Fingal County Council urged to extend consultation on 18,500-home Dunsink plan
Pressure is mounting for Fingal County Council to extend the public consultation period for their 18,500 homes Dunsink development.
Councillors for Dublin city’s North West Area are requesting the consultation for on Draft Dunsink Urban Area Plan be extended or formally reopened until the end of September. The plan to develop the largest remaining greenfield landbank inside Dublin’s M50 as the Dunsink City Quarter have seen significant pushback, particularly from those in Finglas, who are concerned the high-density project will overwhelm already overstretched schools, GPs, and roads.
The period of public consultation is set to end on July 31, but North West councillors feel appropriate time has not been given to properly consider the impact of the 435-hectare development. “While this is a statutory consultation, the six-week period for submissions is a minimum rather than a maximum under Section 75 of the Planning and Development Act 2024,” a joint statement from councillors said.
“This is a major development which will have a significant impact on roads, services and other infrastructure in the Finglas area. Despite our engagement earlier this year requesting a briefing and further information on the Draft Urban Area Plan, full details were only shared with Dublin City councillors at a briefing for public representatives on Friday 10th July.
“Additionally, no public information event has been held in Finglas, and many local residents have only become aware of the scale and detail of the plan in recent weeks. In our view, meaningful, informed engagement from Finglas residents has been substantially limited in this context.
"The situation is made more difficult by the fact that we are in the middle of the Summer, when many constituents are away and less engaged than they would be at other times of the year.” Councillors are asking consultation to remain open until September and Fingal County Council to host a public information event in Finglas in partnership with Dublin City Council.
Having secured funding in excess of €20 million through the government’s Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF), proposed Dunsink works include improvements on Scribblestown Lane and Dunsinea Lane. People Before Profit Councillor Conor Reddy previously told Dublin Live the sheer scale of the project means residents must prepare for an incoming development “that will be larger than Finglas itself”.
In a time where “we desperately need affordable and social housing” this has the potential to transform northwest Dublin, but Cllr Reddy stressed “the problem begins with information”. "It's a Fingal development, it's a Fingal site, and they have the prerogative to make plans for their own lands, but the site is right beside Finglas and all of the impacts of development, particularly large-scale development, will be felt in the Finglas area. And there's not been any consultation or information given to people in that area,” he said.
The proposed Dunsink City Quarter is centred around eight development areas including three residential neighbourhoods: Dunsink East, Dunsink Central, and Dunsink West. A cultural quarter centred on Dunsink Observatory as well as a new regional park and recreational hub on the former landfill are also included.
An estimated 18,500 homes are also set to be delivered in three phases: Phase 1 will see the construction of an initial 2,500 homes, Phase 2 a further 8,000, and a final phase of 8,000 - with exact timelines still to be confirmed.
Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tony Murphy welcomed the plan as a “major milestone” and a “transformational, people-first development that will provide not just high-quality homes, but a vibrant new community”. “This ambitious plan will deliver a climate-resilient, well-connected urban quarter, designed around the principles of compact living, sustainable transport and rich natural heritage. Dunsink represents a unique opportunity to create a place where people can truly live, work and thrive, while contributing to the long-term social and economic future of our county”.
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