1.3 - The Vision for Dublin

This Dublin City Development Plan arrives at a time of uncertainty as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and climate change. The time is opportune however, to create a vision for the city that will not only facilitate growth, but will seek to ensure that this physical, social and economic growth takes place in a coherent and sustainable manner.

The city must, collectively through its citizens and civic leaders, develop a shared vision of what sort of city we aspire to, not only for the six-year lifetime of a development plan, but for the next 25 to 30 years. It is only by developing a shared vision for Dublin that we can deliver the Core Strategies of each successive development plan as crucial stepping stones towards the long-term vision. Without a vision which enjoys broad support, short-term, often competing, interests will prevail, ultimately to the detriment of the city.

The development plan vision has been informed having regard to the National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) set out in the NPF, the Regional Strategic Outcomes (RSOs) set out in the RSES and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Central to the achievement of the vision is the integration of climate action as a cross cutting theme throughout the plan.

The vision for the city is that:

Within the next 10 years, Dublin will have an established international reputation as one of Europe’s most sustainable, dynamic and resourceful city regions. Dublin, through the shared vision of its citizens and civic leaders, will be a beautiful, compact city, with a distinct character, a vibrant culture and a diverse, smart, green, innovation-based economy. It will be a socially inclusive city of urban neighbourhoods with excellent community and civic infrastructure based on the principles of the 15 minute city, all connected by an exemplary public transport, cycling and walking system and interwoven with a high quality bio-diverse, green space network. In short, the vision is for a capital city where people will seek to live, work, experience, invest and socialise, as a matter of choice.