Planning permission granted for nature-focused ‘urban village’ in Dublin
A new urban village of 488 apartments and duplexes in south Dublin, developed in collaboration between Fletcher Priest, Urban Agency, O’Mahony Pike and Grant Associates, has now received planning permission.
The new homes are part of a wider Cherrywood Village masterplan for property developer Quintain Ireland that seeks to create a community of 1,300 homes by 2025. It aims to be a place that provides the best of both city and landscape living, while respecting and strengthening existing ecological corridors.
Pioneering landscape architect practice Grant Associates is overseeing the landscape for the wider masterplan, which embraces a multi-layered approach that supports the spirit and ambition of the Strategic Development Zone (SDZ). Connectivity has been a key guiding principle behind the practice’s thinking; connectivity between residents and for wildlife as well as reconnecting people with nature. The overarching aim of the masterplan is to reduce individual reliance on cars, instead connecting people to public transport nodes, village and town centres and wider networks by foot or bicycle in order to establish a healthier community that is more in tune with their surroundings.
The landscape is envisaged as a piece of hard-working green-blue infrastructure that addresses issues such as surface water management, micro climate and biodiversity enhancement, while the landscape itself is soft and sensory, providing a calming respite to busy lifestyles. The intent is to bring a sense of ‘wild’ nature into the urban form though generous and informal planting zones; mixes with a high percentage of grasses and pollinator-friendly plants are set to enliven the streetscapes, bringing seasonal colour interest and a sense of movement.
A key landscape principle that is shaping the layout is the development of well-connected green spaces comprising of new greenways, home zone green streets, car-free green lanes and pocket parks. Collectively, the aim of these spaces is to provide ecological corridors that link existing habitats as linear spaces where people feel safe, as well as additional amenity space for residents to supplement their own private spaces. The masterplan and landscape framework creates a hierarchy of new spaces near to homes for play, fitness and relaxation.
It been a pleasure working with Quintain Ireland and the wider design team on what has been a very collaborative and holistic design approach. From the very start and under the guidance of the SDZ, the joint ambition has been for Cherrywood to be unique, inclusive and responsive to environmental opportunities. Most importantly, the landscape framework supports the desire to combine the best qualities of city and landscape life by reconnecting people with nature and, in doing so, aiding the shift towards recasting our present cities as landscape cities and encouraging much-desired green city lifestyles.
Demand is strong for all types of housing in the Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown area, which this additional supply will help meet. Cherrywood Village is going to be a vibrant community with over 27 acres of public space and amenities and facilities on residents’ doorsteps. We plan to start construction in the coming months, with the first homes being ready for residents in mid-2024.