Opportunities for Transport Orientated Development (TOD) in Major Urban Centres - Dublin Study

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Transport jointly established a working group in December 2021 under ‘Housing for All’ to consider opportunities for Transport Orientated Development (TOD) in major urban centres. The group comprises membership from DHLGH, DOT, the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Land Development Agency (LDA).

Transport Orientated Development (TOD) seeks to maximise the provision of housing, employment, public services and leisure space in close proximity to high quality transport services, including BusConnects, DART, Luas and MetroLink in Dublin.

The Dublin report details 14 optimum locations for the phased delivery of approximately 130,000 residential units and mixed-use development. These areas are all close to existing or planned high-capacity public transport hubs making them accessible locations, creating sustainable and vibrant communities.

Nine of the locations - with potential for 60,000 residential units – are areas where housing development is already ongoing or, on some sites, already delivered. In the Adamstown and Cherrywood Strategic Development Zones (SDZs), over 6,500 new homes have already been delivered and there is capacity for a further 13,000 homes. In addition, work commenced in two new SDZs at Clonburris and Poolbeg in 2022 with the first new homes expected in Clonburris in 2023. Development at all of these locations is supported by investment in infrastructure and facilities under the Governments €3 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.

The other five locations listed in the report are at an earlier stage in the planning process and will provide medium to longer-term potential linked to planned investment in public transport.

The Dublin report is just a first step. The TOD working group, which undertook the study, will focus on TOD opportunities in the wider eastern region and in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford in 2023. The outputs from this work will inform Government policy and initiatives in support of the National Strategic Outcomes of the NPF, in particular outcomes relating to Compact Growth, Sustainable Mobility and Transition to a Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Society.

This will include consideration of legislative and policy provisions, institutional arrangements, capacity-building measures and funding and resources required to facilitate the delivery of such plan-led development in a timely manner.

Engagement with local authorities, the LDA, the NTA and infrastructure providers, such as Uisce Éireann, will also continue in order to identify further opportunities and to accelerate TOD delivery.