Design guide · Donegal County Council
Building a House in Rural Donegal: A Location, Siting and Design Guide
The council's guidance on siting and designing a house in the countryside.
Donegal County Council · 19 pages
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- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide 1.0 Introduction Page 1 2.0 Location Page 5 3.0 Siting Page 9 4.0 Design Page 17 CONTENTS
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Donegal landscape is a finite resource and one which warrants careful and considered management. To maintain the beauty of the county, we are charged with managing the impact new development has on the landscape. The information in this guide provides assistance to those involved in the planning and development process of designing a house in the countryside, the; Applicants/Agents: To help them develop proposals specific to the character of Donegal. Planning Authority: To consider the likely visual impact of the scheme on the landscape and the quality of design when dealing with applications. The guide advocates an integrated approach to the design of a dwelling in the countryside considering the three key elements of Location, Siting and Design. In summary a house in the countryside should; Integrate satisfactorily within the landscape. Reflect its location and contribute satisfactorily to the character of the area, expressing local influences and materials appropriate to the rural area. Be well designed informed primarily by site specifics. People have lived off the land in Donegal for generations, where buildings respect and respond to the land which they inhabit. This relationship can be further sustained through informed and sensitive siting and design. While this information will help applicants with the design aspects of the process of obtaining planning permission, the main documents of the plan contain the policies which address the principle of building a house in various parts of the countryside. Notwithstanding these principles, proposals which fail to demonstrate an understanding of the site specifics and subsequently fail to integrate new buildings with the surrounding countryside will not be permitted.
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 2 The Design Brief. Pre-planning Consultation. Other: - Building Energy Rating. - Effluent Disposal. - Roads and Access. - Adaptability. - Renewable Resources. This guide derives from the County Donegal Development Plan Core Document RH-P-1 Part 1 where it states: ‘Proposals for individual dwellings shall be subject to the application of Best Practice in relation to the siting, location and design of rural housing as set out in Appendix B and shall comply with Policy RH-P-2.’ General Guidance for Applicants When designing a new building in any environment a series of steps are to be considered. The key principles of site selection, house design, architectural detailing and material specification are considered so as to achieve an informed, site-specific design solution. In doing so a number of factors require careful consideration: The Design Brief Pre-planning Consultation Other: - Building Energy Rating - Effluent Disposal - Roads and Access - Adaptability - Renewable Resources The Design Brief When thinking about building a new house in the rural area, in the first instance, look at your site, make a list of what you want from a house in the countryside, meet with and discuss your needs with your designer. Your designer should begin by analysing these requirements, considering your site first and foremost, the relevant policy context, your spatial requirements and your budget to ensure your needs are properly realised, efficiently and economically. These factors are then translated into a design tailored to your site, your spatial requirements, in line with current legislation and the policy framework. Information and particulars in relation to making an application to the local planning office are available in your local Public Service Centre, in County House Lifford or online at www.donegalcoco.ie. All applicants are encouraged to engage suitably qualified professional designers. The implementation of good design principles need not incur additional cost, instead informing the energy performance and life time functioning of the building. This in turn may influence
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 3 the capital value of the building, while increasing the quality of life enjoyed from the building by its recipients. Pre-planning Consultation Organise a pre-planning meeting with the Planning office to discuss the proposals. Donegal County Council encourage communication with the Planning office at the outset and will provide pre-planning advice in relation to an application, addressing any concerns arising and discussing possible alternatives as necessary. Provide site maps, site photographs and preliminary sketch designs, preferably in advance, to aid discussion with the Planning office so as to ensure informed feedback is available to progress an application further. Building Regulation and the Energy Performance of Buildings You should also be aware of the National Building Regulations, which cover various aspects of construction. This legislation is independent of the planning code and you are legally obliged to comply with these building regulations to ensure your building is constructed to a quality standard. In this regard one of the most important aspects of the National Building Regulations legislation to be considered is the potential to be explored in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. This will inform the siting and design of your building, providing for a warm comfortable home, potentially reduce your fuel bills, and adding value to your investment. The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings is aimed at improving the energy performance of residential and non-residential buildings, and also outlines the requirement to provide at the point of sale or rental of a building or on completion of a new building, an energy rating of your building in the form of a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate. This Directive was adopted into Irish law as regulation in 2006. This rating is informed by the energy used in the construction phase of the building as well as through the life time of the building. Elements of the rating are influenced principally by topography and orientation through solar gain, shelter from prevailing winds, wind energy etc; and encourage the siting of dwellings to gain the maximum benefit from the environment in which they are situated. Effluent Disposal Applicants should demonstrate that the method of disposing of wastewater from the proposed dwelling is fully sustainable, checking the availability of connections to water and sewage facilities, in compliance with the requirements of Donegal County Council and in
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 4 A house in the countryside should; Integrate satisfactorily within the landscape. Reflect its location and contribute satisfactorily to the character of the area, expressing local influences and materials appropriate to the rural area. Be well designed informed primarily by site specifics. accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. You should also be aware since the introduction of the 2006 Planning and Development Regulations, all planning applications, where it is proposed to dispose of effluent, not to a public mains system, must be accompanied by a site suitability assessment. This assessment must be carried out by an approved assessor details of which are as outlined on the Donegal County Council website www.donegalcoco.ie Roads and Access The location of the access from your site onto a public road should primarily consider road safety and be sited so as to maximise road visibility. Technical standards are as set out in Chapter 10 of the Core Document, the elements of which are to be considered and implemented accordingly. Lifetime Adaptability/Extensions Buildings should be designed with flexibility and adaptability in mind, providing access to the older, the very young and people with disabilities. It is useful to consider the possible changing needs of the recipient in planning for a toilet and bedroom downstairs if needed in the future. Renewable Resources The use of renewable energy sources such as solar panels, domestic wind turbines, geothermal heating systems, rainwater recycling systems etc are encouraged in principle on existing or new dwellings. Embodied Co2 The choice of building materials is important in terms of sustainable development. Currently, in Ireland the amount of CO2 emissions attributable to the manufacture of building materials are approximately 3-4 million tonnes per annum. This CO2 is termed ‘embodied CO2’ as it is the CO2 embodied in the construction materials. The use of green construction materials such as low carbon cements, insulation with lower embodied CO2, timber from sustainable sources or easily recycled material should be considered as part of any construction project. Taking steps to reduce embodied CO2 will contribute to the overall reduction of CO2, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, while encouraging and supporting the growth of the green economy.
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 5 2.0 LOCATION The characteristics of the local area within which your dwelling sits, primarily land fall and vegetation cover, will inform the siting of your building within the rural environment and requires careful and considered analysis. Throughout Donegal the characteristics of the landform vary and can do so quite dramatically over a short distance. The landscape of the county, its topography, terrain, vegetation cover, exposure, field and settlement pattern, determines and/or informs how successful any new building sits within the landscape. The capacity of the rural landscape to absorb buildings varies depending on the outcome of much of the above, but generally contoured landscapes provide more opportunity for the integration of a new building in the countryside. That is not to say a new dwelling may not be successfully integrated into a low-lying terrain. The underlying factor in the success or otherwise of a new dwelling fitting into the countryside is a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the site specifics and its capacity to integrate satisfactorily a new dwelling within its environs. In the first instance a knowledge and understanding of the different landscape types and building reference in Donegal informs the opportunities available at a given site. Distinctive Landscape Types: Coastal; to include cliffs, offshore islands and dunes. (Also refer to the Policy NH- P-6 of the CDP 2012-2018) The Donegal coastline is typically a rugged indented coastline, with small bays and inlets, exposed rocky outcrops and long beaches sheltered by sandy dunes. Steep indented seacliffs complement coastal lowlands which are fringed by sandy bays and offshore islands, and make for some of the most dramatic coastline in the country. Many of the Offshore Islands are rugged, isolated and treeless, exposed to all the elements, including high winds and salt seas. New development along the coastline and on the islands, should complement the visual amenity of the coastline and demonstrate a positive addition to the area. The scale mass
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 6 and form of any new building requires particular and sensitive consideration in such locations. Mountains (Also refer to the Policy NH- P-10 and NH-P-12 of the CDP 2012-2018) Much of Donegal is characterised by rugged uplands. These generally unpopulated upland areas are in places protected by EU and Irish conservation designations. They are home to a wide diversity of wildlife and are popular visitor attractions. The very nature of the mountainous landscape, the exposed terrain of the mountain range and frequent lack of vegetation, provides for a high level of visibility and consequently presents difficulties for the introduction of a new building in the landscape with limited opportunity for integration. The success of any proposal will depend on a thorough understanding of the site, providing for a sensitive integration of a new building within the landscape. Building on the crest or shoulder of a slope is to be avoided. Alternatively naturally occurring tucks and hollows should be considered to provide shelter and privacy and assist in setting a building satisfactorily into the landscape. Significant excavation to create a level platform is not acceptable in this landscape. Drumlin Throughout a swath of Donegal, about 10-12 thousand years ago, the ice drifted and formed a mass of undulating, localised small hills, gravel soils, dry slopes with wet and damp areas collecting between hills and to the bottom of slopes called drumlins. Tree growth is often found at the base of these drumlins which are characterised by small enclosed field boundaries. The stone walls which outline these field boundaries are frequently prevalent due to the abundance of fieldstone. Given the abundance of stone walling, the use of stone sourced from the local area can be of particular importance in these areas in assisting a new buildings’ integration within the landscape while complimenting the existing character of the area. Naturally occurring landforms, hills, trees and stone walls should be utilised to provide shelter and integration for a new building in the countryside. Bogland The bogs of Donegal provide a backdrop of colour and texture, with magnificent long views, interspersed with copses of vegetation. Many blanket bogs in Donegal are now protected as Natural Heritage Areas and SACS, active blanket bog is a Priority Habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Due to the wet and porous condition of the ground, open bog-land is not
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 7 usually nor readily conducive to construction, it can also be hugely problematic in terms of achieving satisfactory disposal of effluent. As such this landscape provides limited opportunity for new development, where an opportunity does exist, the scale and form of the building and the specification of finishes are particularly important. Providing a solution which complements the surrounding colour palette, ensuring any new development integrates in harmony with the immediate environment requires informed and sensitive consideration. Arable These areas of green fields are characterised by long stretching views and rich low-lying land. These large scale flat or gently sloping fertile plains are furnished with clusters of mature deciduous trees, a profusion of hedgerow and general lush vegetation cover and are typically sub-divided into large intensively worked farms. Larger houses on large plots traditionally serviced this fertile land and while careful consideration is to be given to the impact any development has on the long views of the area, there may be the provision, with careful and appropriate siting, and utilising existing tree clusters, to integrate a larger building footprint within this landscape. Notwithstanding the above particular care should be taken in these areas to minimise potential negative impact on the visual amenity of the area in providing individual houses which are incongruous to their setting and as a result unnecessarily dominant in their environment. The natural clustering of trees is to be maximised as a natural backdrop for a new house in the countryside, providing shelter and privacy. Moreover an existing grouping of farm buildings can be a natural starting point when analysing the location of a new dwelling, providing for a continued evolution of an already existing building cluster. Building Reference: Donegal’s Rural Houses The architectural heritage of Donegal has evolved, in the main, from the earlier linear form and detailing of the cottage to the later much larger grand proportions of the estate house, both of which were often serviced by a range of out-buildings of varying quality and quantity. Variations of this vernacular, from the inland east to the coastal west, both refer to classical proportion and reflect in their detailing the influences of a given time, from the famine to
- County Donegal Development Plan 2012-2018 Appendix B Building a House in Rural Donegal- A Location Siting and Design Guide Page 8 the Plantation to the present day. From this there are a number of existing rural building types which contribute to Donegal’s rich landscape and heritage; Estate Houses and service buildings. Classical Farmhouses and their outbuildings. Cottages and their outbuildings. Well designed contemporary dwellings. Many of these buildings manifest the same principles in their built form; Of classical reference. A simplicity of form. Are site specific From a local palette of materials. It is from this reference, which we begin, expressing our local identity within a rural context. Key Principles: Consider the specific natural characteristics of the local area identifying eg the location and type of tree cover, land type etc. This information will in part inform the siting and plan form of the new building. Consider the detailing and plan form of the surrounding built environment, noting the difference in traditional detailing through out the county. This variation within the county should be considered in the building design. Identify and utilise a location’s specific natural features to inform the integration of a new building sensitively and harmoniously within its host setting. New buildings should harmonise with rather than dominate the visual character of an area. Protect and conserve views adjoining public roads, coastlines and river valleys throughout the county where these views are of high amenity value. Consider relevant landscape and building designations which may impact upon potential development.
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