Measuring Housing and Population Densities in Dublin City and County

A key strategic objective of Irelands national land use plan (known as the National Planning Framework) is to accommodate a significant increase in population in Irish cities in more concentrated settlement patterns and at higher residential densities. This is to be achieved by requiring 50% of new residential developments to be located in infill and brownfield locations in cities such as Dublin. This paper explores the implications of this policy by examining existing housing and housing and population density in Dublin by using CSO data and mapping tools to measure housing and population density throughout the City and County. A ranking of areas with the highest and lowest housing densities is provided and a comparative analysis is also undertaken by comparing the results of the research to other European Cities. The results reveal that densities in Dublin very significantly from its central (relative high density) core to its notably lower densities in suburban and peripheral areas. While the research reveals that planning policies on residential densities have had a limited impact on residential densities, they also demonstrate that the densities in the central areas of Dublin are comparable to other European and British cities of similar size while densities in its outer suburbs are markedly lower.