14.2 Challenges

The zonings in this plan result from an evaluation of the implementation of the Dublin City Development Plan 2011 – 2017 and its zonings. They also derive from the core strategy. All zoning categories and areas have been reviewed to ensure a balanced approach to the overall pattern of land-use zoning. This balance is important given planned population increases, environmental considerations, the needs of communities, and the importance of consolidating the city sustainably.

In addition to ensuring capacity for new homes to serve a growing population, there is also a need to ensure that there is capacity to meet the needs of existing and future residential communities, in particular for schools, hospitals and recreational activities. The economic development of the city must also be accommodated. Some areas are suited to a blend of employment and residential uses, which ensures ongoing activity and also benefits from synergy between uses, and mixed-use zonings (such as Z5 and Z10) apply to such areas.

There have been a number of changes to transportation planning in recent years, and this has implications not only for land-uses, but also for appropriate residential densities and appropriate intensities of development. The transportation policy context has, therefore, been carefully considered in reevaluating the location of different zonings and also the range of land-uses that is encouraged or facilitated within each.