Development plan · South Dublin County Council
South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Written Statement
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards. Variations adopted since are not in this text.
South Dublin County Council · 2022–2028 · 584 pages
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- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028128Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) 3.5.4 Vernacular / Traditional and Older Buildings, Estates and Streetscapes Built heritage is not confined to buildings, features and items listed as Protected Structures or located within Architectural Conservation Areas. Modest rural, urban and suburban houses and groups of houses that date from the late 19th century and early to mid-20th century can contribute to the historic character and visual setting of a place. Such structures can also have a distinctive planned layout, architectural detailing or collective interest that contributes to architectural interest, historic character and visual amenity throughout the County. Vernacular architecture is rooted in our traditions and building forms and types, using local materials and skills which became characteristic of local indigenous communities and environments. The majority of surviving vernacular buildings, date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries such as traditional cottages, thatch cottages, farmsteads, mills, field systems, gates, water pumps, and shopfronts. Whilst many older and vernacular buildings have become neglected and damaged over time it is important that new viable uses and careful rehabilitation is encouraged to provide regeneration which is sympathetic to their special features. Policy NCBH21: Vernacular / Traditional and Older Buildings, Estates and Streetscapes Ensure appropriate design of new-build elements and interventions in historic buildings and environments. NCBH21 Objective 1: To retain existing buildings that, while not listed as Protected Structures, are considered to contribute to historic character, local character, visual setting, rural amenity or streetscape value within the County. NCBH21 Objective 2: To ensure that the redevelopment of older buildings, including extensions and renovation works do not compromise or erode the architectural interest, character or visual setting of such buildings including surrounding housing estates or streetscapes. NCBH21 Objective 3: To encourage the retention, rehabilitation, renovation and re-use of older buildings and their original features where such buildings and features contribute to the visual setting, collective interest or character of the surrounding area. NCBH21 Objective 4: To ensure that infill development is sympathetic to the architectural interest, character and visual amenity of the area. NCBH21 Objective 5: To encourage the retention and / or reinstatement of the original fabric of our vernacular and historic building stock such as windows, doors, roof coverings, shop and public house fronts and other special features.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028129Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) NCBH21 Objective 6: To promote the repair and retention of traditional timber and / or rendered shopfronts and public house fronts, including those premises that may not be designated a Protected Structure having regard to the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2011 or any superseding guidelines). NCBH21 SLO 1: To protect and maintain the remaining old stone walls of Clondalkin. 3.5.5 Features of Interest Historic items situated within the public realm can contribute to the character, interest and visual amenity of rural, suburban, urban and industrial places throughout the County and are therefore worthy of retention and refurbishment. Policy NCBH22: Features of Interest Secure the identification, protection and conservation of historic items and features of interest throughout the County including street furniture, surface finishes, roadside installations, items of industrial heritage and other stand-alone features of interest. NCBH22 Objective 1: To ensure that development within the County, including the Council’s own development, seeks to retain, refurbish and incorporate historic items and features of interest. NCBH22 Objective 2: To protect, preserve and maintain industrial heritage features including weirs, millraces and mills along the River Dodder, River Camac, River Liffey, and their tributaries. NCBH22 SLO 1: To carry out sympathetic improvements to the area around and including the Mill Race Bridge in Rathfarnham. 3.6 Architectural Conservation, Adaptability and Placemaking Architectural Conservation and Design Designs to reimagine historic buildings should be based on conservation principles such as minimal intervention, reversibility, and respectful alteration and repair, in order to conserve the historic fabric. This is particularly important in the case of a Protected Structure. The Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities provide detailed information on good design requirements, conservation principles and the planning and development process in relation to alterations to historic buildings, Protected Structures and buildings within an Architectural Conservation Area.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028130Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) Respect for the original structure, its plan and setting, architectural character and the nature of its construction must be central to the design process to avoid undermining its authenticity and significance. This is a process that involves careful balancing of environmental and legislative constraints, owners / occupiers’ requirements and responsibilities, and good conservation practice. Minimal intervention is a core conservation principle, and one that is both cost-effective and respectful to the integrity of a structure. New Design within Historic Villages / Towns and Architectural Conservation Areas New design in this context can be defined as all significant designed intervention in the historic environment. This includes open space, public realm, new build and major alterations and additions. In terms of scale, it includes everything from minor infill to major master planning. New designs in historic places can help realise the full economic and cultural potential of a place. When considering new developments within the context of a historic town / village or Architectural Conservation Area, the design rationale and general site context should act as the main driver for the overall design, scale, mass and height in order to achieve the best possible new development in these sensitive areas. New buildings proposed within historic core areas of villages / towns and Architectural Conservation Areas, should not necessarily replicate existing buildings in design, appearance or materials. While this may be appropriate in specific circumstances, in general new buildings in historic settings should read as modern and contemporary interventions and should create a harmonious relationship with their surroundings. Chapter 12: Implementation and Monitoring sets out general design principles for new development within an existing historic area. Policy NCBH23: Architectural Conservation and Design Encourage appropriate design of new-build elements and interventions in historic buildings and environments. NCBH23 Objective 1: To ensure that designs to reimagine historic buildings are based on conservation principles such as minimal intervention, reversibility, and respectful alteration and repair, in order to conserve the historic fabric. NCBH23 Objective 2: To ensure that new buildings in historic settings and Architectural Conservation Areas are appropriately designed and create a harmonious relationship with their surroundings.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028131Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) NCBH23 Objective 3: To support the development of sustainable back land and infill development that is appropriate in scale and character to historic town and village centres, that transitions appropriately, accommodates surviving structures, where appropriate, and retains the historic streetscape form particularly within sensitive areas of architectural importance. NCBH23 Objective 4: To support placemaking initiatives and projects as part of Architectural Conservation Area and village enhancements, making the areas more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors and improving environment and community wellbeing. NCBH23 Objective 5: To support the implementation of the Government’s Policy on Architecture (GPA) as it relates to historic buildings, streetscapes, towns and villages by ensuring the delivery of high quality architecture and quality placemaking for everyone and by demonstrating best practice in the care and maintenance of historic properties in public ownership. NCBH23 Objective 6: To consider the adoption of governance tools such as the Health Check Programme, Conservation Plans for special sites and the Living Town Initiatives in the promotion of heritage-led regeneration. NCBH23 Objective 7: To improve the streetscape of the historic villages with the removal of unnecessary poles, overhead cables and other structures on footpaths, where feasible, to emphasise the visual impact of shopfronts and building features. 3.6.1 Adapting and Reusing Historic Buildings The reuse, repair, adaptation and upgrading of old buildings is a key component of promoting sustainable development and achieving compact growth and can also be a catalyst for the revitalisation of town and village centres. Reuse and adaptation will also support other objectives including Ireland’s move towards a low-carbon society, heritage-led regeneration and a circular economy supporting local craftspeople and trades. Reuse and adaptation are supported in national and regional planning policy: - NPO 17 of the NPF states ‘Enhance, integrate and protect the special physical, social, economic and cultural value of built heritage assets through appropriate and sensitive use now and for future generations’; while RPO 9.30 of the RSES seeks to ‘Support the sensitive reuse of protected structures’.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028132Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) Policy NCBH24: Adapting and Reusing Historic Buildings Support and encourage the reuse and adaptation of historic, traditional, and older vacant and derelict buildings as a key component of promoting sustainable development and achieving compact growth and as a catalyst for the revitalisation of historic village and town centres. NCBH24 Objective 1: To encourage the repurposing and reuse of older vacant and derelict structures, particularly within towns, villages and Architectural Conservation Areas. NCBH24 Objective 2: To prohibit demolition or full replacement, where there are re-use options for historic buildings in order to promote a reduction in carbon footprint. NCBH24 Objective 3: To encourage and support the delivery of projects that repair and conserve historic structures in accordance with national grant schemes for architectural conservation. NCBH24 Objective 4: To ensure the reuse, adaption and upgrade of historic buildings is in accordance with conservation principles including minimal intervention, reversibility, respectful alteration and repair. 3.6.2 Placemaking and the Historic Built Environment See also Chapter 5: Quality Design and Healthy Placemaking. Heritage-led placemaking and regeneration enables historic buildings to be reused and adapted successfully and to act as a catalyst for revitalisation of our towns, villages and streetscapes. Historic buildings and areas have many intrinsic qualities which contribute to placemaking and which can be harnessed in regeneration schemes – these attributes include visual amenity, character, and historic value and when combined, they confer a sense of identity which is critical to quality placemaking. Placemaking involving historic built environments is supported in national and regional planning policy: The NPF states that ‘Investment in our towns and villages through regeneration, public realm improvements and the appropriate adaptation and re-use of our built heritage, are key factors in developing, promoting and investing in a sense of place and aligning the objectives of creating high quality with that of spatial planning’. Regional Strategic Outcome 5 of the RSES is ‘Creative Places’ and the aim is to ‘Enhance, integrate and protect our arts, culture and heritage assets to promote creative places and heritage led regeneration’.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028133Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) Policy NCBH25: Placemaking and the Historic Built Environment Ensure that historic buildings and built environments are sensitively incorporated within development and regeneration schemes, taking advantage of their intrinsic attributes including character, visual amenity, sense of identity and place. NCBH25 Objective 1: To support and promote heritage-led regeneration including the engagement of all relevant stakeholders, in accordance with RSO 5 and RPO 9.25 of the RSES. NCBH25 Objective 2: To ensure that conservation is a key design principle underpinning any redevelopment / regeneration schemes that affect the historic built environments of the County. NCBH25 Objective 3: To support the development of sustainable back land and infill development that is appropriate in scale and character to historic town and village centres, that transitions properly, that accommodates surviving structures where practical and that retains the historic streetscape form particularly within sensitive areas of architectural importance. NCB25 Objective 4: To support placemaking initiatives and projects as part of Architectural Conservation Area and village enhancements, making the areas more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors and improving environment and community wellbeing. NCBH25 Objective 5: To support the implementation of the Government’s Policy on Architecture (GPA) as it relates to historic buildings, streetscapes, towns and villages by ensuring the delivery of high quality architecture and quality placemaking for everyone and by demonstrating best practice in the care and maintenance of historic properties in public ownership. NCBH25 Objective 6: To consider the adoption of governance tools such as the Health Check Programme, Conservation Plans for special sites and the Living Town Initiatives in the promotion of heritage-led regeneration. 3.6.3 Climate Change Adaptation and Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings The use of existing building stock is a key contributor to sustainable development, as the most carbon neutral building is a building that already exists. Historic and traditional buildings, like any other buildings, are spaces for human habitation, economic activity and recreation. As such, they demand energy and as the reduction of carbon emissions becomes an issue to the forefront of public policy, these older buildings will need to play a contributing role in climate mitigation ambition.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028134Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) Approximately 17% of our dwellings are traditionally built, with solid walls, tried-andtested materials and construction methods. These buildings perform differently to modern construction, and in order for them to be modified effectively to use less energy, their physical properties and performance need to be carefully considered. There are risks associated with applying energy efficiency methods used for modern construction to traditionally built buildings, which include damage both to the building fabric and to the health of the building occupants. Embodied Energy and Life Cycle in Older and Traditional Buildings The reuse or continued use of older buildings is a key component of sustainable development and energy conservation practice. The retention and careful rehabilitation of historic buildings including vernacular buildings and other structures whether in an urban or rural context, allows the materials and embedded energy of these structures to be retained and thereby contribute to carbon footprint reduction. Demolition and replacement of such buildings where there are reuse options represents a waste of their embedded energy and such proposals will be discouraged and subject to rigorous scrutiny. This approach is supported in regional planning policy in the RSES RPO 7.40 which states ‘Local authorities shall include policies in statutory land use plans to promote high levels of energy conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in existing buildings, including retro fitting of energy efficiency measures in the existing building stock and energy efficiency in traditional buildings...’ Thermal Upgrading and Energy Efficiency in Older and Traditional Buildings Thermal upgrading of older and traditional buildings requires an understanding of the energy performance of the individual building to identify appropriate energy renovation measures. Where original materials have failed and require replacement, the use of more energy efficient materials and work systems in their replacement should be supported and encouraged, as long as they do not negatively impact on the architectural significance and character of the building. Policy NCBH26: Climate Change, Adaptation and Energy Efficiency in Traditional and Historic Buildings Secure the identification, protection and conservation of historic items and features of interest throughout the County including street furniture, boundary walls, surface finishes, roadside installations, items of industrial heritage and other stand-alone features of interest. NCBH26 Objective 1: To support and promote the retention and careful rehabilitation of historic and traditional buildings and other structures in both urban and rural contexts, in order to retain embedded energy and assist in carbon footprint reduction. NCBH26 Objective 2: To support and promote the sensitive retro fitting of energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy sources in traditional and historic buildings, consistent with RPO 7.40 of the RSES.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028135Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) NCBH26 Objective 3: To ensure that measures to upgrade the energy efficiency of historic or traditional buildings are in accordance with conservation principles including minimum intervention, acknowledging their inherent architectural characteristics, techniques and materials and ensure that any upgrading measures do not have a detrimental physical or visual impact. NCBH26 Objective 4: To carry out demonstration projects of appropriate retrofitting / energy upgrading of traditional / historic buildings in order to inform works to Councilowned properties and to guide owners / developers of private properties.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028136Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH) 3.7 Climate Action Audit Climate Action Audit Source of Green House Gases (GHGs) Measures to Address Climate Impacts Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage features do not directly cause greenhouse gas emissions. However, indirectly, heritage may result in some emissions, principally arising from: à Heating and cooling of historic buildings; à Visitors to heritage sites in vehicles powered by petrol and diesel. Natural and built heritage plays a vital function in the reduction and absorption of carbon and has an extremely significant positive climate impact. Development Plan policies and objectives focused on safeguarding heritage therefore reinforce this climate positive role: à Policies to protect natural landscapes, trees, hedgerows and wildlife habitats support their exceptional contribution to carbon sequestration. Particular landscape types such as blanket bogs in our upland areas play an especially important role in absorbing and embedding carbon; à Policies to encourage the re-use, adaptation and upgrading of our older and historic building stock and to discourage demolition allow embedded carbon to remain in buildings and avoid the additional energy loading that would arise from replacement new buildings; à Policies to support the sensitive energy upgrading and use of renewable energy sources in historic and traditional buildings facilitate lower greenhouse gas emissions; à Policies advocating heritage-led placemaking and regeneration harness the intrinsic qualities of historic areas and buildings and enable the achievement of sustainable development. Together, these measures will assist South Dublin County in achieving its climate action targets and will support a move towards a low-carbon society.
- SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2028137Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage (NCBH)
Source South Dublin County Council: South Dublin County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Written Statement (2022–2028) · 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.