"As city councillors we want to work in partnership with all of the citizens of Dublin, hear what they have to say, and work together to create a Development Plan that will make Dublin the jewel in the crown of European capital cities. This website is designed to provide you with information about the Draft Dublin Development Plan, 2011-2017, and to enable you to comment on it. Please use the submission form to have your say in the future of our city."

A green city is a healthy city. Protecting and enhancing green space not only makes the city more sustainable, it makes it a more attractive place to live, work and visit. The Draft Development Plan contains a wide range of policies aimed at making Dublin a cleaner, greener city. These include:

 - an overall ‘Green Infrastructure’ strategy that maps out new city-wide ‘green routes' 

- play spaces and sports facilities at neighbourhood level

 - sustainable connectivity between green areas

 - enhanced tree planting along green routes

 - protection of landscapes and biodiverse areas

Chapter 6 of the development plan is called ‘Greening the City.' It outlines these and many other proposed actions the city will take over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here. And you can view an interactive map that illustrates the proposed ‘Strategic Green Corridors’ here.

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to Dublin City Council on the subject.

Dublin is renowned as a cultural city. In all its forms, culture enhances quality of life for everyone living, working, visiting and studying in the capital.

Chapter 7 of the Draft Development Plan is called “Fostering the City’s Character and Culture.” It outlines many proposed actions and objectives regarding cultural life in the city over the next six years. 

These include

- celebrating diversity
- seeking the preservation of historic buildings
- supporting the selection of a chosen day to be designated 'Dublin Day' 
- ensuring that cultural facilities are provided as part of larger developments in the City Centre

You can read a full summary of the chapter or download the original here.

Retail activity is fundamental to the success of any city. It stimulates spending, connects streets and plazas and provides a focus for urban communities. In a compact area, retail / shopping areas have the power to create a rich, diverse urban experience.

The Draft Development Plan contains a wide range of policies aimed at strengthening Dublin as a national retail destination. These include:

 - Creating mixed-use, lively and vibrant neighbourhoods throughout the city

 - Providing locally accessible shopping

 - Maintaining the city centre as the country’s main retail centre for comparison goods

 - Promoting and protecting specialist shops within the inner city

 - Encouraging quality convenience shopping with strong choice and competition

 - Developing and expanding Key District Centres

Chapter 10 of the Draft Development Plan is called ‘Strengthening the City as a National Retail Destination.' It outlines these and many other proposed actions the city will take over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here. And you can view an interactive map that illustrates the proposed Key District Centres here.

What do you think of the ideas suggested? What else would you like to see in the city to help protect and strengthen its retail offering? 

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to Dublin City Council on the subject.

Dublin is acknowledged as a low-rise city and the Draft Development Plan intends to retain this intrinsic quality and ensure that it remains predominantly so in the future.

Do you think this is an appropriate stance for the city to take? Can the city accommodate greater height without comprising the city’s unique identity?

Chapter 5 of the Development Plan is called “Shaping the City.” It outlines the approach and proposed actions the city will take regarding the form and structure of the city over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here.

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to Dublin City Council on the subject.

With over 90% of new homes in apartment format in the city, it is essential that such apartments are sustainable over time and not treated merely as a step on the ladder until one can move into a house.

How do you think this can be achieved? What makes city apartment living work? What would you like to see changed / improved about apartment living in the city?

Chapter 11 of the Development Plan is called “Providing Quality Homes in a Compact City.” It outlines the approach and proposed actions the city will take regarding accommodation in the city over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here.

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to Dublin City Council on the subject.

In order to make the city centre more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists, the City Council has introduced major initiatives such as the construction of the Liffey boardwalk, the widening of footpaths (e.g. O’Connell Street), the 5-axle ban, a decrease in speed limits and the dublinbikes scheme.

What other initiatives / changes would you like to see happen in the city that would further improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience?

Chapter 5 of the Development Plan is called “Connecting & Sustaining the City's Infrastructure.” It outlines the approach and proposed actions the city will take regarding transport and services infrastructure over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here.

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to the City Council on the subject. 

Although our Drop-In Day sessions finished this week, the Draft Development Plan remains on display at a wide variety of locations throughout the city.

Dublin libraries and local area offices have copies of the plan available to view and are showing the video regularly. Comment boxes are set up at these locations too, so people can leave immediate feedback on any aspect of the plan they wish. For a full list of public display locations and opening times, click here.

And don’t forget you can discuss any aspect of the plan online at any time, via our general discussion thread here. 

One of the priorities of the new Draft Dublin City Development Plan is to create ‘sustainable’ neighbourhoods in Dublin. By sustainable the Council means neighbourhoods that have all the necessary facilities and services people need within walking distance, and which support life-long living.  If a neighbourhood has accommodation options and facilities that cater to children, singles, couples, families and older residents, people can potentially live there through different phases of their life.

Is your neighbourhood sustainable? How could it be made more so? Is sustainability an important issue for you? If not, what is most important to you as a resident in your neighbourhood? 

Click here to go our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to the City Council on the subject.

Dublin City Council's Jim Keogan is appearing this afternoon on DublinCityFM to discuss the Draft Development Plan. Jim will take part in a panel discussion with John Kearney, a Dublin-based architect, and Cathleen O'Neill, representing the Kilbarrack CDP community group.

The discussion will be chaired by DublinCityFM’s Declan Carty and will cover a range of topics related to the Draft Plan, from explanations of what it means to the importance of public consultation and citizen feedback. Listeners can also contact the station and pose questions to the panel during the show.

Be sure to tune in to 103.2FM at 2pm today to catch the discussion! You can also listen online on the DublinCityFM website, here.

And if you hear something you like or dislike and would like to comment on it, click here to go to our online forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to the City Council.

Our last week of Drop-In Days concludes today with sessions in Finglas Civic Centre and Walkinstown Library. Two City Planners will be in both locations from 1pm - 8pm to answer questions and explain the ideas and vision behind the Draft Development Plan.

 If you're in the neighbourhood, drop in, tell us what you think, and have your say in how Dublin develops over the next six years.

Our last week of Drop-In Days continues today with two sessions: one in the Cabra Library and the other in Coolock Library. As always, City Planners will be onhand in both locations from 1pm - 8pm to answer questions and explain the ideas and vision behind the Draft Development Plan.

If you're in the neighbourhood, why not drop in? Talk to a City Planner, tell us what you think, and have your say in how Dublin develops over the next six years.

Whether it’s for reasons of health or economy, there’s a growing interest in locally-produced food in the capital. More and more Dubliners are asking the Council for allotments to grow their own food. The draft plan supports the development of allotments, particularly on vacant sites of the city.

The popularity of the city's many farmer's markets also reflect people's ongoing desire for fresh, local produce.  

What else would you like to see in the plan to encourage people to grow their own food? Are there any measures or ideas you’d suggest to support the growth and sale of locally-produced food in Dublin's markets? Is this an important issue for you?

Click here to go to the discussion forum and discuss, or here to make a submission directly to the City Council on the subject. 

Our last week of Drop-In Days begins today with two sessions: one in the Ballymun Civic Centre and the other in Pearse Street Library. City Planners will be onhand in both locations from 1pm - 8pm to answer questions and explain the ideas and vision behind the Draft Development Plan. 

We were asked yesterday for an example of a change that was made to the Dublin development plan as a result of a comment from "an ordinary citizen." The request – which came in to our Twitter page from Tupp_Ed – was made “to give me heart that making the effort [to comment on the Plan] would be worthwhile because the interest was genuine.” Today we responded to Tupp_Ed, and thought it was worth reposting here too.

Last year, we received a public submission, which subsequently became a specific objective in the Draft Development Plan, to “provide dedicated & separated cycleways on main route corridors to support commuting by bicycle.”

This submission became objective SI013 (p.46 in the draft Plan): “To develop a direct cycle linkage system away from the primary traffic network including on and off road cycle lanes designed and constructed to minimise conflict with other road users.” (The full reference for the objective is Ch.5, 5.1.4.4, p46.)

We’re happy to have a chance to illustrate that the submissions sent in by the public are reviewed and can shape the direction of the Plan and the development of the city. The goal behind this website - and our presence on sites like Twitter - is to reach out to people and encourage dialogue, debate and as many submissions as possible. So if you’re inclined, take a little time and discuss or submit your thoughts on the draft Plan, and contribute to the future development of your city! 

Today we’re talking about culture. Dublin is renowned as a cultural city. The draft plan aims to promote an active artistic community at city-wide and neighbourhood levels. You can check out a selection of cultural policies and objectives in the Priorities section here. Or you can read them all in Chapter 7 of the Plan, ‘Fostering Dublin’s Character and Culture.’

What do you think of the ideas suggested? Do you want to see more affordable live-work units for artists? Would you support the establishment of an annual ‘Dublin Day’? What initiatives would you like to see to encourage artists to live, produce and display in the city? 

Go to the Feedback page and have your say!