iMEND 1 - Portobello Community Engagement
Dublin City Council, working with AECOM, is improving the neighbourhood's public realm within the iMEND 1 – Portobello project area.
We are inviting those who live, work or spend time in the Portobello project area to share their views between 7th September - 2nd October 2026.
Drop into our first Community Engagement Event on 8th September, from 4:00-7:30pm, Camden Court Hotel, Dublin, D02 W086
The project aims to create a greener, more vibrant neighbourhood by proposing nature-based drainage solutions – using planting, trees and rain gardens to manage rainfall more naturally alongside enhancing local streets and spaces through placemaking, play and calming traffic.
Together, we hope these improvements can help make the streets safer, greener and more welcoming: a better place to live, work, spend time and play.
This is the first pilot project under Dublin City Council's iMEND programme.
Find out more about iMEND 1 - Portobello below.
Phases
About the Project
About the Project
Dublin City Council, working with AECOM, on this new project to improve the neighbourhood’s public realm within the iMEND 1 - Portobello project area. Part of the city’s wider effort to build a climate-resilient Dublin as rainfall becomes more frequent and intense.
The project aims to make the neighbourhood greener, more vibrant and resilient by introducing nature-based drainage solutions that use planting, trees, natural features and rain gardens. These features help manage rainfall more naturally, reduce surface water runoff, while improving biodiversity, habitat creation, tree cover and providing more attractive streets for everyone to enjoy.
The project looks to improve how local streets and spaces look and feel to spend time, play and travel through. Potential improvements could include junction treatments that support lower vehicular speeds, improved crossings at side roads, more seating or enhancing spaces that would support community activity and play.
Together, we hope these improvements can help create a greener, safer and more welcoming neighbourhood: a better place to live, work, spend time and play.
Why is this happening in my neighborhood?
When it rains heavily in Portobello, water flows from roofs and roads into the drainage system underground and eventually reaches the River Liffey and Dublin Bay. As most of the ground in the area is hard surfaces – footpaths or roads – most of that water runs straight into the drains rather than soaking away naturally, picking up pollution along the way. What happens on our streets affects water quality downstream. If drains overflow it can impact the amount of wastewater entering our rivers and seas due to overflow.
This project will look at how we manage that rainwater more naturally using nature-based drainage solutions which will help reduce the amount of water entering the drains, while making the streets greener, safer, and easier to get around.
What is the iMEND Programme?
This is a pilot project under Dublin City Council’s iMEND programme which will be expanded over the coming months and years. This programme aims to create a greener, more resilient Dublin by redesigning streets to manage water naturally, support biodiversity, and create better places for people. As the first project of its kind, what we learn here in Portobello will help shape how these ideas are delivered across the city.
Find out more: iMEND Programme | Dublin City Council
Your participation is important
We want the community who live, work and play in the Portobello project area to share their feedback on the information presented here – it will help shape how this project develops.
View our information boards that will be shown at our Community Engagement Event here.
Project Objectives
Project objectives have been developed for iMEND 1- Portobello, considering alignment with key objectives from EU, Irish and Dublin City Council sustainability, water, climate action, public realm and transport policies. The objectives cover the challenges the project will aim to overcome and the relevant areas for opportunity. They will be reviewed as the project progresses. The objectives are as follows:
Project Timeline
How to get involved?
The project will work directly with the local community of Portobello between now and Spring 2027 to develop a preliminary design that meets the project's objectives and your needs.
Tell us what you know about this neighbourhood – your local knowledge will help shape the design as it develops.
Click here to view the boards that were shown at our Community Engagement Event.
What happens next?
Feedback and ideas collected during the ‘Discover’ event, and from the survey during the consultation period, will be reviewed by the project team as we move into the ‘Design’ phase. We’ll use what we hear to help identify suitable locations for public realm, placemaking, traffic and nature-based drainage improvements, and develop design options. Once these are ready, we’ll hold a second event to get your feedback on the draft designs.
Share feedback:
Fill out our survey here: https://engage.dublincity.ie/en-IE/projects/imend-1-portobello/2
Post: iMEND 1 – Portobello, AECOM, 4th Floor, One Burlington Plaza, Burlington Road, Dublin 4, DO4 RH96
Phone: 01 222 2222
Email: wfd@dublincity.ie
Your participation is important — thank you for helping shape the future of your neighbourhood.
Events
Past events
Event date: September 8th, 2026 from 15:00 to 18:30.
Camden Court Hotel
8 registrants