions site: 2 anchors are to be located within the eastern section of the
site to the north and south of the Metro Plaza; 1 smaller anchor will be located
adjacent to and supporting the Cultural Quarter; it is anticipated the anchors
within the existing scheme will remain in their current locations. The anchors
will primarily be located adjoining the two 24 hour streets – Central Street and
The Rise. All retail streets, primary and secondary, will support active frontages
with frequent entrance points along the street. Long inactive frontages will not
be supported.
Retail services
Retail services (including non-retail uses such as Cafés, Restaurants, Smoothie
Bars, Sandwich Bars, Confectionary and Coffee Shops etc) are required
particularly around key urban spaces to act as focal points of attraction, with
active frontages addressing the spaces. Such uses will in particular be
supported at the Cultural Quarter, Pavilions Place, Malahide Place and onto the
Metro Plaza to ensure day and evening activity.
RESIDENTIAL
Residential provision within the scheme will be primarily in the form of
apartments and shall be located so as to achieve vibrancy/activity and overlooking
along the main 24 hour streets, namely Central Street, The Rise, corner location of
Main Street/Malahide Road, corner of Malahide Road/R132, and South Street.
Apartments shall be provided over Central Street and The Rise to ensure activity
along these 24 hour streets.
In terms of complimentary edge uses, South Street shall be a residential only
street to the southern edge of the Pavilions site, adjoining the existing Carlton
Court/Paddocks residential areas. This street may also support limited
community facilities, such as a crèche.
400 units – 600 residential units will be accommodated within the development.
These units shall comply with National and County Development Plan Standards
in terms of size, layout, and private/public amenity open space.
OFFICE DEVELOPMENT
Office development is proposed primarily at the Metro Plaza. Ground floor uses
fronting the Metro Plaza shall be active in nature and evening activity promoted.
Parking requirements will reflect the location of this use adjoining the Swords
Metro Stop. The integration of high density employment generating uses
adjoining the Metro is in support of sustainable development.
CULTURAL QUARTER
The Cultural Quarter will be integrated with the Pavilions development and will
support a mixture of cultural, retail and retail services/uses within the setting of a
focal urban space. An anchor retail unit on Central Street will abut the cultural
square and act as a draw to this area. Located onto the square will also be a theatre,
library, galleries and arts centre, hotel and a range of restaurants and café facilities.
The public square itself will be capable of supporting outdoor performances, outdoor
dining, weekly market stalls and meeting/seating spaces. The square will have a
strong landscape element including formalized tree planting, a water feature,
and permanent commissioned sculptural and lighting art installations
PARKING PROVISIONS
S W O R D S M A S T E R P L A N
Parking shall be located primarily underground within the Pavilions scheme,
facilitating the development of a pedestrian friendly environment. County
Development Plan parking standards will be considered within the context of the
location of this site beside Metro North, which is a high-quality public transport
facility, and the potential for interlinking of trips between the various uses.
A Traffic Impact Assessment and a Mobility Management Plan will be required to be
submitted as a part of a planning application for this area. This Plan will consider
the proximity of development to the Metro Stop, interlinking of trips for those visiting
the area and potential catchment area. The Swords traffic model undertaken by
FCC shall be used to assess the implications of the proposed development.
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Specific Local Objectives:
Retail
● Active frontages shall be provided along retail streets within the
scheme and shall be dominant in particular fronting all urban spaces,
particularly at Pavilions Place, Malahide Place, Metro Quarter and
Cultural Quarter.
● Shopfront signage shall integrate with the character of the streetscape
and promote the formation of a legible urban environment.
● Parking shall be facilitated below ground level and a Car Parking/
Traffic Management Strategy for the area shall be submitted at
planning application stage.
● A Retail Impact Assessment shall be submitted at planning
application stage.
Residential
● A range of 400-600 residential units shall be provided within the
scheme to ensure vibrancy and activity along the network of 24
hour streets.
● Residential units shall be provided along Central Street, The Rise,
corner of Malahide Road/Main Street, corner of Malahide
Road/R132, and South Street.
● South Street shall be a residential street and shall be designed to
protect the amenity of residential units in the adjoining Carlton
Court and Paddocks developments. The minimum standards set
down in the Masterplan document in this regard shall be adhered
to and a Visual Impact Assessment shall be submitted as part of
the planning application.
● All residential units shall be assessed at planning application stage
in terms of height, massing, sunlight and daylight impacts, visual
impact, overlooking, wind impact, acoustic privacy, and provision for
private and public open space.
● Private open space and semi-private open space shall meet
national and development plan standards. Privately accessed
toddlers’ play grounds shall be accommodated on-site. Larger
public open space requirements may be addressed within the
neighbouring Ward River Valley Park, and proposed regional park in
Swords, subject to agreement with the planning authority.
● Parking provisions shall be assessed within the context of the
Fingal County Development Plan provisions, proximity to Swords
Metro Stop and public transport interchange and potential for interlinking
of trips between uses.
Office
● Office Development shall be facilitated along the R132. Additional
small scale office units shall be permissible within the development
area to support the mix of uses at this location.
● Office development shall be assessed at planning application stage
in terms of Fingal Development Plan standards, and in particular
shall be assessed in terms of height, massing, sunlight and daylight
impacts, visual impact and wind impact.
● Parking provisions shall be assessed within the context of the
Development Plan provisions and proximity to Swords Metro Stop/
public transport interchange.