Attempts by the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin to have large numbers of church sites zoned for housing are set to be rejected by Dublin City Council.
The archdiocese earlier this year made submissions on the city development plan in relation to the zoning of more than 30 churches across the city.
However, council chief executive Owen Keegan has recommended that councillors refuse almost all of the proposals, which in most cases would require church demolition were housing to be built on the sites.
Many of the churches involved are among Dublin's largest, built in the mid-20th century to serve growing populations in suburbs such as Cabra, Marino and Finglas, where congregations have since declined. Others sites included historic inner city churches listed on the record of protected structures, which strictly limits development.
Planning consultants representing the archdiocese said it had “specific ambitions” to help with the housing crisis and that it was “already working with AHBs [approved housing bodies] and local councils in certain locations”.
However, Mr Keegan said most of the rezoning applications were “premature” because the diocese had put forward no specific proposals for the future development of the land.
A number of the churches are in areas currently undergoing large-scale residential development. On Griffith Avenue the diocese is seeking the rezoning of St Vincent de Paul Church, which is close to the large build-to-rent apartment scheme Griffith Wood.
It said the current zoning “unnecessarily restricts consideration of the development potential of the lands” and that it was “more appropriate to support its integration to the adjoining residential developments in the vicinity”.
Demolition
In response, Mr Keegan said the church provided “important religious and community services to the local area” and development “would likely require demolition of the existing church building or substantial reconfiguration of the site”.
He said the existing zoning allowed for some “residential institutional uses and assisted living/retirement accommodation”. In the absence of “clear development objectives for the site by the diocese”, rezoning would be “premature and would result in a potential loss of community amenities and facilities in the area”, he said.
Corpus Christi Church on the opposite side of Griffith Avenue, one of Dublin's largest churches, was subject to a similar submission by the diocese and rejection by Mr Keegan, as were churches in Beaumont, Raheny, Ballymun, Killester and Drimnagh.
Residential zoning was also sought for the sites of some protected churches including St James’s Church in the Liberties, for which Daniel O’Connell laid the first ceremonial stone in 1844; the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which sits next to new office development at City Quay; and St Michan’s on Halston Street in the markets area of the city.
Mr Keegan said the development potential of these sites would be limited due to the inclusion of the churches on the record of protected structures.
Disadvantaged areas
Planning consultants Brock McClure said many of the churches had “attendant lands which may no longer be needed for the immediate workings of the diocese in the medium to long term”. It said several sites were in “disadvantaged areas where the delivery of housing is taking priority over additional institutional land uses”.
The archdiocese has said it has no particular plans for any of the sites, with the exception of the site of the recently demolished Church of the Annunciation in Finglas, where the potential for social and affordable housing has been identified.
Mr Keegan has recommended this site be zoned for housing. He has also accepted residential zoning for a small number of car parks adjoining church grounds. Councillors will vote on the zoning proposals in July.
