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Bennettsbridge Local Area Plan

• Bennettsbridge Draft Local Area Plan - Proposed Amendments

• 1.Introduction
• 2.The Village of Bennettsbridge
• 3.Policy Context
• 4.Local Area Plan Strategy
• 5.Strategic Opportunities for the Village
• 6.Development Parameters and Indicative Framework Plan for New Residential Area
• 7.Development Management Guidelines and Standards
• Appendix 1 Zoning Map

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Section Seven

Development Management Guidelines and Standards

7.1 Introduction

This section of the LAP sets out a number of development control guidelines and standards which need to be adhered to in the provision of new development. These are in addition to those set out in the Kilkenny County Development Plan 2008-2014.

The Zoning Objectives provide general guidance as to the appropriate type of development within each of the land use zones (as per the Land Use Zoning Map see Map 7.1 below and full size map in Appendix I).

Map 7.1 Draft Land Use Zoning Map

7.2 Zoning Objectives

The following gives an overview of the zoning objectives applicable in the Local Area Plan and as indicated on the land use zoning map. These shall act as a general guide to the proper management of future development proposals.

Village Centre

Objective	To provide for mixed commercial and ancillary uses that support the viability and vitality of the village centre
The zoning objective seeks to promote and encourage the development of the village centre as a vibrant and viable place. Appropriate uses would primarily include retailing, employment, cultural, residential, recreational, hospitality, medical and community uses.

Community

Objective	To protect, provide and enhance community facilities
The zoning objective seeks to ensure the proper provision and enhancement of facilities which are of direct benefit to the local community, including educational, religious and cultural facilities as well as community centres, school playing fields and indoor ancillary sports facilities.

Existing Residential

Objective

To protect and enhance the amenity of established residential areas

The zoning objective seeks to enhance and protect the amenity of existing residents. Infill and redevelopment proposals are acceptable in principle subject to careful consideration with regard to protecting the amenity of existing residents such as privacy, daylight/sunlight and other associated best practice standards. Ancillary uses such as crèches, nursing homes, local convenience shops (not exceeding 100sqm GFA), GP clinic or surgery and guesthouses will generally permissible subject to safeguards in relation to residential amenity.

New Residential

Objective

To provide for new residential communities and protect and enhance amenities of existing residential areas.

This land use zoning identifies areas suitable for new residential development. Generally, residential densities should be in the region of 20 units to the hectare and residential design needs to be subject to the policies and standards set out in the Local Area Plan and County Development Plan. Ancillary uses such as crèches, nursing homes, local convenience shops (not exceeding 100sqm GFA), GP clinics or surgeries and guesthouses/B&Bs will generally be permissible subject to safeguards in relation to residential amenity.

Industrial/Employment

Objective

To provide for employment and related uses subject to the provision of necessary infrastructure

The zoning objective identifies areas suitable for employment provision, including, inter alia, industrial premises, light industry, warehouses, Small and Medium Sized Enterprise and office employment. Particular consideration should be given to the further development, enhancement and facilitation of the crafts industry in the village. All development proposal need to demonstrate adequate provision of necessary physical infrastructure. Residential use would be considered as open for consideration in certain circumstances such as the provision of live/work units or as an ancillary provision in respect of craft workshops or similar.

Open Space/Recreation

Objective	To provide for and improve for active and passive recreation and to retain areas of strategic open space.
The zoning objective provides for the reservation of Open Space in line with the categorisation of Section 4.8 of the LAP and to provide for designated areas of accessible and usable Recreational Open Space for the enjoyment of the Local Community. Open Space/Recreation areas should be generally kept free of development.

Agriculture

Objective	To conserve and protect agricultural land from interference from non-agricultural uses. To prevent premature development of agricultural land adjacent to development areas.
Permitted Uses: Agriculture, horticulture, public service installations Open for Consideration: Public open space, guesthouse, restaurant, nursing home, dwelling houses in certain limited cases as outlined in the County Development Plan Section 10.31, halting site, private open space, other uses not contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

7.3 Design Standards for New Housing

7.3.1 Residential Development Standards

All planning applications for substantial new residential development need to comply with the requirements for new development as set out in Section 10.4 of the Kilkenny County Development Plan, 2008-2014 as well as complying with the wider policy context and best design practice, primarily those set out in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s publications “Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities” and “Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities”.

The best practice guidelines “Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities” set out a number of essential requirements in relation to quality housing. The documents sets out that good quality, sustainable housing should be:

Socially and environmentally appropriate The type of accommodation, support services and amenities provided should be appropriate to the needs of the people to be accommodated. The mix of dwelling type, size and tenure should support sound social, environmental and economic sustainability policy objectives for the area and promote the development of appropriately integrated play and recreation spaces.

Architecturally appropriate The scheme should provide a pleasant living environment, which is aesthetically pleasing and human in scale. The scheme design solution should understand and respond appropriately to its context so that the development will enhance the neighbourhood and respect its cultural heritage.

Accessible and adaptable There should be ease of access and circulation for all residents, including people with impaired mobility, enabling them to move as freely as possible within and through the development, to gain access to buildings and to use the services and amenities provided.

Dwellings should be capable of adaptation to meet changing needs of residents during the course of their lifetime.

Safe, secure and healthy The scheme should be a safe and healthy place in which to live. It should be possible for pedestrians and cyclists to move within and through the area with reasonable ease and in safety. Provision for vehicular circulation, including access for service vehicles, should not compromise these objectives.

Affordable The scheme should be capable of being built, managed and maintained at reasonable cost, having regard to the nature of the development.

Durable The best available construction techniques should be used and key elements of construction should have a service life in the order of sixty years without the need for abnormal repair or replacement works.

Resource efficient Efficient use should be made of land, infrastructure and energy. The location should be convenient to transport, services and amenities. Design and orientation of dwellings should take account of site topography so as to control negative wind effects and optimise the benefits of sunlight, daylight and solar gain; optimum use should be made of renewable sources of energy, the use of scarce natural resources in the construction, maintenance and management of the dwellings should be minimised.

7.3.2 County Development Plan Standards

Generally, any development proposals for new residential development will need to be assessed having regard to the objectives and policies set out in the County Development Plan. Policies contained in the Local Area Plan are in addition to those of the County Development Plan.

7.4 Sustainable Design and Building Methods

This Local Area Plan sets out parameters for the sustainable siting, design and construction of buildings, particularly with regard to energy efficiency and energy conservation, as well as waste management and disposal and sustainable urban drainage systems. These standards need to be read and adhered to in conjunction with improved national standards (Part L of the Building Regulations 2007, as amended). Measures that promote energy conservation and efficiency in buildings include air tightness, appropriate use of glazing, high insulation standards and more efficient heating. Alternative forms of electricity and heat generation should also be considered. The various elements in relation to energy conservation and ecological building design are further outlined in this section.

7.4.1 Passive Solar Design

Passive Solar Design (PSD) techniques relate to the siting, layout, built form and landscaping of a development. The use of PSD techniques is cost effective, as it requires little or no cost to the developer and can amount to substantial savings on behalf of the owner/occupier. It also reduces the long-term use of fossil fuels and thereby reduces CO2 production. PSD techniques are particularly suited to lower-density housing as the siting of individual homes is afforded greater flexibility due to larger plot sizes and potential for overshadowing can be avoided.

The main elements for the application of PSD with regards to design, siting and layout are as follows:

Orientation - To maximise solar access and its benefits the principle façade of a building should be orientated to be within 30 degrees of south (where feasible). A southerly orientation maximises solar gain in winter.

Openings - Large glazed surfaces should be located on the southern face of the building. These surfaces must be highly insulated through high performance glazing to prevent the loss of heat.

Internal planning - The internal layout of residential buildings should be designed by setting living spaces to the south and service spaces to the cooler north.

Avoidance of Overshadowing – where feasible, buildings should be carefully spaced to minimise the loss of solar gain due to overshadowing.

7.4.2 Renewable Energy Supply

It will be an overall objective of this Local Area Plan that all new buildings in the Plan area should aim to utilise renewable energy supply systems.

It is envisaged that the space and water heating requirements for future buildings should be met by either some or all of the following technologies:

Active Solar Design Active solar systems can work in unison with passive systems and provide an alternative mechanism for harnessing solar energy. This system does not rely on site orientation or layout but can be incorporated into any building design to maximise energy efficiency.

Active solar technology involves the installation of a solar collector device; this device absorbs the sun’s heat to provide space or water heating. A correctly sized unit can provide around half of a household’s water needs over a year; large buildings can introduce several systems to increase solar absorption.

Alternative Heating Systems Energy-Efficient Heating Systems such as wood pellet stoves and boilers and geothermal heat pumps can greatly help to reduce energy consumption. Geothermal heat pumps (GHP) work by extracting heat energy from a low temperature source and upgrading it to a higher temperature so that it can be used for space and water heating. Heat pumps are very economical. For every unit of electricity used to power the heat pump, 3 to 4 units of heat are generated. They work best in conjunction with low temperature heat distribution systems e.g. underfloor heating.

Wood burning systems do emit carbon dioxide. However, as the wood fuel is cultivated, it absorbs the exact same amount of carbon dioxide as is released when burnt. As such it does not add to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. An eligible system can be used for heating a single room, hot water or a whole house.

7.4.5 Reduction in Water Consumption

Fresh water resources are increasingly becoming an issue of environmental and economic importance. According to the European Environment Agency, the average consumption for all households purposes is about 150 litres per capita (1999). On this basis the average water consumption per person in Ireland comes to a staggering 55,000 litres per person per year. The third biggest user of water is the WC, accounting for almost 35% of a person’s average daily water consumption.

In this regard it is suggested that rain water recovery systems be utilised in the construction of new housing as well as the fitting of low-water use appliances.

Rain Water Recovery Systems Rain water recovery systems harvest rain water which can then be used for the flushing of toilets, washing machines and general outside use. A rainwater-holding tank is installed below the ground that gathers water from the roof of buildings. This water is pumped into a tank within the building’s roof space where it is stored until required. This water would otherwise have to be treated and pumped by the local authorities presenting a substantial saving. The system filters and collects between 20% and 30% of total water consumption used by a family of four. The system is isolated from the mains water system to eliminate any possibilities of contamination. In the event of using all of the rainwater reserve, an automatic change over system switches over to using mains water until the rainwater tank starts to refill. The rainwater system generally has three separate filters which reduce particles down to 130 microns. These systems should have the British Board of Agreement approval to meet the Building Regulations.

Low-water use appliances It is an objective that all new buildings in the Plan area install low water sanitary appliances to reduce water usage.

7.4.6 Construction Methods

The use of renewable building materials, such as wood from sustainable managed forests and locally sourced building materials should be encouraged for development in the Local Area Plan lands. Other features of construction should also be considered such as off-site construction and prefabrication to minimise the impact of building on the site, reductions in levels of on-site waste and also minimising cost. The re-use of construction waste such as the reuse of excavated material as topsoil should also be considered.

Edit

Section Seven

Edit

Development Management Guidelines and Standards

Edit

7.1 Introduction

This section of the LAP sets out a number of development control guidelines and standards which need to be adhered to in the provision of new development. These are in addition to those set out in the Kilkenny County Development Plan 2008-2014.

The Zoning Objectives provide general guidance as to the appropriate type of development within each of the land use zones (as per the Land Use Zoning Map see Map 7.1 below and full size map in Appendix I).

Map 7.1 Draft Land Use Zoning Map

Edit

7.2 Zoning Objectives

The following gives an overview of the zoning objectives applicable in the Local Area Plan and as indicated on the land use zoning map. These shall act as a general guide to the proper management of future development proposals.

Village Centre

Objective	To provide for mixed commercial and ancillary uses that support the viability and vitality of the village centre
The zoning objective seeks to promote and encourage the development of the village centre as a vibrant and viable place. Appropriate uses would primarily include retailing, employment, cultural, residential, recreational, hospitality, medical and community uses.

Community

Objective	To protect, provide and enhance community facilities
The zoning objective seeks to ensure the proper provision and enhancement of facilities which are of direct benefit to the local community, including educational, religious and cultural facilities as well as community centres, school playing fields and indoor ancillary sports facilities.

Existing Residential

Objective

To protect and enhance the amenity of established residential areas

The zoning objective seeks to enhance and protect the amenity of existing residents. Infill and redevelopment proposals are acceptable in principle subject to careful consideration with regard to protecting the amenity of existing residents such as privacy, daylight/sunlight and other associated best practice standards. Ancillary uses such as crèches, nursing homes, local convenience shops (not exceeding 100sqm GFA), GP clinic or surgery and guesthouses will generally permissible subject to safeguards in relation to residential amenity.

New Residential

Objective

To provide for new residential communities and protect and enhance amenities of existing residential areas.

This land use zoning identifies areas suitable for new residential development. Generally, residential densities should be in the region of 20 units to the hectare and residential design needs to be subject to the policies and standards set out in the Local Area Plan and County Development Plan. Ancillary uses such as crèches, nursing homes, local convenience shops (not exceeding 100sqm GFA), GP clinics or surgeries and guesthouses/B&Bs will generally be permissible subject to safeguards in relation to residential amenity.

Industrial/Employment

Objective

To provide for employment and related uses subject to the provision of necessary infrastructure

The zoning objective identifies areas suitable for employment provision, including, inter alia, industrial premises, light industry, warehouses, Small and Medium Sized Enterprise and office employment. Particular consideration should be given to the further development, enhancement and facilitation of the crafts industry in the village. All development proposal need to demonstrate adequate provision of necessary physical infrastructure. Residential use would be considered as open for consideration in certain circumstances such as the provision of live/work units or as an ancillary provision in respect of craft workshops or similar.

Open Space/Recreation

Objective	To provide for and improve for active and passive recreation and to retain areas of strategic open space.
The zoning objective provides for the reservation of Open Space in line with the categorisation of Section 4.8 of the LAP and to provide for designated areas of accessible and usable Recreational Open Space for the enjoyment of the Local Community. Open Space/Recreation areas should be generally kept free of development.

Agriculture

Objective	To conserve and protect agricultural land from interference from non-agricultural uses. To prevent premature development of agricultural land adjacent to development areas.
Permitted Uses: Agriculture, horticulture, public service installations Open for Consideration: Public open space, guesthouse, restaurant, nursing home, dwelling houses in certain limited cases as outlined in the County Development Plan Section 10.31, halting site, private open space, other uses not contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Edit

7.3 Design Standards for New Housing

7.3.1 Residential Development Standards

All planning applications for substantial new residential development need to comply with the requirements for new development as set out in Section 10.4 of the Kilkenny County Development Plan, 2008-2014 as well as complying with the wider policy context and best design practice, primarily those set out in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s publications “Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities” and “Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities”.

The best practice guidelines “Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities” set out a number of essential requirements in relation to quality housing. The documents sets out that good quality, sustainable housing should be:

Socially and environmentally appropriate The type of accommodation, support services and amenities provided should be appropriate to the needs of the people to be accommodated. The mix of dwelling type, size and tenure should support sound social, environmental and economic sustainability policy objectives for the area and promote the development of appropriately integrated play and recreation spaces.

Architecturally appropriate The scheme should provide a pleasant living environment, which is aesthetically pleasing and human in scale. The scheme design solution should understand and respond appropriately to its context so that the development will enhance the neighbourhood and respect its cultural heritage.

Accessible and adaptable There should be ease of access and circulation for all residents, including people with impaired mobility, enabling them to move as freely as possible within and through the development, to gain access to buildings and to use the services and amenities provided.

Dwellings should be capable of adaptation to meet changing needs of residents during the course of their lifetime.

Safe, secure and healthy The scheme should be a safe and healthy place in which to live. It should be possible for pedestrians and cyclists to move within and through the area with reasonable ease and in safety. Provision for vehicular circulation, including access for service vehicles, should not compromise these objectives.

Affordable The scheme should be capable of being built, managed and maintained at reasonable cost, having regard to the nature of the development.

Durable The best available construction techniques should be used and key elements of construction should have a service life in the order of sixty years without the need for abnormal repair or replacement works.

Resource efficient Efficient use should be made of land, infrastructure and energy. The location should be convenient to transport, services and amenities. Design and orientation of dwellings should take account of site topography so as to control negative wind effects and optimise the benefits of sunlight, daylight and solar gain; optimum use should be made of renewable sources of energy, the use of scarce natural resources in the construction, maintenance and management of the dwellings should be minimised.

7.3.2 County Development Plan Standards

Generally, any development proposals for new residential development will need to be assessed having regard to the objectives and policies set out in the County Development Plan. Policies contained in the Local Area Plan are in addition to those of the County Development Plan.




Edit

7.4 Sustainable Design and Building Methods

This Local Area Plan sets out parameters for the sustainable siting, design and construction of buildings, particularly with regard to energy efficiency and energy conservation, as well as waste management and disposal and sustainable urban drainage systems. These standards need to be read and adhered to in conjunction with improved national standards (Part L of the Building Regulations 2007, as amended). Measures that promote energy conservation and efficiency in buildings include air tightness, appropriate use of glazing, high insulation standards and more efficient heating. Alternative forms of electricity and heat generation should also be considered. The various elements in relation to energy conservation and ecological building design are further outlined in this section.

7.4.1 Passive Solar Design

Passive Solar Design (PSD) techniques relate to the siting, layout, built form and landscaping of a development. The use of PSD techniques is cost effective, as it requires little or no cost to the developer and can amount to substantial savings on behalf of the owner/occupier. It also reduces the long-term use of fossil fuels and thereby reduces CO2 production. PSD techniques are particularly suited to lower-density housing as the siting of individual homes is afforded greater flexibility due to larger plot sizes and potential for overshadowing can be avoided.

The main elements for the application of PSD with regards to design, siting and layout are as follows:

Orientation - To maximise solar access and its benefits the principle façade of a building should be orientated to be within 30 degrees of south (where feasible). A southerly orientation maximises solar gain in winter.

Openings - Large glazed surfaces should be located on the southern face of the building. These surfaces must be highly insulated through high performance glazing to prevent the loss of heat.

Internal planning - The internal layout of residential buildings should be designed by setting living spaces to the south and service spaces to the cooler north.

Avoidance of Overshadowing – where feasible, buildings should be carefully spaced to minimise the loss of solar gain due to overshadowing.

7.4.2 Renewable Energy Supply

It will be an overall objective of this Local Area Plan that all new buildings in the Plan area should aim to utilise renewable energy supply systems.

It is envisaged that the space and water heating requirements for future buildings should be met by either some or all of the following technologies:

Active Solar Design Active solar systems can work in unison with passive systems and provide an alternative mechanism for harnessing solar energy. This system does not rely on site orientation or layout but can be incorporated into any building design to maximise energy efficiency.

Active solar technology involves the installation of a solar collector device; this device absorbs the sun’s heat to provide space or water heating. A correctly sized unit can provide around half of a household’s water needs over a year; large buildings can introduce several systems to increase solar absorption.

Alternative Heating Systems Energy-Efficient Heating Systems such as wood pellet stoves and boilers and geothermal heat pumps can greatly help to reduce energy consumption. Geothermal heat pumps (GHP) work by extracting heat energy from a low temperature source and upgrading it to a higher temperature so that it can be used for space and water heating. Heat pumps are very economical. For every unit of electricity used to power the heat pump, 3 to 4 units of heat are generated. They work best in conjunction with low temperature heat distribution systems e.g. underfloor heating.

Wood burning systems do emit carbon dioxide. However, as the wood fuel is cultivated, it absorbs the exact same amount of carbon dioxide as is released when burnt. As such it does not add to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. An eligible system can be used for heating a single room, hot water or a whole house.

7.4.5 Reduction in Water Consumption

Fresh water resources are increasingly becoming an issue of environmental and economic importance. According to the European Environment Agency, the average consumption for all households purposes is about 150 litres per capita (1999). On this basis the average water consumption per person in Ireland comes to a staggering 55,000 litres per person per year. The third biggest user of water is the WC, accounting for almost 35% of a person’s average daily water consumption.

In this regard it is suggested that rain water recovery systems be utilised in the construction of new housing as well as the fitting of low-water use appliances.

Rain Water Recovery Systems Rain water recovery systems harvest rain water which can then be used for the flushing of toilets, washing machines and general outside use. A rainwater-holding tank is installed below the ground that gathers water from the roof of buildings. This water is pumped into a tank within the building’s roof space where it is stored until required. This water would otherwise have to be treated and pumped by the local authorities presenting a substantial saving. The system filters and collects between 20% and 30% of total water consumption used by a family of four. The system is isolated from the mains water system to eliminate any possibilities of contamination. In the event of using all of the rainwater reserve, an automatic change over system switches over to using mains water until the rainwater tank starts to refill. The rainwater system generally has three separate filters which reduce particles down to 130 microns. These systems should have the British Board of Agreement approval to meet the Building Regulations.

Low-water use appliances It is an objective that all new buildings in the Plan area install low water sanitary appliances to reduce water usage.

7.4.6 Construction Methods

The use of renewable building materials, such as wood from sustainable managed forests and locally sourced building materials should be encouraged for development in the Local Area Plan lands. Other features of construction should also be considered such as off-site construction and prefabrication to minimise the impact of building on the site, reductions in levels of on-site waste and also minimising cost. The re-use of construction waste such as the reuse of excavated material as topsoil should also be considered.