Newcastle Lyons is a historic village of 1,000 people lying west of Tallaght town centre near City West Business Park and Rathcoole and is situated in the administrative area of South Dublin County Council.

In the context of the current situation regarding the housing shortage in the greater Dublin area, South Dublin County Council is currently drafting an Area Action Plan.

ARA have been appointed to prepare a master plan for approximately 28 hectares of zoned lands in the ownership of our client situated to the south of the existing village. Several factors influenced the evolution of the master plan in its early development.

These factors which form part of the main aims of the draft local area plan, include:

• The provision of a physical planning framework for the expansion of the existing village.
• Facilitate development that integrates with the existing village and is consistent with the character of a traditional Irish village settlement.
• Ensure that new development is sensitive to the archaeological and historic significance of Newcastle.

The plan comprises a structure of streets and blocks with a clear and permeable network of streets and spaces. The proposed spine road will form an urban boulevard culminating in a focal public space at its heart.

Identified at an early stage to preserve and articulate the planimetric layout of the existing burgage plots north of the spine route, these have informed the layout and future urban grain of this portion of the village.

To the south of the burgage plots and the spine route, the density of the urban grain reduces and becomes more free-form. This area will become the future southern edge of Newcastle where it is proposed that the open spaces beside the residential area shall become public parkland.

The design takes into account the requirements for higher densities, and accommodation is provided in courtyards, intimate streets and crescents overlooking open space.

Where the urban grain is tighter, two- and three-storey houses back onto the footpath, reinforcing the street corners with simple two-storey terraced housing in between. All car parking is accommodated on street in the village core areas.

The nature of the design gives the new village extension a sense of place and identity.