More than 400 people will attend the Conference on Maximising the City’s Potential in Croke Park Conference Centre today. Speaking at the Conference Councillor Daithí Doolan, Chair of the Economic Development, Planning and European Affairs Strategic Policy Committee, says:
“The Conference will discuss the document ‘Maximising the City’s Potential’ which proposes a policy framework for densification and height across the city. But more importantly its ongoing development is informed by our overall vision for Dublin and the quality of life for the people who live and work in it. This is about the quality of life for people who live and work in the city, the contribution of Dublin to Ireland’s economic growth and also deciding whether we have aspirations for Dublin to be a global city.”
Dublin City Manager John Tierney said:
“Dublin City can offer a good quality of life for families and businesses and we are aiming to create a City of communities where people would work, socialise and educate their children within walking distance of their home. New apartments will be big enough to support growing families so that they will have a real option of a home in good quality neighbourhoods.”
The purpose of the conference is to engage in meaningful dialogue with residents, communities, developers, business people and architects on the future development of the city. The conference is part of the City Council’s wider public consultation on its Draft Strategy for Intensification and Height published in December 2007.
“This is not about developing a policy for its own sake, but about piecing together a range of issues including Climate Change, the needs of our children, our lifestyles, to develop joined up thinking to create one sustainable vibrant city that serves its peoples needs” said Councillor Doolan. “The City needs to be building not just apartment blocks but to work in partnership with all stakeholders to build communities that are environmentally and socially sustainable.”
“We want to develop a city that can accommodate everybody in a sustainable manner and to achieve this we need some high rise in the mix. The challenges for Dublin City Council are to determine where high-density is appropriate, the height these buildings should be and how we manage that new environment,” said John Tierney.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
Speakers at the conference include John Tierney, Dublin City Manager, Sean O'Laoire, President, RIAI, Marc Coleman, Economist, Mick Wallace, Developer, Conor Skehan, Head of Environment & Spatial Planning Dept at DIT and Des Geraghty, Chairperson, Affordable Homes Partnership.
The conference will be told that to enhance Dublin as a dynamic and competitive City people need to be encouraged and attracted into the city to settle and work. Therefore higher density housing, between 4 and 8 storeys is required to accommodate the 1.4 million projected population Dublin will have by 2016. A number of carefully placed higher buildings, some office and some residential will assist in achieving the optimum density required to meet the needs of a growing vibrant Dublin.
The draft policy proposes higher densities in selected areas, for example the Central Retail Core, Dolphins Barn, Phibsboro / Mountjoy and Georges Quay and all guided by individual plans. Higher clusters of development are identified at specific locations in Heuston, Grangegorman, Digital Hub and Docklands.