Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside

3.SELECTING THE SITEAgricultural LowlandsThis is the largest landscape character area of theCounty, comprising most of the central plain. The area ispredominantly agricultural, mostly defined by wellestablishedhedgerows and clumps of mature trees.Locally prominent hills and ridges add interest to theotherwise flat landscape.26.There are a number of relatively prosperous estate andtwo-storey farm houses, often with outbuildings arrangedaround courtyards. The largest towns are also located onthe plain and the rapid urbanisation of the county is mostevident in this area. Ribbon development extending fromthe urban centres, housing estates on the periphery oftowns and villages, and numerous one-off houses can bediscordant features of the countryside.27.Agricultural LowlandsHouses located in this character area are often visible formany miles, especially where vegetation is more sparseand if viewed from higher locations. Generally wherenew housing is permitted, it should be located in relationto existing features such as hedgerows and trees inorder to help absorb the impact on the flat landscape.Locally prominent sites should be avoided. Subject to thelocation, two-storey designs based on the proportions ofbuilding forms traditional to the area may be appropriate.In more exposed locations, screen planting and, whereappropriate, sensitive earth moulding would be requiredto help assimilate new development. The favourable soilconditions provide an opportunity for increasing treecover to enhance the settings of isolated houses and thelandscape structure generally.16.County Limerick: Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside