About the Dunsink Development Group
We Support Housing. We Want Better Planning.
It’s important that in trying to solve one crisis that we don’t create another.
The Dunsink Development Group is non political group of residents and communities who want to see new homes delivered responsibly, with the infrastructure, environmental protection and public services needed to support them. It is important that it planned to help ease a housing crisis and not create another Ballymun.
We recognise that Ireland urgently needs more housing, and we support the development of new homes in Dunsink. However, building homes must go hand in hand with building sustainable communities. Development on this scale must be properly planned, environmentally responsible and fair to the people who already live in the surrounding areas.
Fingal County Council’s Dunsink Urban Area Plan proposes a whole new town that could accommodate a population of 37,500. Yet a project of this scale has been rushed through and it raises serious questions about infrastructure, transport, housing density, environmental protection and the impact on neighbouring communities in Finglas, Cabra, Ashtown, Blanchardstown and Castleknock.
Our campaign is calling for a better approach: one that delivers the homes Ireland needs without placing an unfair burden on existing communities or sacrificing the area's natural and historical heritage.
A Plan That Must Get the Basics Right
The proposed number of homes has changed considerably throughout the planning process, from 7,000 units to 18,500 and subsequently 15,000. These changes raise important questions about the assumptions underpinning the plan, the appropriate density of development and whether the necessary infrastructure can realistically be delivered.
The Dunsink site is constrained by its topography, existing environmental features and the former landfill, which is proposed for use as green space. This limits the land available for development and makes it especially important to consider how many homes can be accommodated without creating an overcrowded, poorly serviced urban environment.
The original proposals included apartment buildings of more than 15 storeys overlooking established residential estates. Because Dunsink sits on elevated ground, tall buildings could appear even more imposing in the surrounding landscape. We believe there is an opportunity to plan the development more sensitively, using the available space to create a better balance of building heights, housing types, public spaces and neighbourhoods.
For comparison, Cherrywood has a density of 78 dwellings per hectare, already considered high density and Dunsink is 150 after changes. We believe the proposed densities at Dunsink require much greater scrutiny, particularly given the limitations of the site and the uncertainty surrounding transport and essential services.
Density should be determined by the capacity of the land and infrastructure, not simply by the number of homes a plan hopes to deliver.
Infrastructure Must Come First
A development of this scale cannot succeed without adequate water supply, wastewater capacity, roads, public transport, schools, healthcare, policing and other essential services.
The plan relies on infrastructure that is not yet fully delivered. The proposed Shannon-to-Dublin water supply project, estimated to require €7.3 billion, is a particularly significant dependency. Until essential infrastructure is secured, there is a risk that development could proceed unevenly, leaving residents in completed apartment blocks while wider parts of the planned community remain unfinished or poorly serviced.
The first phases also raise concerns about the pressure placed on existing communities to accommodate additional demand for school places, transport and public services.
Our position is clear: infrastructure must be planned, funded and delivered in step with housing. Essential services cannot be treated as an afterthought, and existing communities should not be expected to absorb the consequences of inadequate planning.
Protect Finglas, Cabra, Ashtown, Castleknock and the Surrounding Communities
The Dunsink development will not exist in isolation. Its roads, transport connections and public services will affect communities across the boundary between Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council.
We are particularly concerned about the potential impact on Ratoath Road, a largely constrained two-lane route that cannot easily be widened along most of its length. Earlier proposals involving Dunsinea Lane and Scribblestown Lane raised concerns about directing a disproportionate share of traffic towards Ratoath Road, placing additional pressure on Finglas and Cabra.
Traffic will also need to be assessed on Dunsink Lane, Navan Road, Auburn Avenue and the surrounding road network, including Junction 6 of the M50. Construction traffic presents a further challenge that must be addressed before development begins.
Widening Scribblestown Lane would result in the loss of significant areas of Tolka Valley Park and land associated with Scribblestown housing estate. Tolka Valley Park is the third most biodiverse park provides valuable green space, biodiversity and an important landscape and flood-management function.
Dunsink Observatory must also be fully considered in this plan. It is a historic scientific landmark whose heritage and surrounding landscape must be protected, particularly in the context of its UNESCO World Heritage ambitions. Development must respect its historic setting and ensure that its unique scientific and cultural significance is not compromised.
These are not minor local issues. They are fundamental questions about whether the proposed development can be connected safely and sustainably to the communities around it.
Fingal County Council must properly assess the cross-boundary impacts of its plan and work with Dublin City Council before decisions are made that affect both councils' residents.
Protect Our Natural Heritage and Biodiversity
Scribblestown Lane and Dunsinea Lane are more than potential transport routes. They are part of the area's remaining rural character and historical landscape, and they provide important habitats and ecological connections.
Scribblestown is particularly valued for its biodiversity and its role as an ecological corridor linking habitats with Tolka Valley Park, recognised for its exceptional biodiversity. The removal of hedgerows, trees and established habitats could cause lasting damage that cannot simply be replaced by planting new trees elsewhere.
We believe the natural environment must be treated as essential infrastructure. Biodiversity, mature trees, hedgerows, green corridors and established parks should be protected through the planning process, not treated as obstacles to development.
The loss of the remaining rural character of old Finglas would be irreversible. Development should respect the landscape and heritage that make this area distinctive.
The Former Dunsink Landfill Must Be Properly Assessed
The former Dunsink landfill is included within the plan's green-space allocation. However, land designated as green space is not automatically suitable for unrestricted public use.
There are also concerns about illegal dumping and potential contamination in the wider Dunsink area. These issues must be investigated properly before decisions are made about how the land will be used.
We are calling for independent environmental testing, transparent reporting and appropriate remediation or management measures wherever required. Residents must have confidence that the land intended for recreation and environmental purposes is safe and that any contamination risks are understood and addressed.
Environmental safety should never be assumed simply because land has been allocated as open space.
Green Space Must Be Meaningful and Accessible
Large new communities need sufficient, high-quality public parks, playing fields, recreational areas and connected green corridors.
We are concerned that a minimum green-space allocation of 15% may not be sufficient for a development of this scale, particularly where parts of the proposed green space include the former landfill.
The plan also provides for the possibility of a shortfall in required open space being addressed through a financial contribution. It states:
“If the developer cannot provide the required open space on site, the shortfall can be addressed through a financial contribution.”
We believe that new residents deserve more than a financial contribution in place of the open space their community needs. Green space must be delivered where people live, in places they can safely access and use every day.
Communities Deserved Better Consultation
The public consultation on the Dunsink Urban Area Plan ended on 31 July 2026. However, we believe the process failed to engage meaningfully with many of the communities most likely to be affected.
There was only one information event, held in Blanchardstown, which many residents and stakeholders were unaware of and indeed elected Fingal representatives were not informed about it. Fingal County Council did not hold equivalent information events in Finglas, Ashtown, Cabra or Castleknock, despite the potential impact of the proposals on these areas.
We are also concerned that elected representatives serving Dublin North West were not informed about the publication of a plan with such significant implications for their constituency. They, like the majority of residents, found out through word of mouth.
The proposals differed substantially from earlier development expectations, yet many residents felt they had little opportunity to understand the changes, ask questions or influence the outcome. The cost of €100 for a printed copy of the plan also presented an additional barrier for anyone seeking a physical copy of the plan.
A consultation is not meaningful simply because a document is published and a deadline is set. People need accessible information, local engagement and a genuine opportunity to understand and respond to proposals that may permanently change their communities.
We believe future stages must involve transparent communication, accessible information and proper engagement with residents, community organisations and elected representatives across both council areas.
What We Are Calling For
The Dunsink Campaign is calling for:
Housing supported by infrastructure: Essential water, wastewater, transport, school and public-service capacity must be secured and delivered alongside building.
Appropriate housing densities: Building heights and densities must reflect the site's constraints, transport capacity, landscape and the need for liveable neighbourhoods.
Existing communities: The traffic, construction and service impacts on Finglas, Cabra, Ashtown and Castleknock must be properly assessed and addressed.
Protection of Scribblestown Lane and Dunsinea Lane: Their rural character, biodiversity and heritage must be recognised and safeguarded.
Protection of Dunsink Observatory: It is a historic scientific landmark whose heritage and surrounding landscape must be protected, particularly in the context of its UNESCO World Heritage ambitions.
Meaningful consultation with the existing traveller community who’s accommodation site is situated within this development area
Independent landfill and contamination testing: Environmental risks must be investigated transparently and addressed before land is used for recreation or development.
Adequate, accessible green space: Parks and recreational facilities must be provided on site, in sufficient quantity and quality to serve the new population.
Joint planning across council boundaries: Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council must work together on transport, infrastructure and services.
Meaningful public engagement: Residents and elected representatives must be properly informed and involved throughout the planning process.
Our Vision
We want Dunsink to become a genuinely sustainable community: a place where people can find homes, access reliable public transport, attend local schools, enjoy high-quality parks and benefit from the services they need.
We believe this is achievable, but only if planning decisions are grounded in realistic infrastructure commitments, respect for the environment and fairness to existing communities.
We support housing. We support responsible development. We are asking for a Dunsink plan that works for everyone — the people who will live there in the future and the communities who already call this area home.