Design guide · Roscommon County Council
Rural Design Guidelines
The council's guidance on siting and designing a house in the countryside.
Roscommon County Council · 70 pages
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- 25Rural Design Guidelines 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Traditional gateways were modest in their style. This resulted in the minimised removal of roadside hedgerows. Wrought iron gates were often used and are good examples of high quality local produce. The gateways around the larger country houses and demesnes were important markers and ornate designs were to the fore. These elaborate features are of a high quality design but are not suited to smaller sites.
- 26 Siting and Integration Rural Design Guidelines A constructed berm with native planting can form an attractive boundary. This is especially suitable on a site where existing hedgerow is removed to provide sightlines. Year 1 Year 5 4.6 Front boundary options Boundary option 2 Potential Site Boundary option 1 Hedgerow and tree stands removed and replaced by boundary wall Some site clearance to accommodate boundary wall Modest stone wall forming a new access Mature trees and hedgerows retained on site New hedgerow and natural trees to match existing Established tree stands Mature trees and hedgerows
- Rural Design Guidelines 4.7 Native trees and hedging Native trees and hedging have been growing in Ireland for hundreds of years and have adapted to the environmental conditions of the country. Site clearance is often carried out when a new dwelling is about to be constructed and natural features such as trees and hedgerows are regularly cleared without considering the potential of these features. Native species are a prominent feature of the countryside in Roscommon and they can help to blend new developments into the surrounding landscape. A - Grows in a wide variety of soils I - Suitable as an individual tree C - Climber P - Tolerates smoke or pollution S - Tolerates some shade V - Invasive D - Tolerates or prefers damp conditions Name Suitability Suitable for hedges AlderAlnus glutinosaADPS ADPS AshFraxinus excelsior ADIPS AspenPopulus tremula DPSV, not suitable close to buildings or services Birch, DownyBetula pubesecnes ADIP Birch, SilverBetula pendula AIP Blackthorn/SloePrunus spinosa APV Cherry WildPrunus avium AI Crab AppleMauls sylvestris AIP Siting and Integration 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Birch, Downy Crab Apple Ash Aspen Alder Birch, Silver Blackthorn Wild Cherry
- Siting and Integration Rural Design Guidelines A - Grows in a wide variety of soils I - Suitable as an individual tree C - Climber P - Tolerates smoke or pollution S - Tolerates some shade V - Invasive D - Tolerates or prefers damp conditions Name Suitability Suitable for hedges Elder Sambucsus nigra AV Elm, Wych Ulmus glabra PS Gorse, Common Ulex europaeus V Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus DIS Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna AIPS Hazel Corylus avellana AS Holly Ilex aquifolium AIPS Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum AC 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Gorse Elm, Wych Holly Hazel Guelder Rose Honeysuckle Elder Hawthorn
- Rural Design Guidelines A - Grows in a wide variety of soils I - Suitable as an individual tree C - Climber P - Tolerates smoke or pollution S - Tolerates some shade V - Invasive D - Tolerates or prefers damp conditions Name Suitability Suitable for hedges Oak, PedunculateQuercus robur AI, only on large sites Oak, SessileQuercus petraea AI, only on large sites RowanSorbus aucuparia AIP Scots Pine * Pinus sylvestris AI SpindleEuonymous S Willow/SallySalix spp. AD YewTaxus baccata AIPS Siting and Integration Oak 44 45 46 47 48 49 Rowan Willow Spindle Yew Scots Pine
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- 32 Re-use, re-organise, re-place Rural Design Guidelines 5.1 Re-use and convert There is a rich heritage of traditional farm buildings, industrial buildings, religious and educational structures within County Roscommon. While many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair, these buildings are an important contributor to the local character and are often undervalued in terms of their architectural potential. There is considerable potential to convert and re-use former schools, churches, mills and farm buildings in the county which will preserve these historic buildings which presently lie empty. This is an approach which underpins sustainable development in that it retains our built heritage while bringing empty structures into use. The reuse of these buildings can help to reduce the demand for new housing while also preserving the vernacular design of the area. Care should be taken to check whether the structure is on the Record of Protected Structures and if so the services of a Conservation Architect should be employed. Principles of converting: 1) Respect the existing structure and apply physical intervention in a minimised approach 2) Retain as much of the original fabric and the historical significance of the structure as possible. 3) Avoid materials or processes which would damage the historic fabric. 4) Ensure that new additions can be distinguished from the original. 50 51 52 53 54 Successful barn conversion, before (above) and after (below). Successful conversion of a former Church. Old schoolhouses (above) and farm buildings (right) offer potential for conversion
- 33 Re-use, re-organise, re-place Rural Design Guidelines 5.2 Re-organise and extend Extending a dwelling is often seen as the obvious way to increase living space. However, it is possible to increase the living space provided through reorganising the rooms in the existing dwelling. Often when extensions are constructed, they are simply rooms that are added on to the existing dwelling. Together with the reorganisation of the existing space in the dwelling, an extension can provide a new living space. Extensions should not be seen as the addition of individual rooms to a dwelling but the reorganising of that dwelling to provide additional, functional living space. Maximise solar gain with appropriate location of the extension 56 Use of different material on the extension breaks up the dwelling mass Contemporary extension to traditional dwelling Contemporary extension to traditional dwelling Avoid breaking the existing ridge line The design of the extension itself should be sympathetic to the existing dwelling and should ensure that the extension forms an integral part of the main dwelling unit. The design of the extension should also integrate with the existing dwelling in terms of height, scale, materials, finishes, window proportions. In general the existing ridge line of the proposed extension should not break the existing ridge of the dwelling. Maintaining the existing ridge line or indeed stepping it down is much more appropriate. When considering the options for an extension, the orientation of the dwelling and the site should be taken into consideration. Extensions built with the wrong orientation will not benefit from natural sunlight while properly constructed extensions can also provide an opportunity to create a courtyard area which will form a natural suntrap. 55 57 58
- 34 Re-use, re-organise, re-place Rural Design Guidelines Extensions should avoid breaking the existing ridge line of the dwelling. This is as a result of an extension with a overtly deep plan form. A glazed link between the dwelling and extension can provide a suitable break and allow for a larger element to the rear Extensions should not merely be seen as “add-ons” to an existing dwelling. Parallel extensions are acceptable especially if the form of the existing dwelling is used. A perpendicular extension can allow for an increase in height from the existing dwelling. Only use flat roof extensions when the design is a high quality contemporary approach. The extension itself should be sympathetic to the existing dwelling and not be over dominant. A good example of how massing can be broken down with well thought out extensions and renovations. 59 60 62 61 5.3 Extension forms
Source Roscommon County Council: Rural Design Guidelines · 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.