Development plan · Westmeath County Council
Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Westmeath County Council · 2021–2027 · 634 pages
Ask this document
Answers come only from the text of Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027, each claim linked to its page. They are not advice; check the page itself.
Free, with a daily limit.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 269 9.4 Rural Settlement Strategy Section 2.4 of the Core Strategy of this plan sets out the overall development strategy for the County including rural Westmeath. It is Council policy to support the sustainable development of rural areas in Westmeath by encouraging growth and arresting decline in areas that have experienced low population growth or decline in recent decades and by managing the growth of areas that are under strong urban influence to avoid over-development, while sustaining vibrant rural communities. The NPF prescribes national policy in relation to the development of rural housing and requires that a distinction is made between areas under urban influence and rural areas elsewhere. The RSES sets out regional policy that requires Local Authorities to ‘manage urban generated growth in Rural Areas Under Strong Urban Influence (i.e. the commuter catchment of Dublin, large towns and centres of employment) and Stronger Rural Areas by ensuring that in these areas the provision of single houses in the open countryside is based on the core consideration of demonstrable economic or social need to live in a rural area, and compliance with statutory guidelines and plans, having regard to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements’. Having regard to this, a rural typology has been undertaken for Co. Westmeath, which is consistent with national and regional policy. This typology is premised largely on two categories as follows: - Rural Areas under Strong Urban Influence - Structurally Weak Areas Definitions of both areas are prescribed in Sections 2.14.1 and 2.14.2 of the Core Strategy. The Rural Typology Map for Co. Westmeath (Map 9.1) below highlights the extent of lands which are encompassed within these defined areas, for the purposes of informing policy in relation to the delivery of rural housing over the plan period.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 270 Map 9.1 Rural Typology Co. Westmeath. The Council will manage sustainable growth in designated ‘Rural Areas Under Strong Urban Influence’ and facilitate the provision of single houses in the countryside based on the core consideration of demonstrable economic or social need to live in a rural area, siting and design criteria for rural housing and compliance with statutory guidelines and plans, having regard to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements. The aim is to support the desire of individual applicants with strong links and a need to settle in that area and to encourage people with no such links to settle in the identified extensive network of towns, villages and rural nodes. Such persons would normally have spent substantial periods of their lives living in the rural area as part of the established rural community e.g. people employed in the rural area including farmers and their sons and daughters, people originally from the rural area and wishing to return, people wishing to reside near elderly parents to provide security and care, elderly parents wishing to live near other family members, people who would have grown up in rural areas seeking to build their home close to other family members, people working in rural areas such as teachers in rural schools
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 271 Rural Housing Need Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.1 Areas Under Strong Urban Influence To accommodate demand from individuals for permanent residential development in defined ‘Rural Areas Under Strong Urban Influence’ who have strong links to the area and who are an intrinsic part of the rural community, subject to good planning practice, environmental carrying capacity and landscape protection considerations. Local Housing Need Permit residential development in areas defined ‘Rural Areas Under Strong Urban Influence and Stronger Rural Areas’ subject to the following circumstances: 1. Persons who are actively engaged in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, bloodstock and peat industry, 2. Members of farm families seeking to build on the family farm, 3. Landowners for this purpose being defined as persons who own the land 5 years prior to the date of planning application, 4. Persons employed locally whose employment would provide a service to the local community, 5. Persons who have personal, family or economic ties within the area, including returning emigrants, 6. Persons who wish to return to farming and who buy or inherit a substantial farmholding which is kept intact as an established farm unit, will be considered by the Council to be farmers and will be open to consideration for a rural house, as farmers. Where there is already a house on the holding, refurbishment or replacement of this house is the preferred option. The local area for the purpose of this policy is defined as the area generally within a 10km radius of the applicant’s family home. CPO 9.2 In line with Circular Letter PL 2/2017, review rural housing policy in line with Development Plan or other relevant Guidelines issued by the Minister in this area having regard to NPO 19.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 272 9.4.1 Structurally Weak Areas This designation refers to all lands for the purposes of Local Housing Need Policy which have experienced significant population decline or stagnation and have a weaker population structure than the ‘Area under Strong Urban Influence’. These ‘Structurally Weak Rural Areas’ are concentrated in a few areas located in the north and west of the county as defined under the Core Strategy. The aim is to accommodate rural housing demand from individuals for permanent residential development subject to good planning practice by applying a more flexible approach in the assessment of planning applications which is primarily based on good planning practice (appropriate siting and design) and no local housing need applies. This approach will assist in revitalising and sustaining these more fragile, rural communities, by way of facilitating the expansion of the rural population and the maintenance of essential local services within these structurally weak rural areas. Notwithstanding, there is a requirement to distinguish between speculative house building and genuine long-term commitment to the area in the interest of development management and the overall development of the area. Rural Housing Need - Structurally Weak Areas Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.3 Accommodate demand from individuals for permanent residential development within defined structurally weak areas, subject to good planning practice. 9.4.2 Rural Nodes Rural nodes comprise a defined network of small, generally unserviced settlements throughout the County which provide an alternative to one-off housing in the open countryside. The function and objective of the rural nodes is twofold, firstly to sustain the existing rural facilities i.e. school, shop etc. in a sustainable manner and secondly to cater for the demand for the one-off houses that do not meet the local need criteria or do not wish to be located within the larger towns and villages under the settlement hierarchy. The rural nodes in the County are identified on Map Numbers 55-59 in Volume 2 of the plan. Rural nodes are designated for limited development at a sustainable scale through the development of clusters. It is anticipated that each rural node can cater for a small population increase from their current population base over the period of the Plan. Consideration of planning applications for development within the nodes will have regard to the role and form of the node within the wider rural area with particular care being taken that these settlements do not compete with designated rural towns and villages in the services they provide or the role and function they play within the rural area.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 273 Rural Nodes Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.4 Within the designated development limits of the rural nodes (Map Nos 55-59 Volume 2), development will be permitted where it involves infilling, conversion, single site housing development, or the use of derelict or underused land or premises, subject to siting, design, protection of residential amenities and normal development management criteria. CPO 9.5 In addition to complying with the most up-to-date EPA Code of Practice for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses, proposals for development in rural nodes shall include an assessment undertaken by a qualified hydrologist, that demonstrates that the outfall from the septic tank will not, in combination with other septic tanks within the node and wider area, contribute towards any surface or ground water body not meeting the objective of good status under the Water Framework Directive. CPO 9.6 Continue to monitor and review rural nodes in the County, across the lifetime of the Plan, in order to ensure compatibility with environmental protection objectives. This shall include a review of the extent and representation of each individual node where appropriate. CPO 9.7 Support the roll out of sustainable transport options within the boundaries of rural nodes including segregated walking and cycle paths and provisions for rural public transport. 9.5 Environmental Capacity Wastewater treatment facilities in rural areas should be located, constructed and maintained to the highest standards to ensure minimal impacts on water quality and particularly groundwater quality. The Council will seek to direct rural housing to areas where acceptable wastewater treatment and disposal facilities can be provided and avoid sites that are prone to extreme high-water tables, flooding, are subject to impeded drainage or where ground water is at risk of contamination. Rural Housing Criteria Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.8 Ensure that, in permitting one-off rural housing, key rural assets such as water, natural and cultural heritage and landscape quality are protected and maintained.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 274 CPO 9.9 Protect the natural assets of the county including ground and surface water and ensure that physical standards are met including soil conditions suitable for effluent disposal and the avoidance of flood areas. CPO 9.10 Protect the integrity of the landscapes as identified in the Landscape Character Assessment and protected views. CPO 9.11 Seek that all proposed on-site wastewater treatment systems for single dwellings and extensions which will increase the population equivalent loading shall comply with the EPA Code of Practice for Wastewater Treatment and disposal Systems serving Single Houses (2009) and any revision thereof. CPO 9.12 Seek to ensure that waste water treatment systems are installed by competent persons with regular monitoring and testing carried out on the treatment system, in accordance with the planning permission. CPO 9.13 Have regard to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government’s Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines 2005, and any subsequent amendment in the assessment of applications for rural housing. 9.5.1 Rural Housing Siting and Design Dwellings and structures in the countryside need to be sited and designed to impact minimally on their setting. The utilisation of existing features, natural and manmade, can assist in integrating new development into its established setting. All rural development will be expected to adhere to this basic principle. Design standards are outlined in Chapter 16 Development Management standards of the plan and supplementary planning guidance contained in the Westmeath Rural Design Guidelines (2005) or any revisions thereof. Furthermore, the Landscape Character Assessment prepared for the county assesses the sensitivity and capacity of the different character areas to absorb and facilitate rural residential development. Where a number of houses are proposed in an area, (e.g. a number from the same family), it is preferable that these would be clustered, well set back from the public road and served by a single entrance rather than set out in a line along a roadside. However, these clusters must be of a small scale. 9.6 Development within the hinterland of Settlements The aim of policy in these areas is to avoid undesirable ribbon development on the approaches to settlements and to protect the fabric of settlements by restricting development on the outskirts of the regional centre, towns and villages. Provision will be made for farmers, members of farm families and people that have spent substantial parts of their lives as part of the established rural community building their first home.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 275 Proposals shall in all instances, except for reasons of traffic safety, design or other environmental consideration, be clustered with the existing family home or if farm buildings are isolated from the family dwelling, consideration can be given to grouping with farm structures. Development within the hinterland of Settlements Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.14 Promote the clustering of houses particularly on the same landholding or for the same family and promote shared accesses to minimise hedgerow removal. CPO 9.15 Control ribbon development, particularly on approach roads into the county’s regional centre, key town, self-sustaining growth towns and self-sustaining towns. CPO 9.16 Generally, resist new accesses for single houses onto regional roads, where the 80km per hour limit applies, to safeguard the carrying capacity and safety of these roads. CPO 9.17 Ensure that the road network is adequate to cater for the development and that the traffic movements generated by the development will not give rise to a traffic hazard. CPO 9.18 Retain, insofar as practicable, existing hedgerows and trees on new house sites. Replacement trees and hedgerows should be of native species. CPO 9.19 Generally, resist urban generated and speculative residential development outside the settlement hierarchy. CPO 9.20 Encourage innovative design, and layouts that promote solar gain subject to protecting the character of the landscape. CPO 9.21 Undertake a review of the Westmeath Rural Housing Design Guidelines. CPO 9.22 Resist the creation of new accesses for single houses onto national roads, in order to safeguard the carrying capacity and safety of the national road network. 9.7 Rural Areas Subject to Sensitive Resource Designation Water catchment areas are designated around Lough Owel and Lough Lene in recognition of the important role of these lakes in the supply of public water for much of the county. Applications for all developments in the catchment areas will be examined in detail and development in such areas will not be permitted, if it is considered that the proposal would be liable to give rise to pollution of the water source. Attention will also be given to proximity of houses to spawning streams in the county and consultations with Inland Fisheries Ireland will be undertaken in cases where it is felt that development would be a threat to fish and fish life in important spawning and nursery areas.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 It is an objective of the Council to prohibit the land spreading of animal slurries or other liquid wastes from intensive agricultural developments on lands within the catchment areas of public water supplies. Water Catchment Areas Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.23 Restrict residential development not related to farming or forestry practices in defined water catchment areas of Lough Owel and Lough Lene, with the exception of the erection of a house for a member of an existing residential farm family who will inherit the farm, or another member of the family, provided that not more than two dwellings (existing and proposed) be permitted on any farm holding within the water catchment and only where this relates to the first dwelling for the applicant and no alternative site is available outside the water catchment. Where there is a conflict with CPO 9.24 below, this policy shall take precedence. 9.8 Areas of High Amenity The Areas of High Amenity are associated with the county’s major lakes and the River Shannon and are designated due to their amenity value and recreational potential. The Council aims to protect against housing developments which are urban-generated or speculative in designated Areas of High Amenity. Areas of High Amenity Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.24 Restrict development not related to farming practices and tourism in all High Amenity Areas, with the exception of housing for the immediate family (son/daughter) of established residents living on landholdings, who demonstrate a housing need and have long-term intrinsic links with the area. The entire landholding will be demonstrated to have been in the resident’s ownership 5 years prior to the date of application.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 277 9.9 Refurbishment and Extensions of Existing Structures The Council will facilitate the reuse and refurbishment of vacant traditional farm buildings which are no longer suitable for modern farm practices and derelict houses in the countryside. (Refer Chapter 16 Development Management Standards) When assessing proposals to convert, re-use and/or adapt traditional buildings in rural areas, it is a requirement that: - The structure is substantially intact. - The design, scale and materials used in the refurbishment and extension are in keeping and sympathetic with the existing structure. - The size of any house extension takes account of the siting and size of the existing dwelling and that the character of the original structures is respected. - The design of the proposal does not erode the siting and design qualities of the building and its setting which makes it attractive in the first instance. - Mature landscape features are retained and enhanced with landscape proposals. Refurbishment and Extension of Existing Structures Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 9.25 Assess the refurbishment and extensions of existing structures having regard to the following: To favourably consider applications for the conversion and reuse of existing traditional farm buildings or rural houses, without applying the local housing need requirement. These properties should be structurally intact and exhibit the essential physical characteristics of a dwelling house. CPO 9.26 To generally resist the demolition and replacement of traditional or vernacular rural housing, whose character merits retention, in order to protect the varied types of housing stock in the rural area and to preserve the rich built heritage in rural parts of the county. CPO 9.27 To require an assessment of the existing waste water treatment system by an assessor in the event of a large extension to a property, to ensure the system meets the EPA Code of Practice for wastewater treatment 2009 and any revisions thereof.
- RURAL WESTMEATH 9 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 278 9.10 Rural Enterprise and Economy The Council will continue to support the role of rural areas and the countryside in sustaining the rural economy and its role as a key resource for agriculture and agri-food, forestry, energy production and carbon reduction, tourism, recreation, mineral extraction and/or other new and emerging rural based enterprises. In accordance with the Economic Strategy for the overall county, employment servicing the rural areas, should in general, be directed to local employment centres, small towns and villages catering for local investment and small-scale industry. Within the rural settlements and countryside, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, tourism and rural resources-based enterprise should be facilitated. The promotion and facilitation of micro enterprises (up to a maximum of 5 employees) is a key area for sustainable employment opportunities in rural areas. The Council will seek to facilitate the development of this sector by ensuring that incubator units for micro enterprises are provided in lower tier centres (Small Towns and Villages). In particular, the reuse of redundant agricultural buildings and the development of new buildings to accommodate such diversification/enterprise within an overall farmyard complex will be considered on their individual merits. Where established authorised rural based enterprises seek to expand beyond their existing capacity and, in the opinion of the Planning Authority, the expansion proposed would seriously affect the rural nature or amenity of the rural areas and surrounding countryside, they will generally be encouraged to locate in serviced zoned lands. It is acknowledged that some enterprise and employment uses may not always be appropriately located on Enterprise and Employment Zoned lands. In this regard, some new enterprise and employment projects may require sites outside settlements because of their size, type or specific site requirements. Such developments will be subject to policy objectives in relation to development accessing National Roads, in the context of traffic safety and the protection of the National Road Network. 9.10.1 E-Working / Tele-Networking and Home-Based Economic Activity in Rural Areas The trend of people working from home is continuing to increase, either though e-working or through setting up a home-based economic activity. E-working can be defined as “any business function that is conducted away from the office using modern communications and information technologies”. The popularity of working from home has increased due to advances in technology and the savings achieved in terms of time and commuting costs. This trend is likely to grow during the lifetime of the plan. Applications for small-scale home-based economic activity in rural areas where the occupants of an existing dwelling are employed at home will be positively considered. Home based economic activity should be sited either in converted existing farm buildings located adjacent to the main dwelling house or within the house where the use is compatible with and ancillary to the use of the dwelling as a
Source Westmeath County Council: Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027 (2021–2027) · 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.