Almost one year on from publishing the Dublin City Development Plan, Dublin City Council’s Arts Office is seeking input and feedback from property developers and their agents for the creation of new guidance and a toolkit to support the delivery of cultural infrastructure in the city.

The initiative aligns with Chapter 12 (Culture) of the Dublin City Development Plan, which outlines a strategy for the protection and growth of cultural infrastructure in the city from 2022 to 2028. Since its introduction last year new policies require some large scale commercial and residential developments to provide space for community and/or cultural use as part of any planning application.

At present developers are also required to provide an audit of existing community and cultural provision and an assessment of needs is also required. The new guidance, which is expected to be published early next year, will provide support to development and design teams delivering these requirements, with the aim of ensuring the delivery and long-term sustainability of any proposed cultural use.

In order to help developers in meeting these obligations, Dublin City Council is creating a Developer Toolkit alongside new Guidance Reports. The Toolkit and Guidance will provide clarity on how developers should consider their obligations under the new policies by undertaking audits of existing provision and need, identifying the typology of space required, undertaking co-design with key groups, practitioners, and communities, and developing a deliverable and sustainable proposal for the use proposed.

To support the practical implementation of the Toolkit and Guidance, Dublin City Council is seeking input from property developers. Interested parties are invited to complete a survey that will take between 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

In addition to the survey, Dublin City Council is also planning workshops with developers and the cultural sector in the new year, and early registration for developers and/or their agents can be made through the survey. These workshops will further expand on the Toolkit and Guidance and provide developers with an opportunity to ask questions and receive support.

Deidre Scully, City Planning Officer, Dublin City Council, commented: “This engagement with the property sector coincides with the anniversary of the Dublin City Development Plan, which was adopted almost one year ago. The focus of the plan on culture aligns with Dublin City Council’s objectives to protect and grow cultural infrastructure in the city, and the Developer Toolkit and Guidance will play a key role in this by providing clarity and direction, informed through dialogue with developers, planning agents, architects and the arts and cultural sector.”

Ray Yeates, City Arts Officer, Dublin City Council, commented: “We are seeking to engage with the development community to better understand how these new policies have been interpreted, and to provide support and guidance on how best to deliver vibrant cultural and community spaces within Dublin. We believe that the creation of cultural infrastructure is key to the long-term health and prosperity of our city and its people.”

To participate in the survey or register your interest in the workshops, please visit:https://www.dublinculturaltoolkit.ie/