Publications
This is the Planning publications section. Here you can find all publications, reports and presentations for this heritage area of interest.
National Community-Led Village Design Statement (VDS) Toolkit (2012)
The toolkit was prepared in 2012 by the Heritage Council in partnership with Dublin City Council and Meath County Council; and in collaboration with the village communities of both Sandymount, Dublin and Julianstown, Co. Meath. The toolkit sets out a step-by-step guide to undertaking a community-led VDS in Ireland, using a collaborative and participative process, and has been developed in accordance with the UNECE Aarhus Convention and the European Landscape Convention (ELC).
View the Community-Led Village Design Statement (VDS) Toolkit [PDF 4.1MB].
Town Centre Health Check - Kilrush, Co. Clare (2012)
The Heritage Council completed the first Town Centre Health Check for Kilrush in County Clare in partnership with Clare County Council, Kilrush Town Council and the Kilrush Tidy Towns Group, in accordance with the S28 Retail Planning Guidelines and best practice town centre management. The Town Centre Health Check provides a robust dataset, which establishes a useful ‘baseline’ for comparison with future Town Centre Health Check assessments of Kilrush and surrounding towns
Download Town Centre Health Check - Kilrush, Co. Clare [PDF 12.1 MB].
Draft submission in response to Draft Retail Planning Guidelines (2011)
The Heritage Council prepared a draft submission in response to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s Draft Retail Planning Guidelines, which were published on the 22nd November 2011.
View The Heritage Council’s submission to the DoECLG (Dec. 2011) [PDF 483 KB].
View The DoECLG Draft Retail Planning Guidelines (Nov. 2011) [link to external website].
Additional Information:
Download Town Centre Management (TCM): Benefits of Investment, A presentation by Alison Harvey, Heritage Council at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) National Conference, April 2010 [PDF 489 KB].
Sandymount Village Design Statement (2011)
The Sandymount VDS, which was launched by Minister Jimmy Deenihan T.D. is an ‘Urban’ Pilot for the Heritage Council’s new community-led National Village Design Statement Initiative and was undertaken in partnership with the Sandymount Community and Dublin City Council. Sandymount VDS is the second ‘pilot’ VDS to be undertaken using the new community-led approach along with the National ‘Rural’ Pilot in Julianstown, County Meath, which was launched by former Minister Ciaran Cuffe on the 7th October 2010.
Julianstown VDS - 'Process' Evaluation Report (2011)
As part of the commitment to the new National Village Design Statement Programme (VDS PII), the Heritage Council actively sought to design, develop and implement a national community-led ‘Pilot’ VDS process, and to externally evaluate the new collaborative and participative ‘process’. Julianstown in County Meath was selected as the location for this community-led ‘Pilot’ VDS process.
This current report evaluates the process including structures and relationships developed in the preparation of the ‘Pilot’ VDS. The Heritage Council intends to commission a follow up external output/ summative evaluation of the implementation phase of the ‘Pilot’ VDS in 2013.
Download a copy of Julianstown VDS - 'Process' Evaluation Report here [pdf 3.4mb].
LCA CPD Training Course Carbon Footprint Audit (2011)
The Heritage Council wishes to understand the carbon footprint relating to the delivery of its award-winning Landscape Character Assessment Continuous Professional Development Training Course (LCA CPD)1. This report includes details of the greenhouse gas audit of the LCA CPD course delivered in September 2010. It quantifies the associated emissions and recommends actions for the reduction of emissions for the May 2011 course. It is anticipated that the Heritage Council will also audit the emissions of the May course and measure the success of the emissions reductions plan and make final recommendations for the September 2011 course.
Download LCA CPD Training Course Carbon Footprint Audit [PDF 600K].
Julianstown Village Design Statement (2010)
The Heritage Council’s National Village Design Statement (VDS) Programme provides an opportunity for meaningful public participation in the Irish planning system. The Julianstown VDS is the national ‘pilot’ for the Heritage Council’s National Village Design Programme II. This ‘pilot’ project has been conceived over a period of two years.
The Julianstown ‘Pilot’ VDS embraces a collaborative and participative approach to village design, whereby local communities have a real ‘voice’ in how their villages are planned and managed in the future. Communities are encouraged under the aims of Programme II, to ‘Chair’ the local VDS Project from the outset.
Village Design Statements in Ireland: Questionaire Analysis (2010)
Following the Heritage Council's announcement at its Village Design Conference in 2008, to update and revise the National Village Design Programme, the Council has now published the findings of its consultation with key stakeholders, including LEADER Groups and Tidy Towns Committees. The consultation will inform the preparation of a 3-Year Action Plan 2010-2012 for the National Village Design Programme II.
Download the VDS Questionnaire Analysis [PDF 8.3MB].
For further information on the National Village Design Programme II, please contact Alison Harvey, Programme Manager at aharvey@heritagecouncil.ie or on Tel 056 777 0777.
Landscape Character Assessment in Ireland: Baseline Audit & Assessment Update (2009)
Minogue and Associates were commissioned by the Heritage Council to update the LCA Baseline Audit and Evaluation report published in September 2006. The aim of this report is to provide a factual update of research set out in Section 3 of the 2006 Baseline Report (only). The same full and detailed review, consultation and analysis undertaken for the Baseline Report has not been undertaken for this research.
Selection of Village Design Statements
The Heritage Council’s National Village Design Statement (VDS) Programme provides an opportunity for meaningful public participation in the Irish planning system.
View examples of other Village Design Statements already produced for villages around Ireland >
Enhancing Local Distinctiveness: Village Design Statements - The Way Forward? (2009)
This booklet outlines what makes a good village design statement and the benefits of producing one. The booklet also provides lessons learned from village design statements already produced in Ireland as well as lots of additional information of value.
Download Village Design Statements: The Way Forward? (PDF 5.2MB).
Enhancing Local Distinctiveness: Evaluation of Village Design Statements in Ireland (2008)
The remit for this study was to inform national policy on issues relating to the conservation, enhancement and sustainable development of villages in Ireland. The stated aim was:
“to examine the ways in which Village Design Statements have progressed and developed in Ireland, with particular emphasis on the involvement of the Heritage Council, Local Authorities / Local Authority Heritage Officers in VDS and the adoption of VDS as Supplementary Planning Guidance”.
Landscape Character Assessment in Ireland: Baseline Audit & Assessment (2006)
Published by the Heritage Council, 2006. The brief for this study was to inform the implementation of Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) in Ireland. Its objectives were to provide recommendations for full LCA coverage, to review and compare LCA methodologies and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing LCAs. It also sought to provide an overview of good practice in other EU member states and to inform national policy on landscape issues and help ensure that LCA provides value for money.
Download Landscape Character Assessment in Ireland:
Baseline Audit & Evaluation: Review Forms (March 2006) [PDF 404KB].
Lucan Village Design Statement (2006)
In 2006, members of the local community in Lucan, the Heritage Council and South Dublin County Council came together to explore the possibility of producing a Village Design Statement (VDS) for Lucan. A Steering Group of local community representatives was established to direct the project and with funding from South Dublin County Council and the Heritage Council, a team of consultants was appointed to work in partnership with the Steering Group. Lucan’s VDS was produced through a combination of both community consultation and desk-based study.
The Role of the Heritage Council in the Planning Process (1999)
The statutory planning system has a major contribution to make to the conservation of the national heritage and to the evolution of a sustainable environment. It is the aim of the Heritage Council, through its role of proposing policy and priorities for the national heritage, to play its part in allowing the planning system to realise this potential.
Download The Role of the Heritage Council in the Planning Process [PDF 324KB].