Special Planning Control Schemes in Conservation Areas
A Special Planning Control Scheme (SPCS) allows Dublin City Council to specify development objectives for the preservation or enhancement of an Architectural Conservation Area.
A SPCS is a plan made by Dublin City Council which sets out rules and goals around how land and buildings are developed in a particular Architectural Conservation Area.
It gives planners extra powers to:
- Decide what can be built
- Protect important places
- Control building size and design
- Manage future development carefully
In order to create these schemes, Dublin City Council must:
- Publish a public notice in national newspapers stating that the area is proposed for a Special Planning Control Scheme.
- Invite submissions from the public about the proposed scheme.
- Consider the proposed scheme and approve or refuse the scheme by resolution.
Two SPCSs have been created for Dublin's city centre, impacting Grafton Street, O'Connell Street and their surrounding areas.
Grafton Street and Environs SPCS
The Grafton Street and Environs SPCS was passed by the council in September 2019. It includes Grafton Street in Dublin city centre and some surrounding streets, lanes and historic buildings.
The goal of this SPCS is to invigorate Grafton Street as the south city’s most dynamic retail experience and re-establish the area’s rich historic charm and urban character.
It sets out a range of policies and objectives relating to:
- Architectural conservation
- Public realm improvements
- Retail use
- Building heights
- Signage and shopfronts
- Traffic and pedestrian movement
- Heritage protection
To find out more, you can download the full plan below.
O’Connell Street and Environs SPCS
The O’Connell Street and Environs SPCS was adopted by Dublin City Council in November 2022. It covers O’Connell Street and surrounding streets, lanes, plazas and historic buildings.
This SPCS aims to support the regeneration of O’Connell Street as Dublin’s principal civic boulevard. The plan intends to improve the quality of the public realm, encourage investment and protect the street’s historic and architectural character.
It sets out a range of policies and objectives relating to:
- Architectural conservation
- Public realm and streetscape improvements
- Retail, commercial and cultural uses
- Building height and urban design
- Advertising, signage and shopfronts
- Traffic, transport and pedestrian movement
- Heritage protection
- Vacancy and upper-floor activation
- Tourism and civic identity
To find out more, read the full plan below. Associated documents, such as Appropriate Assessments and maps, are also available to download.
Additional Documents
Additional reports, screenings and documentation which informed the SPCS are also available.