On Monday 19 October 2026, Dublin City Council published A Shared Civic Heart: Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment for Clongriffin, Belmayne & Environs, a comprehensive assessment examining the current and future needs of the rapidly growing communities of Clongriffin, Belmayne, Belcamp and Environs.
Prepared by our Strategic Communications, Planning, Economics and Design teams, the assessment uses an innovative methodology combining extensive demographic, policy and precedent analysis with extensive engagement community and sectoral engagement through surveys and workshops with the community, Dublin City Council and service providers. It finds that significant investment in social infrastructure will be required to meet both existing needs and the demands created by future population growth, spanning community and cultural facilities, healthcare, childcare, youth services, sports and recreation, parks, play facilities and green infrastructure.
Almost 25,000 people already live within the study area, which experienced population growth of 25% between 2016 and 2022, substantially outpacing growth across Dublin City. The area's population is also notably young, with 43% of residents aged under 30.
The report is informed by the largest public consultation undertaken through Dublin City Council's Engage platform to date, with 1,429 survey responses alongside a programme of workshops facilitated by Turley involving residents, community organisations and service providers.
Speaking at the launch, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daryl Barron, said:
"Building homes is only one part of building a community. People also need the services, facilities and shared spaces that allow a community to flourish. The extraordinary level of participation in this assessment demonstrates how deeply people care about the future of this area. We now have strong evidence of what is needed and a very clear challenge ahead of us: to turn that evidence into action.
"Clongriffin, Belmayne, Belcamp and the surrounding communities have enormous strengths and enormous potential. A Shared Civic Heart gives us an opportunity to build on those strengths and help create the complete, connected community that local residents deserve."
At the heart of the study area is Strategic Development and Regeneration Area 1 (SDRA 1), one of the areas identified by the Dublin City Development Plan for significant housing and mixed-use development. Encompassing Clongriffin, Belmayne and Belcamp, SDRA 1 has capacity for up to 7,350 additional homes, highlighting the importance of planning for the social infrastructure needed to support a growing population.
Among the report's key findings are:
Community and Cultural Infrastructure
- Youth facilities were identified as the most requested community and civic provision by survey respondents, at 64%.
- A public library (56%) and community centre (52%) were also identified as key priorities.
- The assessment identifies a need for a major multifunctional Community and Cultural Hub.
Healthcare
- There is currently no Primary Care Centre within the study area.
- Existing GP provision is below the Dublin benchmark used in the assessment.
- Additional GP capacity is required to meet the needs of both existing and future populations.
Sports and Recreation
- The report identifies gaps in both indoor and outdoor sports provision.
- Residents highlighted demand for multi-sport and accessible facilities, indoor and outdoor courts, swimming facilities, and enhanced walking and cycling infrastructure.
- The assessment identifies strategic opportunities to develop a more connected network of sports facilities and green spaces.
Parks and Green Infrastructure
- While the area benefits from significant existing assets, particularly Father Collins Park, future population growth will increase demand for additional parks, play facilities and green infrastructure.
- The report highlights opportunities to make greater use of existing parks for community activity, markets and events.
Eileen Quinlivan, Assistant Chief Executive, Community, Culture, Leisure and Area Services, Dublin City Council, said:
"A Shared Civic Heart provides Dublin City Council and our partners with a significantly strengthened evidence base for addressing the social infrastructure needs of an area that continues to experience substantial change and growth. Delivering social infrastructure at this scale cannot be the responsibility of any one organisation. It will require close collaboration across Dublin City Council and with Government, public bodies, service providers, funders, landowners, developers and, critically, the communities themselves.
"The scale of community participation in this work has been extremely encouraging. As the area continues to develop, we want to maintain that focus on working with communities and for communities, ensuring that local knowledge and lived experience continue to inform the decisions that shape the future of Clongriffin, Belmayne, Belcamp and Environs."
Head of Strategic Communications, John Davison added:
"Social infrastructure plays a vital role in creating sustainable, connected communities. This assessment provides a robust evidence base to help guide decision-making and investment as Clongriffin, Belmayne, Belcamp and the surrounding areas continue to grow.
"The scale of engagement throughout the project demonstrates the importance local communities place on access to services, facilities and shared spaces. We are proud to have supported Dublin City Council in identifying priorities that can help shape the future development of the area."
The Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment was commissioned as part of Dublin City Council's Clongriffin-Belmayne Strategic Planning Office and examines existing and future requirements across four broad areas: community and cultural infrastructure; essential and civic services, including healthcare; sports and recreation; and parks, play and green infrastructure.
The assessment takes a co-ordinated spatial approach to future social infrastructure provision, identifying locations with the potential to accommodate civic and community facilities, essential services, sports and recreation, and parks and green infrastructure as the area develops.
The assessment also recognises the important contribution future development can make to social infrastructure provision. Dublin City Development Plan requirements provide for 5% community, arts and cultural uses in qualifying developments, including within Strategic Development and Regeneration Areas.
The report will provide an important evidence base for Dublin City Council and its partners as they work to prioritise and deliver the infrastructure, facilities and services required to support existing residents and future generations across Clongriffin, Belmayne, Belcamp and surrounding communities.
To explore the findings in more detail, download A Shared Civic Heart: Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment (Volume 1), A Shared Civic Heart: Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment (Volume 2 - Appendices) and A Shared Civic Heart: Non-Technical Summary below.
A Shared Civic Heart: Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment (Volume 1)
Download (4 mb)
A Shared Civic Heart: Social Infrastructure Needs Assessment (Volume 2 - Appendices)
Download (5 mb)
A Shared Civic Heart: Non-Technical Summary
Download (1 mb)
23 October 2026
