4.4 The Strategic Approach

The vision for the urban form and structure of the city is to achieve a high quality, sustainable urban and natural environment, which is attractive to residents, workers and visitors.

The key approaches to achieving this vision underpinning the development plan are: ­

  • The creation of a more compact city, where residents can live close to their places of work or study, and can easily traverse the city, thereby reducing urban sprawl and unsustainable travel patterns.
  • The creation and nurturing of sustainable neighbourhoods, which are designed to facilitate walking and cycling, close to public transport insofar as possible, and a range of community infrastructure, in quality, more intensive mixed-use environments (please refer also to Dublin City Council policy QH4 which supports proposals from approved housing bodies and voluntary housing bodies). ­
  • The form and structure of the city must be enduring to support and maintain real economic recovery, to take advantage of the opportunities arising as a result of the recent upturn in the economy, and provide a critical mass to support investment, innovation and the smart economy.
  • The development of a well-designed and defined network of streets and quality urban spaces, together with the achievement of a good mix of uses to encourage vitality, in well-designed buildings which are appropriate to their context. ­
  • The development of a green infrastructure strategy for recreation, amenity, biodiversity and climate change reasons.
  • The pursuit of a distinctive Dublin brand and identity. ­
  • The integration of strategic transportation programmes into the urban form and structure of the city, thereby achieving maximum benefit from investment in public transport infrastructure. ­
  • The integration of a cultural and social vision into place-making. ­
  • The creation of a consolidated city, whereby infill sites are sustainably developed and new urban environments are created, by actively promoting active land management, a key component of which is the vacant site levy.