House design guide
What Longford wants your home to look like
Longford County Council expects new homes to sensitively integrate with their surroundings, prioritizing compact growth, infill, and the reuse of existing buildings. In rural areas, houses should feature a simple traditional form, utilizing natural and local materials while avoiding overly bulky designs, non-traditional stone cladding, and elaborate entrance gates. Sustainable measures like energy-efficient layouts and natural drainage systems are strongly encouraged for all developments.
Accepted house types & forms
What they want to see
Encouraged by the guide
Passive solar design and energy efficiency(Page 430, DMS 16.3; Page 431, DMS 16.6)
Deliver low-energy buildings with high BER ratings, designed to maximize solar gain, natural daylight, and natural ventilation.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)(Page 430, DMS 16.3; Page 431, DMS 16.6)
Incorporate SuDS measures such as permeable paving, swales, filter drains, storage ponds, and green roofs in all new developments to manage runoff.
Dual aspect dwellings(Page 437, DMS 16.46)
Design all dwelling units with dual aspect to improve natural lighting, ventilation, and overall liveability.
Re-use and adaptation(Page 119, CPO 4.31; Page 445, DMS 16.88)
Encourage the appropriate re-use, adaptation, and extension of existing rural building stock and traditional vernacular structures in preference to new builds.
Native boundary screening(Page 120, CPO 4.40; Page 447, DMS 16.93)
Incorporate double rows of native hedgerow species (such as Hawthorn, holly, hazel, blackthorn) along roadside boundaries, and ensure sites are flanked by a minimum of two established natural boundaries.
Subordinate extensions(Page 443, DMS 16.81)
Ensure extensions are subordinate in scale and complementary in design and materials to the main building. There is a presumption against extensions exceeding 100% of the existing floor area.
What gets refused
Discouraged by the guide
Brick finishes and non-local stone cladding(Page 444, 16.4.6.7; Page 445, DMS 16.89)
The use of brick finishes in rural areas is discouraged. Non-local stone, dashes, and cladding that clearly read as non-structural or artificial are not permitted.
High block walls and ornamental gates(Page 120, CPO 4.40; Page 447, DMS 16.93)
High block walls, elaborate or over-scaled gate designs, wing walls, and ornamental features are not permitted at rural entrances as they do not suit the countryside setting.
Bulky, deep-plan house shapes(Page 445, DMS 16.88 & DMS 16.89)
Deep plan forms are discouraged as they create bulky roof shapes. Simple, long plans with narrow spans (gable-widths) and appropriate pitches are preferred.
Multi-storey backland developments(Page 119, CPO 4.34)
Piecemeal backland developments that harm surrounding character are resisted. Only single-storey bungalows (with optional attic accommodation) are permitted in family backland locations to limit visual impact and overlooking.
Felling of mature trees and hedgerows(Page 371, CPO 12.77; Page 446, DMS 16.91)
The felling of mature trees and species-rich townland or roadside boundary hedgerows is discouraged. If removal is required for safety, replacement with native species is mandatory.
Decorative fascia and box end soffits(Page 446, DMS 16.89)
Decorative fascia boards and heavy box-end soffits should be avoided on rural dwellings to maintain a clean vernacular appearance.
Piecemeal boundary fencing(Page 438, DMS 16.52)
Post-and-wire or timber post-and-panel fencing is not permitted to enclose private open space; high-quality solid block walls (capped and plastered) are generally required.
Materials & finishes
- Plastered walls with nap or dry dash finishes
- Local natural stone (sandstone or limestone)
- Traditional renders like stucco, traditional lime render, or lime wash
- Slate roofs
- Metal cladding (e.g. copper) as an accent material
- Timber shingles
- Painted timber finishes
- Glass
Roofs & form
- Simple long plan forms in preference to deep plan forms to ensure clean, non-bulky roof shapes
- Narrow spans (gable-widths)
- Traditional pitches and profiles
- Flat roofs (permitted for extensions in a contemporary design context, assessed on individual merit)
- Green/living roofs (encouraged to manage runoff and promote biodiversity)
Siting & landscape
- New developments must visually integrate with existing contours and established field boundaries, avoiding excessive cutting and filling of sites
- New buildings must respect the landscape context and must not impinge on scenic views, lakeside visual areas, or skylines as seen from vantage points or public roads
- Clustering with existing rural buildings is preferred over stand-alone locations
- Minimum 22-metre separation distance must be maintained between opposing first-floor rear windows to prevent overlooking
- Minimum 35-metre separation distance is required between overlooking upper-floor living rooms/balconies
- Existing roadside hedgerows and trees must be retained as much as possible, and new sites should be flanked by a minimum of two natural boundaries
- Minimum site size of 0.2 hectares is required for any dwelling using an individual septic tank or treatment system
- Adhere to minimum building lines from public roads (15m for local roads, 25m for regional, 35m for national roads)