Suggest zoning of lands from ‘I: Agricultural’ to ‘C: New Residential’

This submission seeks the rezoning of the subject site from ‘I: Agricultural’ to ‘C: New Residential’, the key arguments for which are outlined in this submission and summarised as follows:

• The subject site (c. 14.3 ha) is within Maynooth Town environs and is strategically located; c. 1km from Maynooth Railway Station; c. 500m from the M4 motorway; and c. 130m of high-quality bus services; and within walking distance of key social and community infrastructure.
• In the wider context, the lands are within the boundary of Maynooth Town, defined as a ‘Key Town’ in Dublin’s Metropolitan Area on the ‘North-West Corridor’ (as defined in the Regional Spatial Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Area, 2019-2031 (RSES)) and has a strategic role in delivering significant residential and economic development.
• The ‘North-West Corridor’ supports the delivery of development on key public transport corridors, and in this instance, residential development in the environs of Maynooth. The RSES also supports the provision of new employment centres on rail corridors, highlighting the importance of ensuring that sufficient lands are subject to residential zoning to facilitate the delivery of a commensurate quantum of housing.
• The lands form part of the Maynooth Local Area Plan 2013-2019, as amended, and are bounded by residentially zoned lands to the west and south and educational lands to the southwest.
• This submission seeks that the zoning objective on the subject site is revised from ‘I: Agricultural’ (as per Maynooth Local Area Plan 2013-2019) to ‘C: New Residential’ which seeks ‘to provide for new residential development’.
• The rezoning of the subject site to ‘C: New Residential’ fully accords with the principles of achieving ‘compact growth’ as identified in the Project Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework (NPF) and the RSES, supporting new residential development with sufficient social and community infrastructure, with services within a 10-minute walk or cycle from homes or accessible by public transport services. 
• The lands to the southeast of Maynooth are a logical extension of the existing town. The area is sufficiently served by existing social and community services, and planned development in the area includes the Maynooth Eastern Ring Road (MERR) road project and associated infrastructure.  As such, the expansion of the settlement boundary will complement current plans for the area and promote compact growth in Maynooth.

We submit to Kildare County Council that the strategic role of Maynooth should be recognised.  We also urge the Council to ensure that sufficient residentially zoned land is allocated within the Draft Maynooth Local Area Plan 2022-2028 to ensure residential dwellings are delivered in a timely manner in order to address housing needs.