Swords Masterplan - Fingal County Council

1.0.1 LOCAL CONTEXT: FINGAL COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
2005-2011
The Town Centre is primarily zoned MC – ‘Major Town Centre’.
The Vision for MC lands is to:
…consolidate….and…to further develop these centres by densification of
appropriate commercial and residential developments ensuring a mix
of commercial, recreational, civic, cultural, leisure, residential uses,
and urban streets, while delivering a quality urban environment which
will enhance the quality of life of residential, visitor and workers alike.
The zone will strengthen retail provision in accordance with the County
Retail Strategy, emphasise urban conservation, ensure priority for
public transport, pedestrians and cyclists while minimising the impact
of private car based traffic and enhance and develop the existing urban
fabric. In order to deliver this vision and to provide a framework for
sustainable development, masterplans will be prepared for each
centre in accordance with the Urban Section policy objectives.’
Objective U01:
‘To produce masterplans for the major Town Centres of Swords,
Blanchardstown and Balbriggan’.
The CDP indicates that the Masterplan should be drafted within the framework
of an integrated land use and transportation plan. The Masterplan will include a
vision, development proposals and an implementation strategy. Whilst the
Masterplan will provide a vision for the Town Centre, design is only one
component of what must be a multi-disciplinary approach that combines
innovation and realism. It will include the following principles:
● Creation of an urban design framework for the Town Centre which will seek
to enhance the Town’s character,
● Establishment of the nature and mix of the uses, the existing density of
retail/other uses and intensification of uses and proposals to ensure
effective Town Centres,
● Integration of land use and transportation with particular emphasis on
effective traffic management, public transportation and reduction of surface
level car parking; there should be a reduction in the dominance of roads
and car parks,
● A better mix of Town Centre uses and the permeability of space to create a
living heart to the Town Centre, including:
– introduction of residential uses, sport and recreation,
– creation of focal points in the public realm including squares and
recreation areas,
– encouragement of retail development which expands on what is already
in place, for example, specialist traders and country markets,
● Exploitation of natural amenity and heritage assets,
● Where appropriate the designation of Architectural Conservation Areas and
architectural enhancement areas,
● Application of the Council’s findings and objectives from the County Retail
Strategy in order to progress the centre to achieve the characteristics of a
Major Town Centre and to secure appropriate retail floorspace,
● Partnership arrangements and consultation dialogue with local community,
other private sector partners and public agencies, and the voluntary sector
stakeholders to align plans and proposals for the centres and facilitate
agreement on key infrastructural requirements and provision,
● Establishment of a monitoring and implementation programme by the
undertaking of biannual health checks.
It should include consideration of:
● Existing density of retail/other uses and intensification of uses,
● The nature of the uses,
S W O R D S M A S T E R P L A N
1.0 Statutory Context
● Lessons learned from comparable international master plans as appropriate.
The Fingal Development Plan Development Strategy promotes the planned and
sustainable development of the County Town of Swords by:
● Consolidating existing and future development within well-defined town
boundaries separated from the agricultural hinterland by designated
greenbelt areas,
● Providing for a much-expanded civic, cultural, retail, commercial and
employment base at a level appropriate for a vibrant major County town,
● Developing high quality public transport links to Dublin City, Dublin Airport
and the Greater Dublin area,
● Promoting the development of high quality living and working environments.
The County Development plan identifies the following Development Objectives:
Objective SWORDS 1
● To encourage a range and quality of retail, commercial, civic, cultural,
leisure and other services commensurate with the role of Swords Town
Centre as a Major Centre.
Objective SWORDS 2
● To promote the development of Swords as a multi-modal transport hub.
Objective SWORDS 3
● To actively promote the early development of the Metro linking the town of
Swords with Dublin Airport and Dublin City Centre.
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Objective SWORDS 4
● To develop an Integrated Traffic Management Strategy for the town.
Objective SWORDS 5
● To maintain the operational capacity of Swords By-Pass.
Objective SWORDS 6
● To promote the early development of a local bus service within the town
linking residential areas to each other and to the industrial/employment
areas and the Town Centre.
Objective SWORDS 7
● To retain the Main Street as the core of the Town Centre, protect and
enhance its character and ensure that any future new commercial and retail
development reinforces the role of the main street as the core area of the
Town Centre, by increasing the existing level of retail use, prohibiting the
expansion of non-retail or inactive street frontages [including financial
institutions, betting offices and public houses] and strictly limiting the
development of fast food outlets.
Objective SWORDS 8
● To prepare a Masterplan for the Town Centre.
Objective SWORDS 9
● To prepare an Urban Design Framework Plan for the integration of the Metro
and Swords/N1 By Pass in association with the Town Centre Masterplan.
Objective SWORDS 10
● To prepare a Local Area Plan for ‘MC’ zoned land to the east of the Swords
By Pass for the integration of major Town Centre lands east of Swords By-
Pass with the existing Town Centre, for a transportation hub, retail and
employment uses and the Swords Masterplan.
Objective SWORDS 11
● To protect and conserve the historic core of Swords including the Zone of
Archaeological Potential in the centre of the town.
Objective SWORDS 12
● To promote high quality commercial signage in the Town Centre area and
initiate enforcement action where appropriate.
Objective SWORDS 13
● To promote and facilitate environmental improvements in the town core area.
Objective SWORDS 14
● To provide for a comprehensive network of pedestrian and cycle ways, linking
housing and commercial areas to one another and to the Town Centre and
linking the Ward River Valley, the Broadmeadow River Valley and the Estuary.