Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside

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4.PLANNING THE SITEBoundariesRoadside boundaries, including hedgerows, sod andstone banks and stone walls, provide important featuresof the landscape and ecology of rural areas.Avoid over-elaborate entrancewaysThe treatment of site boundaries can have a majorinfluence on how well the building sits within thelandscape. New road boundaries and entrances inparticular may appear intrusive in rural areas if notdesigned sympathetically, especially where severaldifferent frontages are adjacent to one another.Entranceways should therefore be kept to a minimumwidth and located according to road safety requirementsand in relation to views of the house (which shouldpreferably not be direct along the driveway).Avoid over-fussy boundary treatmentsThe removal of existing roadside boundaries should beavoided, even if this requires the relocation of a site fortraffic safety reasons. Wherever possible an existinghedgerow, ditch or stonewall should always be retained,and reinforced or repaired as required.3m4.5m45°General principles of splaySplay with rendered walls and traditional barred gateWhere an existing boundary feature needs to beremoved in order to achieve clear forward visibility, thiscan often be effectively set back to achieve the requiredvisibility splay without diminishing the rural character ofthe road.New front boundaries should be restricted to a simplerange of materials that are already common to the area,including stone, low rendered wall with hedge, hedgerowor ditch/earth bank features. Gateways should also besimple, constructed from timber or metal and defined byrestrained piers of stone or painted render.Convex with hedges and traditional barred gateExisting hedgerows are preferable for side boundaries,or simple fencing and new hedge planting. On allboundaries, suburban ranch-type fences of artificialmaterials, concrete block walls and the regimented useof fast-growing conifers should be avoided.Concave with stone wall/hedge and traditional iron gateAim to achieve simple entranceway treatments42.County Limerick: Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside
PLANNING THE SITE4.Garden Design51.The open space surrounding the house needs to bedesigned as an integral part of the site planning process.In a countryside context a naturalistic approach shouldbe adopted to help assimilate the building with itssurroundings. Manicured suburban-style gardens oftenfound in rural areas appear alien to their surroundingsand do not provide either suitable climatic provision orhabitats for wildlife.The purpose of new planting is not to screen or hide newdevelopment, but instead to help integration with thesurrounding landscape. All existing landscape featuresshould be retained, to provide a structure for thedevelopment and a basis for new planting.Avoid large expanses of grass with hard surface up tobuilding line and ranch-style fencingTrees and shrubs which are locally native will be easierto establish than more exotic species, and will be more inkeeping with the character of the area - refer toAppendix 1 for recommended planting types.In exposed sites, more substantial shelter planting ofnative trees may be required to help reduce the effects ofcold winds and driving rain, whilst also increasing privacyand improving the appearance of the landscape bysoftening building lines.52.The garden also needs to satisfy a number of practicalrequirements, such as fuel and refuse storage areas, acompost/recycling area, clothes drying area, and a safeplace for children to play. These areas should beconsidered from the outset and incorporated sensitivelyinto the overall design of the site.Use existing site features to help absorb the building and/or under-take new planting of mostly native species53.County Limerick: Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside43.
Page 1 and 2: Rural DesignAdvice forIndividualHou
Page 3: CONTENTSPage1. Introduction 1Purpos
Page 6 and 7: 1.INTRODUCTIONPurpose of the Design
Page 8 and 9: 1.INTRODUCTIONThe Local Planning Au
Page 10 and 11: 2.EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY HOUSEThe
Page 12 and 13: 2.EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY HOUSECla
Page 14 and 15: 2.EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY HOUSEVer
Page 16 and 17: 2.EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY HOUSEMod
Page 18 and 19: 3.SELECTING THE SITEIf a proper fit
Page 20 and 21: 3.SELECTING THE SITEAgricultural Lo
Page 22 and 23: 3.SELECTING THE SITE31.Western Upla
Page 24 and 25: 3.SELECTING THE SITESite LocationLo
Page 26 and 27: 3.SELECTING THE SITEExisting Develo
Page 28 and 29: 3.SELECTING THE SITERoads and Infra
Page 30 and 31: 3.SELECTING THE SITESite Selection
Page 32 and 33: 4.PLANNING THE SITEContextThe new c
Page 34 and 35: 4.PLANNING THE SITEScale, Building
Page 36 and 37: 4.PLANNING THE SITESimple dominant
Page 38 and 39: 4.PLANNING THE SITEBuilding Orienta
Page 40 and 41: 4.PLANNING THE SITERenewable Energy
Page 42 and 43: 4.PLANNING THE SITEGeothermal Energ
Page 44 and 45: 4.PLANNING THE SITEA. Local Sustain
Page 48 and 49: 4.PLANNING THE SITESite Planning Ch
Page 50 and 51: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEThe use of sta
Page 52 and 53: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSETry to avoid:
Page 54 and 55: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEBuilding Form
Page 56 and 57: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSERoofs and Chim
Page 58 and 59: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEDoors, Porches
Page 60 and 61: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEConservatories
Page 62 and 63: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEBuilding Conve
Page 64 and 65: 5.DESIGNING THE HOUSEExtensions to
Page 66 and 67: 6.DESIGNING WITH THE PLANNING SYSTE
Page 72 and 73: 1.APPENDIXRecommended Planting Type
Page 74 and 75: APPENDIX 2.Building RegulationsThe
Page 76: APPENDIX 3a.Design Statement for si

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