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The Heritage Council seeks to protect and enhance the richness, quality and diversity of our national heritage for everyone. It works with its partners to increase awareness of our national heritage.

COUNTY MEATH CHOSEN FOR VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT PILOT SCHEME

COMMUNITY-LED PLANNING AND DESIGN PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED FOR IRISH VLLAGES BY THE HERITAGE COUNCIL

Monday 30th March 2009: The Heritage Council today announced that it has chosen Julianstown in County Meath as the national ‘pilot’ for a new community-led village design statement (VDS) programme for Irish Villages.

The Heritage Council’s National VDS Programme has one key objective – to get local people of all ages fully involved and active in the planning and design of their local areas. The Heritage Council will facilitate the preparation of the Julianstown VDS ‘pilot’ in partnership with the Julianstown and District Residents Association (JDRA) and Meath County Council’s Planning Department.

The community-led VDS aims to set out a strategy for the future design and enhancement of Julianstown. This ‘pilot’ project follows on from the Heritage Council’s publication in January– Enhancing Local Distinctiveness in Irish Villages – The Way Forward?, which is available to download on the Heritage Council’s website.

Speaking at the announcement, Alison Harvey, Planning and Development Officer with the Heritage Council said, ‘Irish villages are a vital part of our national heritage and their future planning and design must involve local people and communities. Local communities know so much about their locality, the features within the built and natural environment that make their village distinctive and unique, and also the features that are of value to them. This local knowledge should be used to inform the planning process in villages”.

The pilot scheme will involve training and raising awareness of ‘good design’ in our villages. The Heritage Council is committed to rolling out a community-led approach on Village Design Statements on a national basis”, added Ms. Harvey.

The DoEHLG’s Guidelines for Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, published in December 2008, make provision for the preparation and implementation of Village Design Statements (VDSs) in Ireland. The village design statement for Julianstown will feed into the East Meath Local Area Plan (LAP), which will be up for review in 2010.

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Note to Editor

The Heritage Council is the statutory body charged with identifying, protecting, preserving and enhancing Ireland’s national heritage. National heritage includes Monuments, Archaeological objects, Heritage objects, Architectural heritage, Flora, Fauna, Wildlife habitats, Landscapes, Seascapes, Wrecks, Geology, Heritage gardens and parks, and Inland waterways.

Established under the Heritage Act 1995, and operating under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Heritage Council provides advice to the Minister, and partners and networks with Local Authorities and a wide range of other organisations and individuals to promote Ireland’s heritage.

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