RURAL VILLAGE DESIGN STUDY
A practical study into the Urban Design of Rural Villages in County Cork and the Relevance of Design Guidance in the Process
As part of the final year dissertation for my Master Degree, I wanted to undertake a practical study of the urban design of traditional village settlements in rural Ireland. My motivation for this was two fold. Firstly, I wanted to help in addressing the major planning issue currently facing rural Ireland which is the practice of building individual one off dwellings throughout the open country side. This has a number of unsustainable features, such as having a damaging effect on the landscape, increasing dependency on car transport, and the inefficient and damaging provision of services such as waste water treatment.
Secondly, I wanted to address the issue of poor urban design in rural villages where residential development has taken place. Through the recent construction boom in Ireland, the traditional structure of rural villages has changed dramatically. New housing developments have largely been out of scale with their respective villages, have ignored vernacular forms and layouts, and have often related and connected very poorly to the existing village.
The primary aim of this study has been to examine how the demand for one of dwellings can be concentrated in village settlements, and how this can be done in a manner which makes the village an attractive place to live in, respecting its traditional and vernacular motifs where possible. The study also examines how relevant design guidance documents targeted at sustainable residential and rural development are in influencing the process. Seven case studies were chosen from the Cork County district, and master plan proposals produced for each. The plans cater for twenty five years worth of housing, calculated by the demand for housing in previous years. The case studies are set out on this page, as is an overview of the study findings.
Ballygarvan
Ballygarvan is a village thirteen kilometers from Cork City, and thus is under significant urban influence. The village has a reasonably strong nucleus including shops, pubs, a school and sports facilities. However it has been dominated by a large residential development which relates very poorly to the existing village.
The proposed master plan for future development in Ballygarvan has taken major influence from the traditional main street, where building frontages are inconsistent and not parallel with the main road itself. It also seeks to improve the relationship with the old village and more recent development through improved connections and good use of new development.
Kerry Pike
The village of Kerry Pike is situated less than 10 kilometres north of Cork City, and adjacent to suburb of Blarney, so is under major urban influence. It is a village that has formed from the clustered development of one off housing and small residential developments. It is seriously constrained in that it lacks a nucleus of note, aside from one pub, a school and a community centre all located a distance from one another.
The proposed master plan seeks to address this by developing a clear village core, containing a village square surrounding by structured town housing. It was also contains an element of retail development to aid in the provision of services to residents. Further residential growth is strategically located off this area so as the strengthen its role the village centre.
Ballynora
This settlement is located just seven kilometres south-west of Cork City, and located adjacent to the major district centres of Wilton and Ballincollig. It is a very small village, and despite urban influence has not seen major development, which has instead been concentrated in the form of sporadic one off housing and in the nearby village of Waterfall. It contains elements of a village nucleus with a church, school and sporting complex which contains a pub.
The proposed masters plan aims to strengthen and solidify the existing village nucleus. Key to this is the development of a cross road development containing village retail and terraced housing, providing greater structure to the core. A new road street network is proposed to anchor future housing growth.
Glanworth
Glanworth is situated in North County Cork, near to the county town of Fermoy, which places a degree of urban pressure on the village. It is a village of major historical significance and is home to a number of buildings and sites of heritage importance. It has a very strong vernacular "main street" village core, but has also undergone significant new development. There is major pressure for one off housing in its hinterland
The proposed master plan seeks to cater for the major housing demand in the area in a manner which compliments the historic village core. It does so replicating the motifs of the unique street pattern in a new street layout. It also seeks to promote the use of the valuable built and natural heritage of the area.
Union Hall
Union Hall is a traditional fishing village situated in the heart of West Cork. It is ten kilometers from the county town of Skibereen, and close to the villages of Glandore, Leap and Castletownend so is part of a strong network of rural settlements. It is a large village, with a strong village core centred on a terraced main street. There has been ribbon development on the roads exiting the village, and suburban style residential development in the north west of the village. It also contains a fishing pier and a sporting complex.
The master plan for the village seeks to facilitate future residential growth in a layout which compliments its traditional core. A new recreational marina is proposed which would add a new dynamic dimension to the village, and increase its tourism potential.
Garryvoe
Garryvoe is a seaside village in East Cork. It is located sixteen kilometers from the commuter/county town of Midleton, so it is under a certain degree of urban influence. It lacks a clear village nucleus, with a hotel acting as the main core to the area. It is situated in a network of rural villages in close proximity, and lacks retail services in comparison. It is adjacent to the beach, but lacks a clear relationship with it. It also contains a number of caravan sites which act as seasonal holiday accommodation.
The village master plan aims to develop a much stronger core by developing retail services at the cross roads between the hotel area and the beach. It also proposed developing new housing in strategic locations so to improve connections between previous ribbon development.
Ballingeary
Ballingeary is situated in a gaelic speaking, mountainous region in the extreme west of the county. It is relatively isolated, twenty five kilometers from the nearest county town or Macroom, and differs from the rest of the case studies in that it is located in a structurally weak rural area. It is a large village, with a strong core and a number of active community uses throughout. It lacks a traditional main street style layout, with a unique building pattern. There is significant ribbon development on the roads out of the village, but not major residential development has taken place.
The master plan for the village seeks facilitate future residential growth in a unique manner influenced by the traditional building pattern of the area, while at the same time over coming flooding and topographical constraints that are evident.
The process found that the different villages studied are able to facilitate the demand of one off dwellings from their hinterlands. In many of the samples, the concentration of new dwellings in a concentrated manner could significantly strengthen the structure of the villages.
In terms of urban design and sustainable building pattern, where villages had a strong traditional building pattern, it provided great influence which new proposals could be based upon, particularly in Glanworth, Ballingeary and Union Hall. Where a discernible pattern was less evident, new patterns were developed with the influence of design guidance where possible. This approach also proves successful particularly in solidifying village core areas and creating a sustainable pattern of residential development.
Design guidance documents did often prove highly informative and relative where they were referenced. This applied in particular to the Cork County Council Residential Design Guide, and the Urban Design Manual issued by the Dept. of the Environment. However it was found that a single specific design guidance manual for the purposes of the sustainable development of rural villages would be ideal.
Key recommendations of the research are:
- That a specific village design guide be developed at national level and local level.
- The local authority should be pro active in allowing landowners and other parties to develop new streetscapes in which one off housing could be developed in a sustainable pattern in villages, as an alternative to uncontrolled ribbon development or suburban style housing.
- The local authority should refrain from permitting large scale residential developments in villages, be they under urban influence or not.
KEVIN TWOMEY PLANNER AND URBAN DESIGNER