Proposed Reclamations and Zoning

7. PROPOSED RECLAMATIONS

The reclamations shown on our proposals include: *

(a) *Reclaiming some 780 acres of Merrion Strand;

*(b) *An extension of Fairview Park across the railway.

These are put forward as extensions to be put in hand at some future date, by far the more important being that under (a).

The effect of these reclamation works on the currents outside Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Harbours would, of course, have to be fully investigated.

We have had the opportunity of examining some facts and considerations put forward among responsible officials as to the possibilities at Merrion, and our proposals are on a more modest scale than those which appear to have been discussed up to the present.

In regard to *(a), *we propose that a sea wall be built extending from White Bank (about 800 yards East of the Pigeonhouse Electricity Works) to Merrion. The stretch which would thus be reclaimed is all uncovered at low water and would necessitate a wall 3,700 yards long which would cost at £75 per yard, £277,000. The reclaimed land would cover about 780 acres, *i.e., *the cost of walling per acre reclaimed would be about £355.

Of the 780 acres reclaimed, a 440 yards strip along the river wall, covering about 200 acres, would be reserved for industrial use, and the remaining 580 acres would form one of the three large Metropolitan Parks. In regard to the walling, it is a matter of investigation as to whether this should be done by pumping through a pipe line over the Pigeon House Wall and/or by the dumping of clean filling from the city. The work would, of course, cover a period (possibly a long period) of years, and it is our view that the total cost per acre would be fully justified by the proximity of the newly-acquired land and its convenience to the centre of the city. Bathing facilities could be provided in substitution for those existing at Sandymount.

As to (b) - the Fairview reclamation - the area shown is tentative, and is green on the map. This does not indicate that the whole of this area need be reserved as a public open space. The user of part of it would, we suggest, be decided later. *

Proposed Reclamation Schemes.

The foreshore recommendations are of a tentative character. If the General Purposes Committee approves of the proposal in principle, the details will have to be examined in conjunction with the Port and Docks Board.

(Town Planning Committee). *

8. ZONING

Use Zoning: The Central Area.*

We have given very special and careful consideration to the zoning proposals for the central area. In no direction is modern town planning practice more uncertain than in the restriction in use which it seeks to impose upon the built area of an ancient city where during the course of ages two opposing tendencies are visible; (i) a gradual evolution towards a logical predominant use of different quarters *(e.g., *the shopping centre, the municipal centre, the hotel and theatre centre, etc.); (ii) an equally marked spotting about of manifestly discordant uses. To take an example of the latter tendency from London, there is the situation of Covent Garden Opera House and the Lyceum Theatre in the midst of a wholesale fruit and vegetable market which has furnished Mr. Bernard Shaw with the setting for the opening scene of “Pygmalion,” the incongruities of which are an excellent piece of town planning criticism.

It is generally agreed that use zoning does not affect (except with full compensation) the removal of these discordant elements and in English practice, perhaps unnecessarily, safeguards are provided for their continuance and enlargement. New York on the other hand, after protecting certain limited areas, stringently, leaves a large part open to indiscriminate or unrestricted development, thereby abandoning the principles of a separation of user, especially required for the protection of the homes of the poorer classes. Somewhat the same result would occur where a town describes its whole built-up area as a “General Urban Zone,” leaving a sorting out and separation of conflicting user to be done by subsidiary means *(e.g., *bye-laws) and general requirements of public health and avoidance of nuisance, combined with the not inconsiderable powers of detailed approval of site planning.

We have come to the conclusion that, apart from the sites or areas set apart for public buildings, there are five sub-divisions possible in the central area of Dublin: the distinctions between these zones may not appear very considerable and will perhaps be somewhat widened under the more detailed descriptions of the statutory planning schemes; but they should be sufficient to base a policy of predominant urban use.

At the two extremes are the Central Shopping and Special Business Zone, which represents the core of Dublin, the capital and regional centre; as opposed to this we have the General Industrial Zone, near the Docks, where practically unrestricted freedom to industrial enterprise is to be permitted; consequently residential use would be only by special consent (for those workers who must be located in actual touch with these industries).

Zones 2 and 4 bridge the gap between these - No. 2 being the nearest approach to an omnibus zone (later study may perhaps subdivide it). It is frankly impossible at the moment to say whether it will lean more towards residential or towards industrial use. No. 4, however, represents those areas which are predominantly residential and which accordingly are more restricted as to shops than Zone 1, and yet may allow the entrance of new industries by consent.

Zone 5 is of a special character in which a gradual transference from residential to business use is taking, and largely has taken, place; but where shops must be rigorously restricted and factories prohibited. The special architectural character of this district may be maintained by making the control of external appearance stricter here than in certain other areas of the city. *

Industrial Schedules.*

The distinction between different types of industry by means of schedules is always a difficult task. By the term “Restricted Industries,” we mean something more than what are commonly known as noxious trades. We should like to see these extended to include industries which cause offence by either smell, smoke, noise, vibration or dust. We prefer a general definition to a specification of actual trades (though it is possible to combine both, *i.e., *a list of trades and a general definition which may apply to others). In many cases the actual process to be adopted, or power used, may determine whether a manufacture may be allowed as a normal “factory” or classed as a “Restricted Industry.”

We also consider that it should be possible to prepare a schedule of certain of industry which are incidental to normal residential existence (e.g., laundries, bakeries) provided that they are on a scale required for local use only.These industries could be allowed by consent in areas (e.g., residential) in which any general industrial development (however free from noise, etc.) was not desired.

Use Zones

(See Mapes Nos. 6, 7 and 8).

Our zonging proposals, at this stage, indicate only in broad outline the activies which should be encouraged, agreed to by permission, or prohibited in the areas indicated on the maps. The following tables embodies our proposals for urban Dublin:

1. No. of Zone
2. Coloured on Map
3. Description
4. Use allowed without Consent.
5. Use allowed by Council
6. Prohibited

1 Hatche Red Special Business All uses except those in Columns 6 and shops to be shown on shopping map

Factories, Restricted Industries

2 Blue General All uses except shops to be shown on shopping map.

Restricted Industries

3 Violet General Industrial All uses except those in Col. 5. Shops to be shown on shopping map. Houses, residential buildings, restricted industries

4 Yellow General Residential All uses except industries. Shops to be shown on shopping map Factories Restricted Industries

5 Brown Special Residential All uses except those in Col. 6. Shops to be shown on shopping map.

Factories, Restricted Industries

6 Red Public Buildings Public buildings Other buildings except those in Col. 6 Factories, Restricted Industries.

The words “Restricted Industries” in the foregoing Table refer to (a) Offensive trades; *(b) *Factories or other structures producing noise, dirt, smoke, dust, smell or vibration. *

Shops.*

We propose that control of shops in central areas should be by streets rather than by areas - a method which has been found satisfactory in New York. This may be carried to the length of controlling parts of streets or squares. For example, two sides of St. Stephen’s Green should be kept clear of further shops, while two sides could form part of the main shopping area of the city.

Outside the central area control would be by areas, the neighbourhood centres forming the shopping centres for the suburbs.

One of the problems which faces us is that of what we may call the “huckster’s shop” and we propose that this can best be dealt with by restricting certain streets or areas to shops of a certain minimum size. Shops which are larger than the fixed minimum would be called “standard shops.” We suggest the following definition for a standard shop:

“A standard shop means a shop of which the portion for the purpose of retail trade has a superficial area of not less than 225 square feet and has a frontage, on a road, not less than 15-feet in length.”

“A small shop means a shop which is not a standard shop.”

We are not in a position to submit definite proposals on a map at the present but suggest that a diagram on the above lines be prepared when sufficient are available.

DENSITY ZONING. *

Central.*

This would be based upon a maximum figure of population permissible, whether in flats or houses. Local roads and playgrounds would be included, but non-residential areas would be excluded. This figure would be based upon careful and detailed analysis, and we are not in a position, at this stage, to state what the figure would be. *

Suburban.*

We propose normal densities of 4, 6, 8, 12 to the acre. Experience indicates that six to the acre is the most satisfactory density for good class development in an inner suburban area. Four to the acre should be the maximum in a high-class suburban area of an outlying or special character such as the neighbourhood of Killiney and Ballybrack. Twelve to the acre is the highest density which we would recommend, with the reservation which we have already made, under Section 4, as to working class houses which, in special cases, might be allowed up to 16 to the acre net, *i.e., *deducting the roads and local playgrounds from the gross area of the site. In our zoning plan we have not attempted sub-division of these varying densities which must be worked out in detail at a later stage. *

Rural.*

Referring to the outer fringe, deferred development land, villages, etc. these can best be dealt with on the basis of central nuclei and rings zoned in detail as to use and density at a later stage. *

Special.*

Referring to coastal strips such as that lying between Vico Road and the sea at Killiney and portions of Howth Peninsula, and to other places of exceptional interest; in these cases the density may be kept very low or an agreement may be arrived at to retain existing curtilages as private open spaces.

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