3.9 | Placemaking The growth of compact settlements must be in tandem with social, recreation and cultural development and it should seek to protect and enhance the identity and character of our unique places. Investment in sustainable mobility and enhancing the quality of the public realm will support successful urban living and the achievement of compact growth.
public realm and integration of multi modal travel chains; • The application of sustainable higher densities, taking account of the need for variability and flexibility of local circumstances through an evidence-based approach; • Consider the needs of retail to service growing populationand compact growth inurban settlements and changes in the sector; • Co-ordination across local authority boundaries for joint planning and infrastructure led forward planning initiatives, such as the Carlow and Graiguecullen Joint Spatial Plan. minimum densities for 10-minute city and town neighbourhoods Our urban communities need sufficient densities to sustain important local services, public transport networks and realise 5-10 minute city and town concepts. International experience shows that the critical density at which a large portion of people will change from accessing services at a distance by private car to accessing a large number of local services by foot or bicycle is approximately 10,000- 12,500 people per square kilometre. Such minimum densities and target densities can be set for an urban area along public transport corridors and in central urban areas to achieve consolidation, compact growth and walkable communities. These densities vary across different walking distances to local services and public transport nodes. There is potential for development plans and local area plans to adapt such concepts following the principles outlined in Section 3.9 Placemaking and seek high quality permeability in new developments. Good International Practice:
The RSES supports National Policy Objectives in relation to the following:
• Right Location: prioritise the provision of new homes at locations that can support sustainable development and at an appropriate scale of provision relative to location; • Building resilience in housing: support the provision of lifetime adaptable homes that can accommodate the changing needs of a household over time; • Sustainable residential densities: increase residential density in settlements, through a range of measures including reductions in vacancy, re-use of existing buildings, infill development schemes, area or site- based regeneration and increased building heights in appropriate locations. The RSES recognises the importance of the following: • A participatory approach to local planning - local governance and citizen participation; • The creation of socially sustainable communities and an inclusive built environment; • An integrated planning approach to ensure that employment, infrastructure, services and housing supply are considered together; • Commitment to high design quality and performance-based design standards and criteria; • The regeneration and retrofit of existing building stock, including housing, to tackle vacancy and improve energy efficiency; • Improve and invest in the quality of the public realm for settlements of all scales; • The role of both design and delivery of improved public realm and support for mechanisms that are effective in the operation, management, use and stewardship of public space; • Functional relationships between places and the movement of people between places as key to placemaking, emphasising sustainable transport,
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Sustainable Place Framework Local authorities, through development plan and local area plan objectives, shall provide for and implement a Sustainable Place Framework to ensure the development of quality places through integrated planning and consistently excellent design. The role of education, learning and health in providing inclusive, dynamic and adaptable urban environments must be included in sustainable place frameworks. The importance of consultation with local communities is supported and recognised.
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
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