Howth Urban Centre Strategy Fingal County Council

2.0 Howth in Context
2.4.7 Safety and Security
The principles of ‘Safer Places: the planning system and crime
preventi on’ by the ODPM (Offi ce of the Deputy Prime Minister) UK
should be incorporated as part of any new development. The bett er
practi ce guidance sets out seven design principles that are sought in
new and existi ng developments:
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Access and Movement
Structure
Surveillance
Ownership
Physical protecti on
Acti vity
Management and maintenance
Please refer to Appendix 2 for a summary of the principles as outlined
above.
The Village Core
Whilst the Main Street experiences good safety and security measures,
the backland areas and in parti cular pedestrian laneways connecti ng
Abbey Street to Church Street and the Harbour Road to Church Street,
are prevented from benefi ti ng from natural surveillance. Orientati ng
building fronts to these laneways and good lighti ng can help reduce the
feeling of insecurity at these parti cular areas.
The Harbour Area
Harbour Road and West Pier is popular with pedestrians both day and
night and are positi ve in terms of safety and security. However, the
access point to Claremont Beach from the West Pier is poorly lit with
no natural surveillance. This presents a potenti al safety and security
issue.
Howth Road
The Howth Road area has a high level of surveillance. However dense
planti ng and tree groups to the pedestrian way linking the Howth Road
to Grace O Malley Park (‘the Tramway’) presents an inacti ve frontage
with no natural surveillance.
Inacti ve frontage along pedestrian laneway from Abbey Street to Church Street.
Howth Urban Centre Strategy
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