South Tipperary County Council
Comhairle Contae Thiobriad Árann Theas

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APPENDIX 1 TO 3

APPENDIX 1. LAND USE MATRIX

APPENDIX 2. SETTLEMENT AND ACA DESIGN GUIDELINES

1.0: Rationale for Design Guidance.
The place where people live has a major effect on their life. Considerations of design and layout must be informed by the wider context, having regard not just to any immediate neighbouring buildings but the townscape and landscape of the wider locality. The local pattern of streets and spaces, building traditions, materials and ecology should all help to determine the character and identity of a development, recognising that new building technologies are capable of delivering acceptable built forms and may be more efficient. The Council will have regard to the content of the following when assessing development proposals:

• Residential Density – Guidelines for Planning Authorities 1999 (DEHLG);
• Consultation Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities – Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas
• Best Practice Urban Design Manual 2008 DEHLG;
• Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, Consultation Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2008 (DEHLG);
• Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments 2007 (DEHLG)
  

1.1 Access
Applicable development standards are set out in the Traffic Management Guidelines as produced by the DOEHLG, DOT and the DTO and the Recommendations for Site Development Works for Housing Areas, 1998, (DOEHLG).

Pedestrians and cyclists, particularly children and the persons with impaired mobility, need routes that are positive, safe, direct, accessible and free from barriers. People feel safer on streets where there is activity, where drivers, residents and other users can see them.

Speed limits enforced by design are preferred to those imposed by way of retro-fitted calming devices. Roads should be laid out in such a way as to offer a series of alternative direct routes to any destination for the cyclist/pedestrian. Grouped residential car parking, which should be overlooked by dwellings, should be considered as well as underground car parking, where density permits. Residential roads should be designed so as to discourage parking of heavy goods vehicles (HGV’s). Layouts that seek to ensure low traffic speeds and greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists within housing areas will be encouraged and the design standards will be interpreted with this criterion in mind.

1.2 Public Space & Recreation.
Open Space generally should be laid out so that it is attractive and usable by the residents. Large undefined areas should be avoided, as should pockets of badly shaped, fragmented or unusable land that are difficult to maintain and may serve as areas for the accumulation of rubbish and locations for anti-social behaviour.
The design should be such that all common public areas are overlooked from dwellings or from frequented roads or footpaths. Open spaces, sport and recreation all underpin people's quality of life. Well designed housing schemes incorporating open space, sport and recreation facilities are therefore fundamental to delivering sustainable developments and communities. Of fundamental importance to delivering these open spaces, recreation facilities, communities, etc. are the following guiding principles, which will be considered by the Council when assessing developments:

1. Promotion of accessibility by walking, cycling and public transport, and ensure that facilities are accessible for people with disabilities;
2. Locating more intensive recreational uses in sites where they can contribute to the range and quality of existing facilities and community vitality and viability;
3. Careful consideration of security and personal safety, especially for children;
4. Meeting the regeneration needs of areas, using brownfield in preference to greenfield sites;
5. Improve and enhance social inclusion;
6. Providing havens and habitats for flora and fauna where sites may also have potential to be corridors or stepping stones from one habitat to another; and,
7. Functioning as a community resource as a place for congregating and for holding community events, religious festivals, fêtes and travelling fairs, etc.
   

High quality, complementary materials and fixtures incorporated into hard landscaping will make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of development. The need for street furniture and boundary fences or walls should be considered as an integral part of the design process to avoid the problems of inappropriate later additions. Sensitive use of surface materials and boundary treatment should complement adjacent building forms. All hard landscaping should complement proposed building materials where changes in surface finishes should help to reinforce patterns of circulation and define the function of spaces. The settlement should be contained along its boundaries by the use of appropriate native broadleaf species and natural hedgerows. Finally, proposals should where possible incorporate water courses into new open space and amenity areas through minimising culverting, encouraging native waterside vegetation and controlling runoff. Maximum protection and use of existing habitats and ecosystems rather than trying to create new areas is advisable.

1.3 The Building and its Context. Framing the Public Domain.
Streets should do more than just accommodate traffic. They should offer safe and attractive spaces for everyone who uses them. Within large schemes, the layout should facilitate the creation of different housing areas with their own identifiable character. A network of distinctive places has the advantage of making a development 'legible' i.e. it is easy to find your way around. This helps to build a sense of place and community. It can also encourage people to walk and cycle rather than use the car.
The following criteria should ensure the development provides a high quality environment for new residents:

1. Layouts should create a series of linked but contrasting places that can help to restrain traffic speeds and provide a neighbourhood focus;
2. Points where routes converge, gateways, landmarks and landmark buildings are used to provide easily identifiable visual markers;
3. Clearly defined building lines should create a strong visual edge;
4. Building frontages, windows and entrances should face and overlook the street where possible and corner units should therefore use dual frontages;
5. Designs should incorporate clearly defined boundaries with particular attention to corners and public spaces;
6. Variation in building heights and building types should be used to create visual interest and break up the overall mass of development; and,
7. No dwelling units will be allowed to have rear boundaries fronting onto public spaces or roadways either within the development or on adjoining lands. This is particularly relevant to the provision of integrated designs for neighbouring/adjoining developments

1.4 Building Design
Diversity and choice of housing opportunities will create more balanced communities. A successful neighbourhood requires a mix of dwelling types and tenures, catering for the range of housing needs that a community experiences over time, in terms of household size, age, mobility and financial means. The design of all new housing developments should take into account the character and local styles of building but should not rule out innovative design. There are many ways in which a quality contemporary design can draw upon local references. Distinctiveness is essentially a product of several elements notably the scale and form of buildings, their materials and architectural detailing. The proposed scheme should ensure:

1. The design is well related to its surroundings in terms of building heights, setbacks, use of materials and established settlement form and pattern;
2. The elements of local topography and ecology are reflected in the layout;
3. All views of local landmarks are retained and used as focal points;
4. The size, position and shape of window and door openings should be appropriate to the proportions of the building;
5. The use of elaborate materials and features should be kept to a minimum in order to prevent over-complicated façades; and,
6. The design should ensure that ancillary accommodation, such as meter boxes, waste pipes and soil stacks are not visually dominant.
   

A choice of appropriate materials, colours and textures is fundamental to conserving and enhancing local distinctiveness throughout the county. In all cases the proposed development should ensure that:

1. Materials used are typical of the locality, in terms of colour, style and texture;
2. Materials used are authentic for their purpose; and,
3. Materials used successfully create diversity, visual interest between different buildings and enhance the setting of individual elements of the overall development.

2.0 Developing within an Architectural Conservation Area.
Architectural Conservation Areas (ACA’s) are designated in order to protect and enhance those parts of settlements that have special character or historic interest.

2.1 Purpose of an ACA:
Historically, change was gradual and building alterations and additions were undertaken in a manner complementary to the built fabric of the street. Local materials were primarily used, resulting in consistency and a distinctive regional or local character. Today, the pressure for change and diversity is far greater with universal availability of building materials due to modern manufacturing processes and reduced transportation costs. Thus, without a conservation policy and the exercise of care in the design and choice of materials for alterations, repairs and new development, the unique character of some settlement centres and associated streetscapes will be eroded and lost to future generations.

2.2 Implications of an ACA for the Public
Normal exempt development rights do not apply in an ACA as provision has been made in Chapter II, Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended. Put simply, this means that development to the exterior of a building in an architectural conservation area will require planning permission if such development materially affects the external appearance of the building/area. Where development takes place within the architectural conservation area without planning permission the Council may require the owners or occupiers to restore the character of the building.

2.3 Design Approach
Sensitivity is required in the design of buildings or extensions within an ACA and the following general principles apply.

2.3.1 Conversion/adaptation of an existing property should be considered before the need to demolish and replace. Older buildings can be successfully adapted to new uses and conversion can make good economic sense. Conversion can often enable an important street facade to be retained.

2.3.2 Extensions/alterations must complement the existing building. The extension should be subordinate in scale and in a form that allows the identity and character of the original structure to be retained. Important architectural details should be preserved and protected, including stone walls, iron railings, sash windows and moulded plasterwork;

2.3.3 New Buildings will have to take proper account of the neighbouring properties and adjacent spaces. Proposals should have regard to the continuity of rhythm, scale, mass and outline of adjacent buildings and their details, materials, texture and colour.

3.0 Shopfront Design
Shopfronts in South Tipperary are often an integral and harmonious part of the simple and unpretentious architecture of the settlement, whilst their colours and small scale details are invaluable ingredients for the preservation of essential liveliness of the streets. The preservation of the remaining examples of this craft is vital for the retention of the identity and character of the counties settlements.

Traditional shopfronts display the vernacular architecture and are an important expression of local history. The name and signboard of a traditional shopfront may be identified with a particular family style and tradition. A family that has been trading in a town for many generations will often take particular pride in the shopfront sign. Thus, rather than a faceless multiple, the sign records the service of a respected local trader. Such shopfronts are living examples of local craftsmen; the carpenter, painter and sign writer, working at their best and with quality materials. The protection of old shopfronts within settlements will serve to record local history and enhance the character of the town.

Vernacular Shopfront Tipperary Town

4.0 Guidelines for New Shopfronts
The following criteria will apply when considering proposed shopfront in ACA’s:

1. Shop-front advertisements normally should be restricted to fascia signs placed immediately above the shop window. Fascia lettering and logos are best hand-painted in a style and colour that harmonises with the shop and helps to portray its use. Long continuous fascia signs, stretching full-width across a frontage or straddling across two or more buildings should be avoided. Signs that extend higher than the sill of first floor windows normally will not be acceptable.
2. Hanging signs can have a place in the streetscape, however, they should not be mounted higher than first floor windows. There should be normally not more than one hanging sign to each property frontage, and the bracket should not extend more than 80cm from the wall face and the lowest part of the sign a minimum of 2.2m above pavement level.
3. In the case of properties with multiple tenancies, the ground floor shop may have a fascia sign and one additional projecting sign may be permitted to the first floor premises. A plaque located at the front door should serve all additional tenants.
4. Where there is insufficient fascia space decorative lettering can be painted directly onto the display window, provided it is of an appropriate form.
5. Brand advertising is not acceptable on fascias and fascias should not link buildings of different styles.
6. Modern roller shutters result in a blank appearance during closing hours and render a dead street frontage. Thus, applications including such roller shutters will be deemed unacceptable.
7. Separate entrances to upper level residences shall be retained and reinstated.
   Note: Murals require planning permission and applications for wall painted advertising will be assessed against the visual impact on the character of the area, particularly within an ACA.

APPENDIX 3: WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Set out below are the main policy provisions of the Draft County Development Plan with regard to wind energy development based on the following:

1. Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2006 (DEHLG, June 2006) and the preceding draft guidelines;
2. Development policies set out in the South Tipperary County Development Plan 2003 and associated Variation No. 1 SEA, Environmental Report 2006;
3. Phase 1 of the South Tipperary County Landscape Character Assessment;
4. The Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006; and,
5. Sustainable Energy Ireland Wind Atlas 2003.

Taking cognisance of the above, the county is divided into three main landscape categories, based on the capacity of the landscape to facilitate such development. The associated maps identify the three following areas: areas unsuitable for wind energy development, areas preferred for wind energy development, and areas open for consideration.

WIND 1: General Policy Statement on Wind Energy Development
It is the policy of the Council to support, in principle and in appropriate locations, the development of wind energy resources in South Tipperary. The Council recognises that there is a need to promote the development of ‘green electricity’ resources and to reduce fossil fuel dependency and green house gas emissions in order to address the global issue of climate change, and to comply with European and international policies with regards to renewable and sustainable energy resources. It will be an objective of the Council to ensure the security of energy supply by accommodating the development of wind energy resources in appropriate areas in the county.

WIND 2: Government Legislation and Guidance
It is the policy of the Council to ensure that all wind energy development in the County complies with the provisions of all applicable government legislation and guidance on wind energy development and renewable energy resources. (Note 1)

WIND 3: Preferred Areas for Wind Energy Development
It is the policy of the Council to ensure that wind energy development shall only be permitted in areas as detailed below, and as identified on the associated wind energy maps:

Preferred Areas – wind energy development in these areas shall generally be considered to be acceptable in principle, subject to proper planning and sustainable development, and the guidelines set out in this policy document.

Areas Open for Consideration – wind energy development in these areas may or may not be appropriate, depending on the character of the landscape and the potential impact of the proposed development. Any impact on the environment must be low and subject to proper planning and sustainable development, and the guidelines set out in this policy document.

Unsuitable Areas – wind energy development in these areas is not permitted. These areas either have a special or unique landscape character, and the main objective is conservation.

Note 1: as of the date of this document, the current government guidelines on wind energy development are the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, June 2006).

In addition to the requirements of Article 23 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) and Chapter 5 of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006, the Council will require the submission of the following information in support of all planning application for wind energy development:

1. Longitudinal site sections showing clearly details of all structures and ancillaries proposed on the site;
2. Details, maps, drawings etc as required to indicate connections to the national grid;
3. Predicted noise and shadow flicker outputs from the proposed wind energy development to determine impact on nearby residents;
4. Details, maps, drawings etc as necessary showing requirements for additional ancillary equipment/infrastructure;
5. Hydro geological survey of the site, with particular reference to significant impacts and mitigation measures required in the vicinity of proposed turbines, access roads, borrow pits and drainage channels. Details of any blasting should also be provided; and,
6. Details of total predicted noise levels at noise sensitive locations, significant impacts thereof and mitigation measures as necessary.
   

WIND 4: General Considerations for Applications for Wind Energy Development.
It is the policy of the Council that when assessing planning applications for wind energy development, the Council will require compliance with policy INF 7, the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006 and the criteria set out below.

1. Site location in terms of its suitability designation (e.g. Preferred Areas, etc);
2. Visual impact of turbines and of ancillary development (such as access roads, boundary fencing, control buildings and grid connections), having regard to the ZTV within South Tipperary and neighbouring counties and Appendix 3 of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006;
3. Siting and location;
4. Spatial extent, scale and design of wind energy developments;
5. Cumulative effect having regard to issues raised in point (b) above and the effect of other wind energy developments in the area;
6. The impact on natural and built heritage, particularly Annex 1 bird species, protected mammals, macro invertebrates, fish etc, designated landscapes and habitats (see Note 2). The developer should liaise with the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) if Annex 1 species are present at or in the vicinity of the site;
7. Impact on geology and ground conditions with particular consideration given to significant impacts such as bog bursts, landslides etc during all phases of the development (see Note 3). Sufficient information must be provided to allow ground conditions to be adequately assessed;
8. Impact on existing built environment, particularly neighbouring residential properties and other sensitive amenity areas;
9. Landscape and visual impacts of operation and decommissioning. Special regard should be had to Table 1 of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006; and,
10. National policy on wind energy (e.g. Government legislation and guidelines).
11. The impact of any proposal for wind energy development on surrounding tourism and recreational related activities and the compatibility of same will be carefully considered in the assessment of any planning application. The Planning Authority will endeavour to liaise with Bord Fáilte and regional and local tourist bodies during the assessment of planning applications for wind energy development which may impact on tourism / recreational related activities and will consider any observations received accordingly.
    

The Council will refer to current Government legislation and guidelines with regard to development management standards for wind energy development and associated ancillary development.

Note 2. Lands to which the EC Birds Directive (79/490/EC), Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), Habitats Regulations (SI 94 of 1997), and Natura 2000 Sites apply. Particular species include Hen Harriers, Golden Plover, Red Grouse and Merlin.
Note 3. Reference should be made to the Geological Survey of Ireland, Report on Landslides, with relevant details to be submitted by a suitably qualified engineer.

WIND 5: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
It is the policy of the Council to require wind energy development to be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in compliance with Government legislation, policy or guidelines which pertain at time of consideration of the planning application. The Council may if it considers necessary, require the preparation of an environmental assessment for sub-threshold development.
Note: the current requirement under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) is that an EIA is required for the development of installations for the harnessing of wind power for energy production with more than 5 turbines or having a total output greater than 5 megawatts.

WIND 6: Conditions on Wind Energy Development
It is the policy of the Council that when granting planning permission for wind energy developments, to have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and in particular Chapter 7 of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006. In addition, the Council may include conditions regarding:

1. Surface water management plans;
2. Environmental management plans for all phases of the development;
3. Limiting construction to a certain part of the year;
4. Duration of the planning permission and eventual decommissioning of the development;
5. Landscaping;
6. Surveys on birds and relevant protected species and other baseline environmental data collection; and,
7. Ongoing monitoring during operation of the wind energy development.
   

WIND 7: Auto Producers
It is the policy of the Council to facilitate, where appropriate, small scale wind energy development by auto producers/micro renewables where energy generated is required in order to meet the immediate needs of the development provided the following criteria are met:

1. The energy will be primarily generated to be used on the site;
2. The impact of noise on nearby residents will not be significant;
3. The visual impact on nearby residents will not be significant;
4. Shadow flicker will not impact on the amenity of nearby residents; and,
5. Visual impact will be minimal.

Auto producers can be defined as bodies / persons / companies that seek to develop small scale wind developments in order to meet their immediate energy requirements. Similarly, micro-renewables include non-commercial renewable energy development which provides electricity to a single end user. In all cases the Council will have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG) 2006.

Contact Details

Tom O'Dwyer (Administrative Officer)
Address: Co. Hall, Emmet Street, Clonmel
Tel: 052 6134646
Fax: 052 6124355/052 6123228
Email: planning@southtippcoco.ie
Web Address: www.southtippcoco.ie