Fingal Development Plan 2023–2029 – Written Statement (Consolidated)

1. Page 581

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 581FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 14.14.2 Childcare Facilities It is recognised that childcare must be of suitably high quality. The Council will seek to facilitate the provision of childcare facilities in appropriate locations throughout the County and may require their provision in large residential, public community, commercial and retail developments in accordance with the provisions of the DoEHLG Childcare Facilities: Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2001 and any superseding guidelines or as required by the Planning Authority. Objective DMSO79 – Applications for Childcare Facilities Any application for childcare facilities shall have regard to the following: ¨ Suitability of the site for the type and size of facility proposed. ¨ Adequate sleeping/rest facilities. ¨ Adequate availability of indoor and outdoor play space. ¨ Convenience to public transport nodes. ¨ Safe access and convenient off-street car parking and/or suitable drop-off and collection points for customers and staff. ¨ Local traffic conditions. ¨ Intended hours of operation. Objective DMSO80 – Childcare Provision within a Residential Property Residential properties with childcare shall retain a substantial residential component within the dwelling and shall be occupied by the operator of the childcare facility. Applications for childcare facilities in existing residential areas will be treated on their own merits, having regard to the likely effect on the amenities of adjoining properties, and compliance with the above criteria. Detached houses or substantial semi-detached properties are most suitable for the provision of full day care facilities. For new residential developments, the most suitable facility for the provision of full day care should be a purpose built, ground floor, stand-alone property. In assessing applications for new childcare facilities, the Planning Authority will consult with the Fingal County Childcare Committee to assess the need for the type of facility proposed at the intended location. 14.14.3 Educational Facilities The Council will consider school developments having regard to specific requirements of the Department of Education and guidance set out within The Provision of Schools and the Planning System, A Code of Practice for Planning Authorities, the Department of Education and Science, and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 2008. In general, new schools shall be developed in areas where new/ additional schools are required as identified by the Department of Education and/or within existing school/ education sites.

2. Page 582

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 582FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Any application for education facilities, including new schools and/or redevelopment/extensions of existing schools, shall have regard to the following: ¨ Overall need in terms of necessity, deficiency and opportunity to enhance or develop schools. ¨ Site location, proximity of school to catchment area, size of site relative to outdoor space requirements and the future needs of the school (i.e. sufficient space provided for future expansion). ¨ Traffic and transport impact on the surrounding road network. ¨ Good, safe accessible pedestrian and cyclist routes to and from the school from nearby residential and commercial areas. ¨ Adequate cycle facilities. ¨ Safe access and adequate car parking layout to facilitate drop off/pick up. ¨ Adequate signage, lighting and boundary treatments. ¨ Impact on local amenities and out of school hours uses/dual functioning of school facilities. ¨ Conformity with the requirements of appropriate legislative guidelines. ¨ Conformity with land use zoning objectives. ¨ In all cases, a School Travel Plan shall be submitted with an application for any school development, requirements of which should be ascertained at pre-planning stage. ¨ Dual function of sports facilities/halls etc. outside of school hours will be encouraged where the use of such facilities will be of a benefit to the wider community, however any outside hours usage of the school should not be to the detriment of adjoining residential amenities. Full details of all anticipated uses outside of school hours should be provided with the planning application. Temporary classrooms will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will generally be accepted for a period not exceeding five years and such classrooms should not interfere with onsite car/ cycle parking spaces or unduly impact the usability of outdoor play/sports facilities. Extensions to schools will generally be accepted where they will replace existing temporary classroom structures on site. School extensions should be located having regard to adjoining amenities and amenities within the school site. 14.14.4 Places of Worship Development proposals for the habitual use of a building as a place of public worship or religious instruction will be considered in the context of the land use zoning and the need to protect the amenities of established uses from impacts arising from traffic, noise or other disturbance. Planning applications for places of worship should be accompanied by details of the capacity of the facility (e.g. seating capacity), a traffic assessment and intended hours of operation.

3. Page 583

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 583FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Objective DMSO81 – Places of Worship Facilitate the development of additional places of worship through the designation and/ or zoning of lands for such community requirements and examine locating places of worship within shared community facilities, to be delivered through actively engaging with the community to understand diverse religious needs for a place of worship and consulting with faith communities to understand which ones are compatible for shared premises/sites. Objective DMSO82 – Location of Places of Worship Require that new or enlarged places of worship be located in places where they do not create unacceptable traffic congestion or car parking difficulties nor cause a nuisance to existing residents or businesses. 14.14.5 Health Centres/Services The Planning Authority will distinguish between small scale medical practices involving one to two principals (i.e. doctor/dentist/physiotherapist owning the business) with a maximum of one to two employees, and larger medical practices accommodating two or more medical practitioners and two or more support staff. The Planning Authority will consider on their own merits, any applications for the establishment of small-scale medical practices, or the extension/ refurbishment of existing small-scale medical practices, in residential areas. Applications should involve professional medical (commercial) activities carried out by the resident of the building or the premises should incorporate an otherwise occupied living unit. The operation of these premises shall not have negative impacts on the residential amenities of the surrounding area. Parking and access arrangements shall be as per Table 14.19 requirements, while parking areas shall not dominate the front curtilage of the property in contrast to adjoining dwellings and shall be similarly landscaped. Objective DMSO83 – Location of Medical Practices in Residential Areas Medical practices in residential areas shall be additions to the existing residential use of a dwelling and be subordinate to it. Similar to childcare facilities in residential areas – small-scale medical practices should ideally be in larger and detached houses on their own grounds and with suitable and convenient access for those arriving by car, foot or public transport. Objective DMSO84 – Location of Larger Medical Practices Larger scale and group medical practices shall be located in Rural Villages, Local Centre, Town and District Centre, Metro and Rail Economic Corridor and Major Town Centre zonings. They shall not have negative impacts in terms of generating overspill of car parking, traffic hazard, negative impact on adjoining residential uses, and shall complement the existing uses and buildings and should have only modest signage. In the case of veterinary surgeries, full details of all services provided on site shall be submitted including details of overnight facilities (including kennels/staff accommodation) and out of hours services shall be submitted together with noise mitigation measures where appropriate.

4. Page 584

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 584FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 14.14.6 Burial Grounds and Crematoria Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide for burial facilities. Many of the existing burial grounds within the County have reached or are nearing full capacity. Therefore, it will be necessary to provide additional burial grounds within the County over the next number of years. Objective DMSO85 – Graveyards Facilitate the future burial requirements of the County including the provision of Columbarium walls where possible, within existing and regional graveyards. Objective DMSO86 – Additional Burial Grounds Provide and facilitate the development of additional burial grounds, including green graveyards/ natural burial grounds in areas across Fingal as required during the life of the Development Plan and which preferably have good public transport links, taking cognisance of the needs of multi-faith and non-religious communities. Objective DMSO87 – Management and Maintenance of Burial Grounds Ensure burial grounds are managed and maintained in a manner which respects their cultural heritage and which provides safety and universal access. Objective DMSO88 – Provision of a Crematorium Facilitate the provision of a crematorium within the life of the Development Plan, subject to environmental assessment and Screening for Appropriate Assessment as appropriate. 14.15 Enterprise and Employment This section should be read in conjunction with Chapter 7 Employment and Economy. The Planning Authority encourages high quality design, materials and finishes and good quality landscaping for all commercial and industrial developments. In assessing planning applications, a number of considerations will be taken into account: ¨ Conformity with relevant Development Plan land use policies and objectives. ¨ The mix of uses being proposed particularly in mixed use areas, i.e. areas zoned LC, MC, ME, TC, RV, where development and changes of use need to be orientated towards creating environments that are vibrant and lively. ¨ The intensity and nature of the proposed use. ¨ Achievement of an appropriate density and scale of development. ¨ Provision of open space and high-quality landscaping plans. ¨ High quality design. ¨ Potential impact of traffic movement and parking provision. ¨ Impact on amenities of the surrounding areas. ¨ Energy efficiency and overall sustainability of the development. ¨ Waste management measures.

5. Page 585

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 585FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 14.15.1 Business Parks and Industrial Areas Business parks and industrial areas in Fingal are intended to provide high quality physical environments for businesses and industry reflecting the character of the County. The principal aims are to achieve high quality design, visual continuity and pedestrian/cycle friendly environments whilst ensuring the functioning of business and industrial locations. It is also considered that good design will assist in the long-term economic viability of these areas. Objective DMSO89 – Design and Siting of Business Parks and Industrial Areas Ensure that the design and siting of any new Business Parks and Industrial Areas, including office developments, conforms to the principles of Design Guidelines as outlined in Table 14.15. Table 14.15: Design Guidelines for Business Parks, Industrial Areas (Enterprise and Employment lands) Site Design Access & Circulation ¨ Sites should be designed to minimise conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists. ¨ The number of access points to a site should be kept to a minimum. ¨ Access points should be designed to provide safe ingress/egress for vehicles and pedestrians. ¨ Alignment of opposite entrances is encouraged to promote continuity and provide uniformity. ¨ Mobility Management Plans will be encouraged for employee intensive developments. Pedestrian/Cycle Connections ¨ Site design should accommodate pedestrian/cycle circulation in a safe and efficient manner. ¨ Pedestrian and cycle routes should be physically separated from vehicular circulation as much as possible. ¨ Intersections where pedestrian/cyclist and vehicles converge should be clearly marked for visual identification by both motorists and pedestrians/cyclists. Permeability ¨ Permeability is influenced by a number of factors including building layout, road layout, setbacks, car parking and landscaping and an integrated approach is required to achieve good permeability. Lighting ¨ Lighting creates a secure and attractive environment. Lighting can also be a source of pollution and should be designed to eliminate and minimise spill out beyond the site. ¨ Beacons, search lights, blinking lights, flashing or changing intensity lights will be discouraged. ¨ Lighting should not be used in a manner which would interfere with the safe movement of vehicles or the navigation of aircraft. ¨ Lighting should be directed away from adjacent buildings and the public road. ¨ Lighting in service areas should be contained within service yard boundaries. ¨ Security lighting should be confined to entrances and pedestrian areas and should not project onto the public road. ¨ Pedestrian circulation routes and entrances should be adequately lit.

6. Page 586

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 586FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Loading/Service Areas ¨ Loading bays and service dock areas should be located to the rear or sides of buildings where possible, away from the main building entrance, or relatively visible areas. ¨ Where possible, service, loading, generator and waste storage areas should be enclosed within the building. ¨ External loading and service areas should be appropriately screened. ¨ Loading areas should be designed to accommodate vehicular manoeuvring on site. Waste/Recycling ¨ All waste and recycling areas should be covered/enclosed and appropriately screened from wind and public view. Silos and Ancillary Structures ¨ Silos and ancillary structures should be screened as much as possible and located to the sides and rear of buildings. ¨ Where possible materials used for the construction of silos and ancillary structures should match that of the building. Storage (Plant, Materials, Machinery) ¨ The storage of plant, materials and machinery should be reserved for the rear of buildings to minimise their visual impact. Set Backs ¨ Set backs assist in establishing visual continuity and help create attractive streetscapes, generally: ƿ A minimum 10 m set back comprising hard and soft landscaping should be provided between the building line of every building abutting a main road. This may be reduced, but generally no less than 7m set back, on internal roads. ƿ The set back should provide a landscaped buffer area and should not be used for parking or other business related activity or advertising. Signage All signage should be of an appropriate design so as to be compatible with the character of the area. ¨ All signage should be constructed with a palate of materials consistent with the predominant material and architectural character of the attendant building. ¨ The materials, location, size, colour, height, scale lighting and orientation of signage should not detract from the visual amenity of the area.

7. Page 587

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 587FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 ¨ Only one free standing ‘identification’ sign per unit will be permitted in order to avoid the over proliferation of signage. Additional informational and directional signage should be minimised. Where buildings have multiple units only one freestanding ‘identification’ sign will be permitted. ¨ The following signage will be discouraged: Signs which advertise general products or services, Animated, moving, flashing, rotating or sound-emitting signs, Billboards, Roof mounted signs or signs which project above the ridge height of the building, Internally illuminated awnings, Changeable message signs, Pole mounted signs and Wall signs. Public Art ¨ Outdoor sculptures, appropriate art work, and special architectural and landscape features are encouraged in the development of individual sites and as features within public areas of estates. Such features help establish and reinforce visual identity and sense of place. Sustainability ¨ The design and orientation of buildings should take advantage of local climate conditions utilising solar gain and daylight. ¨ The application of SuDS is required during the design phase of all developments. ¨ Appropriate energy conservation strategies should be employed in building design including building shape, mass, orientation and the choice of materials. Building Orientation and Road Frontage ¨ The siting and orientation of buildings should protect and enhance existing views and vistas, make optimal use of sunlight and angles, enhance the character of existing land forms and site features, and strengthen the relationship between buildings. ¨ The layout of buildings should form high quality public spaces with a high degree of passive surveillance. Massing and Form ¨ Contemporary building design will be encouraged. Contemporary architectural treatments, materials and finishes should be incorporated into all aspects of building design. ¨ Buildings in industrial and general business areas should be designed in a manner consistent with adjoining buildings in terms of height and scale. ¨ Where residential areas are adjacent to industrial and business parks consideration should be given to having reduced heights at the abutting part of the site so as to minimise the contrast and impact between the two areas. ¨ Monolithic buildings should be avoided. The mass of large buildings should be broken into groups of clusters or sub-parts where possible to reduce perceived scale. ¨ A mix of building types will be encouraged ranging from incubator units to large units. ¨ Building design should be as flexible and innovative as possible to facilitate the changing needs of occupiers and their processes.

8. Page 588

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 588FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Building Appearance and Materials and Colour Palate ¨ Building materials should be aesthetically pleasing and durable. ¨ All buildings should relate visually to one another and uses should be compatible with adjacent uses. ¨ Use of similar architectural elements such as window shapes, roof forms, similar materials, colours and textures help in achieving visual continuity. ¨ Human scale buildings should be encouraged. Appearance ¨ Buildings should be set within landscaped settings with high quality public plazas/spaces formed by high quality buildings. ¨ Landmark buildings will be encouraged at strategic locations to act as focal points. ¨ Buildings should be legible; this can partly be achieved through expressing the position of each floor in the external skin design using techniques like terracing, articulated structural elements, or changing building materials. Belt courses, or other horizontal trim bands or contrasting colours, and or materials can also achieve building legibility. Facades ¨ Facades with a high level of visual interest are encouraged. ¨ The exterior character of buildings should enhance the character of the area and pedestrian/ cyclist and motorists experience. ¨ ‘Friendly’ facades can be achieved using decorative wall surfaces and landscape materials, modular materials such as brick and stone and windows that reveal indoor amenities and activity. ¨ Large expanses of blank walls and mirror glass are not conducive to creating friendly facades and should be avoided where possible. ¨ Visual continuity should be achieved through the use of muted colours. ¨ Generally, the use of dark colours should be reserved for the base of buildings with lighter colours used for the upper levels. Roofscape ¨ Roofscapes should add to the visual continuity of business parks and industrial areas. ¨ Roof elements should be simple in form and continuous. ¨ Horizontal and undulating lines are encouraged. ¨ Flat, hipped and mansard roofs will be discouraged. ¨ Exhaust flues, chimneys and vents should be integrated into the building, preferably located to the rear or side of buildings, appropriately screened and coloured to match the overall design of the attendant building.

9. Page 589

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   DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 589FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 Telecommunications and Antenna Equipment ¨ Roof mounted equipment should be designed to blend into their host building. Roof-mounted equipment that will be visible against the skyline should be painted to blend with the sky background as viewed from adjoining roads and buildings. ¨ Roof mounted plant rooms will generally not be permitted. Such plants should be integrated into the overall design of buildings. ¨ Wall-mounted equipment should be mounted as flush to the building as is technically possible and should not extend above the roofline of the building. ¨ Utility screening should be comprised of durable materials. All utility lines (including power and telephone lines) should be installed underground where possible. Solar, Utility, Electrical and Mechanical Equipment ¨ All ground, building, or roof-mounted electric, gas, mechanical units, and similar devices must be properly located to avoid unsightliness or potential safety issues and must be appropriately screened in a manner compatible with the design of the attendant building. ¨ No heating (except solar), air conditioning, electrical, or other equipment may be installed on the roof of any building or structure unless screened with materials compatible with (preferably the same as) the predominant exterior building material. ¨ Electricity substations should not be permitted on public open space. ¨ Electricity substations should be sited at ground level. ¨ Oil tanks, substations, gas meters and other service rooms should be screened and should not be visible from public roads. Building Entrances ¨ Primary entrances should be clearly legible through the use of appropriate materials and scale. ¨ Entrances should be clearly legible. ¨ Entrances should be designed to read as contrasting areas on a building’s façade and orientated towards public spaces, either the primary road or internal vehicle drive. Parking ¨ Parking areas should be designed to provide safe and convenient movement of vehicles and limit vehicular/pedestrian conflicts. ¨ Surface car parking should not dominate the layout of development and should be designed as an integral part of each building. ¨ Innovative car parking arrangements are encouraged including basement/semi basement parking and under-croft parking to minimise visual impact. ¨ Parking areas should be appropriately screened and their visual impact softened with the use of planting and landscape features. ¨ Where buildings are showrooms alongside a road, there should be no parking to the front of the building line. Otherwise, parking to the front of buildings should be limited to visitor parking only.

10. Page 590

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    DEVElOPMENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS 590FINGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2029 ¨ Parking areas should be of semi/permeable surface incorporating the principles of SuDS. ¨ Large expanses of parking is discouraged and should be broken into smaller modules broken by vegetation/landscaping. ¨ Parking areas should be buffered from the road with landscaping, earthen berms, half walls or fences to soften their appearance. ¨ Adequate and secure cycle parking should be provided (Table 14.17). ¨ Motorcycle parking should also be provided within parking schemes. ¨ Some facilities may require checkpoints in order to monitor access. Guardhouses and security huts should be designed and located in a manner that will not conflict with pedestrian/cycle movements or cause traffic queuing. The design of security huts should be consistent with the architectural design of its attendant building. Landscaping and Boundary Treatment ¨ Planting of native species is encouraged. ¨ Enhance the visual character of the area by promoting the planting of trees and other shrubbery alongside roadside boundaries. ¨ Where possible, existing vegetation should be preserved, enhanced and incorporated into the landscape design. ¨ The appearance and maintenance requirements of plant and tree selection should be considered. ¨ Boundary treatments should, where necessary, take account of the need to act as noise buffers especially where the building adjoins a busy road or motorway. ¨ Landscaping should be used to emphasis entrances and pedestrian circulation routes. ¨ Boundaries which are visible from the public road (in particular boundaries which project forward past the building line) should be of a high architectural quality. ¨ Palisade fencing to the front of any building line will not be permitted. ¨ The use of retention ponds as an urban design feature within business parks will be encouraged to enhance the campus setting. 14.15.2 Remote Working Hubs The growth in remote working brings a new dynamic to locational decisions, including co-working hubs. Objective DMSO90 – Location of Remote Working Hubs Remote working hubs should be located in major and local town centres and rural villages. The facility should include independent working spaces, meeting rooms and communal facilities for users. Bicycle and vehicular parking provision shall be in accordance with the standards required for office development. Objective DMSO91 – Utilisation of Vacant Properties for Remote Working Facilities Vacant/underused properties should be utilised for remote working hub facilities where appropriate.

Source Fingal County Council: Fingal Development Plan 2023–2029 – Written Statement (Consolidated) (2023–2029) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.