Retail Planning

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RETAIL DESIGN MANUALA cmpanin dcument t the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities

April 2012


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Government o Ireland 2012

Baile tha Cliath

Arna Fhoilsi ag Oifg an tSolthair

Le ceannach dreach n

Oifg Dholta Foilseachn Rialtais,

Teach Sun Alliance, Srid Theach Laighean, Baile tha Cliath 2,

n trd an bpost

Foilseachin Ria ltais, An Ranng Post-Trchta,

Aonad 20 Pirc Miondola Cois Locha, Clr Chlainne Mhuiris, Contae Mhaigh Eo

(Teil: 01-6476834/37 n 1890 213434; Fax: 01-6476843 n 094-9378964 )

n tr aon doltir leabhar.

Dublin

Published By The Stationery Ofce

To be purchased directly rom the

Government Publications Sale Ofce

Sun Allia nce House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2,

or by mail order rom

Government Publications, Postal Trade Section,

Unit 20 Lakeside Retail Park, Claremorris, Co. Mayo

(Tel: 01-6476834/37 or 1890 213434; Fax: 01-6476843 or 094 9378964)

or through any bookseller.

This publication has been a co-initiative under the Government Policy on Architecture

2009-2015 Implementation Programme by the Depart ment o Arts, Heritage and

the Gaeltacht.

Prepared by

Paul Keogh Architects Architects a nd Urban Designers

In association with

John Spain Associates Planning Consult ants

Designed by

Red Dog - Design Consultants


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INTRoDUTIoN

1. DESIGN QUALITy 1

Case Study 1:Athlne Twn entre

2. SITE + LoATIoN 9

Case Study 2:Westprt Integrated Actin Plan

3. ARATER + oNTExT 17

Case Study 3:Dunnes Stres, Trimgate Street, Navan

4. VITALITy + VIAbILITy 25

Case Study 4: opera Lane, rk

5. AESS + oNNETIVITy 33

Case Study 5:Dulin it entre Retail Framewrk Plan

6. DENSITy + MIxED USE 41

Case Study 6:Quaside Mied-use Develpment, Slig

7. PUbLI REALM 49

Case Study 7: Iveragh Rad Twn Renewal, Killrglin, . Kerr

8. bUILT FoRM 57

Case Study 8:Tesc, Ludlw

9. ENVIRoNMENTAL RESPoNSIbILITy 65

Case Study 9:Princessha, Eeter

10. SUSTAINAbLE oNSTRUTIoN 73

Case Study 10:The Milk Market, Limerick

IMPLEMENTATIoN 81

APPENDIES 85

RETAIL DESIGN MANUALcoNTENTS

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INTRoDUcTIoNThe principles o sustainable development

are at the heart o Irelands national

policy on the built environment. Since

the publication o the National Spatial

Strategy in 2002, policy has ocused on

objectives to renew, consolidate and

strengthen cities, towns and villages;

keeping them physically compact and

public transport-riendly, a nd ensuringthat uture development adds to their

vitality and viabi lity as the ocus o

the social, commercial and civic lie o

their communities.

Nevertheless, the last decade has seen

continuing growth in dispersed orms

o development, suburbanisation and

urban sprawl - with housing, industry,

commerce, hotels, education and

shopping located around edges rather

than in city a nd town centres; thusgenerating an unsustainable demand or

road transport, increased congestion,

pollution, global warming, and negative

impacts on public health due to the

correlation between car dependency and

unhealthy liestyles.

The Retail Planning Guidelines 2012

thereore reiterate national policy

objectives to secure the uture o city and

town centres by prioritising and planning

uture development in these locations -

not least to promote sustainable modes otransport (particularly public transport,

cycling and walking) and to encourage

multi-purpose shopping, business and

leisure trips without the use o a car.

The Guidelines note the major role that

shopping plays in attracting people to

cities, towns and vil lages, emphasising

that it is thereore important that these

centres retain retailing as a core unction

and provide a diversity o shopping

choice, and high quality services and

amenities, or residents and visitors

alike, thereby supporting their ongoing

role as the ocus o their regions and

rural hinterlands.

The Government Policy on Architecture2009-2015 provides the appropriate

ramework or architectural policy up

to 2015 and beyond and is coordinated

centrally by the Department o Arts,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It places an

emphasis on sustainable development

o the environment and urban design

and incorporates architectural heritage

in a holistic integrated manner while

encouraging and supporting high

quality modern architecture. The

policy complements and supports theGovernments wider economic strategy

within the Programme or Government in

areas such as built environment research

and qualitative place-making and this

best practice manual has been developed

in response to Action 21 o the Government

Policy on Architecture.

The Retail Planning Guidelines 2012, and

this Retail Design Manual, are intended

to provide a planning ramework or

uture development o the retai l sector in

a way which meets the needs o modernshopping ormats while contributing to

protecting, supporting and promoting the

attractiveness and competitiveness o city

and town centres as places to live, work,

shop and visit.

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bAKGRoUND

Throughout history, shopping has been

prooundly interlinked with t he evolution

o urban places, and retailing still orms

the backdrop to many o Irelands city

and town centres. However, with radical

changes in retail patterns over the last

decades, there is increasing concern not

only in Ireland or the uture o urbanareas in t he ace o increased competition

rom edge-o-centre and out-o-centre

shopping destinations, and the ever-

increasing proportion o sales now made

over the internet and mobile phones.

One o the key messages o the Retail

Planning Guidelines is that a high level o

design quality can make an important

contribution to the uture health o city

and town centres. The Guidelines set out

key policy objectives to be progressedby planning authorities in planning or

the continued development o the ret ail

sector, including inter alia ensuring

development is plan-led; promoting and

securing the vitality o city and town

centres through the use o the sequential

approach; ensuring an eective range

o choice or the consumer; acilitating

a shit towards sustainable orms o

travel, and delivering quality urban

design outcomes.

The last o these policy objectives seeksto ensure that the design o uture retail

development plays its part in achieving

a high-quality built environment

generally. The Guidelines thereore

recommend that planning authorities

promote high standards o design in

their orward planning policies, and

that they implement these through the

development management process.

Achieving a high quality o architecture

and urban design in new retail

development can be a key ingredient

in delivering sustainable development

in urban places: generating direct and

indirect employment, stimulating

investment and economic activity,

enhancing social vibrancy and vitalit y,

increasing consumer choice andvalue, reducing car dependency or

everyday trips, and stimulating spin-o

development including service unctions

and housing.

KEy PRINIPLES oF

URbAN DESIGN

The Retail Planning Guidelines 2012

encourage planning authorities to include

policies to promote quality design in

their development plans and local area

plans and to implement these policiesthrough the development management

process. Clearly defned design policies in

a development plan or local area plan give

greater clarity and certainty to developers

and their design teams and provide an

agenda or pre-application discussion

and the subsequent development

management process.

This Retail Design Manual thereore sets

out key principles o urban design which

might orm the ramework or policies to

promote quality design in developmentplans and local area plans. Most are

relevant to all aspects o urban design,

and while they are drated specifcally

or retail development in this manual,

they complement key principles set out in

previous Department o the Environment,

Community and Local Government

publications such as Quality Houses for

Sustainable Communities (2007) and t he

Urban Design Manual (2009).

In many respects, they coincide with

principles o best practice articulated

by numerous international sources,

particularly t he UKs Commission or

Architecture and the Built Environment,and the Lord Richard Rogers Urban Task

Force report:Towards an Urban Renaissance.

They are also timeless to a n extent,

and originate in the t hree principles o

architectural qualit y set out over 2,000

years ago by Roman architect Ma rcus

Vitruvius Pollio - Commodity, Firmness

and Delight.

Under each o the ten principles there

are fve key questions which relate

the principles more specifcally to theplanning, design and development

management o new retail proposals.

In the commentar y, the questions seek

to demonstrate that quality in urban

design, planning and architecture is not

subjective, but can be assessed against

the principles validated by international

best practice and, unortunately in some

cases, by lessons learned rom mistakes

made in the past.

The Retail Planning Guidelines recommend

that planning authorities requestapplicants to submit design st atements

or major retail proposals, and or

development located in sensitive areas

o cities, towns and vil lages. The

principles and questions set out in this

Retail Design Manual are intended to assist

in identiying issues to be considered

and addressed in design statements,

justi ying why t he design solution

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proposed is considered the most suitable

or a particular site and achieving a high-

quality development and a sustainable

built environment.

PURPoSE oF TE RETAIL

DESIGN MANUAL

This Retail Design Manual is a urther

step in providing guidance on designprinciples within the planning policy

guidance ramework outlined under

Action 21 o the Government Policy on

Architec ture 2009-2015. It sets out to provide

planning authorities, developers and

designers with evidence-based quality

principles to ensure that uture planning

or the retail sector is ocused on the

creation o vibrant, quality places. As

stated in the guidelines, design that is

inappropriate or its context, or that ails

to realise the opportunit y to improve thecharacter and quality o an area or a site,

should not be accepted.

This manual is not a do-it-yoursel guide

to designing new retail development. As

stated in t he Guidelines, design needs

to be applied by skil led practitioners,

and there is no substitute or engaging

the right skills to achieve successul

outcomes. The delivery o a high qualit y

development, and successul retai l

development in particular, requires frst

and oremost a clear vision and designbrie, plus a commitment to an overall

quality agenda shared by planning

authorities, developers and designers

both public and private.

The appointment o a high-quality,

proessional design team is a key step

in ensuring successul outcomes. In

particular, design teams should have

the skills and competencies appropriate

to the development. Depending on the

scale o the project, the design team

will include planners, architects and

engineers and as well as landscape, retail,

trafc and conservation consultants.

The Guidelines also advise planning

authorities, in appropriate situations,

to engage architectural and/or designconsultants to advise on appropriate plan

policies and development management

responses or particularly sensitive

areas and sites, such as heritage towns,

architectural conservation areas and

protected structures.

STRUTURE oF TE MANUAL

In presenting the principles in the orm

o questions rather than standards,

the manual seeks to establish issues

to be considered in their practicalimplementation, as opposed to setting

out overly prescriptive requirements that

might inhibit the creativity o skilled

designers. The list o questions is not

exhaustive, nor is it intended that every

development will be capable o eliciting a

positive response to each question.

The key questions are each illustrated by

examples o good practice. The manual

has sought to emphasise the positive

rather than criticise ailures rom the

past, but the lessons are clear and it seeksto promote a step-change in the quality

o new retai l development. Some o the

questions raised will be more relevant to

large rather than smaller schemes, city

and town centres rather than edge-o-

centre locations, and gateways and hubs

rather than smaller towns and vil lages.

Each principle is accompanied by a

major case study, demonstrating both

the application o the principle, and

successul responses to other quality

actors raised by the questions in the

manual. None o the case studies are 100

per cent successul, but most illustrate

at least some o the key principles i not

all; together, they illustrate what can beachieved when there is a clear vision and

an overall commitment to design quality.

SUMMARy

One o the key messages o the Guidelines

is that a high quality o design in retail

development can make a n important

contribution to delivering quality in the

built environment. They recommend

that planning authorities promote

high standards o design in their

orward planning policies, and in theimplementation o these pol icies through

the development management process.

The publication o the Retail Design

Manual, as a companion to the Retail

Planning Guidelines 2012, is intended,

frstly, to guide planning authorities

in ormulating appropriate design

policies and development management

responses in planning or the continued

development o the retai l sector and,

secondly, to provide developers, designers

and retailers with evidence-based qualityprinciples to ensure that new retail

development plays its part in rea lising

quality outcomes in relation to urban

design, and in renewing, consolidating

and strengthening city and town centres

as attractive, inclusive and durable places

or people to live, work, shop or visit.

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1. DESIGN QUALITy Design qualit cntriuting t making places that are attractive, inclusive,

durale and adaptale places t live, wrk, shp and visit.

2. SITE + LoATIoN ealth cit and twn centres cntriuting t the prper planning andsustainale develpment f their lcatins.

3. oNTExT + ARATER Regard fr the character and the phsical, scial and ecnmic cntets f

the site and its lcatin.

4. VITALITy + VIAbILITy Vitalit and viail it in cit and twn centres that are attractive and

cmpetitive places t live, wrk, shp and visit.

5.

AESS + oNNETIVITy it and twn centres that are accessile and well-cnnected, eas t get tand cnvenient t mve aut.

6. DENSITy + MIxED USE igher densit and mied use develpment creating cmpact uran areas

and the efcient use f land.

7. PUbLI REALM Well-designed and well-used pen spaces cntriuting t a high qualit

pulic realm in the lcatin.

8. bUILT FoRM built frm, scale and mass cntriuting t a high standard f uran design

and qualit in the uilt envirnment.

9. ENVIRoNMENTAL

RESPoNSIbILITy

Envirnmentall respnsile use f energ resurces t lwer fuel

cnsumptin and carn emissins.

10. SUSTAINAbLE

oNSTRUTIoN

nstructin materials and technlgies that have regard fr the

envirnmental impacts f their prductin, transprtatin, use and dispsal.

KEy PRINcIPLESoF URbAN DESIGN

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1. DESIGN QUALITy

Principle Design qualit cntriuting t

making places that are attractive, inclusive,

durale and adaptale places t live, wrk,

shp and visit.

Ke Questins:

1.1 w des the prpsed

develpment reect an

verall cmmitment t

qualit in uran design

and architecture?


develpment reect natinal

plic jectives t achieve

qualit design utcmes in

new retail develpment?


develpment reect

jectives t prmte design

qualit in the develpment

plan and/r lcal area plan?


develpment reect a

cmmitment t design

qualit in the prcurement

prcess adpted?


develpment demnstrate an

evidence-ased cmmitment

t qualit in uran design

and architecture?


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DESIGN QUALITy

Question 1.1 w des the prpsed

develpment reect an verall cmmitment t

qualit in uran design and architecture?

Over 2000 years ago, the Roman architect

Vitruvius defned the three essentials o

good building as: commodity, frmness

and delight. Two centuries later, we

still expect the same things rom ourbuildings: that they be unctional and

accommodate our needs and activities;

that they be durable and provide or our

shelter and comort; that they be beautiul

and add to our pleasure and happiness.

Good design is not a question o personal

style or taste; it is a synthesis o qualities

that are largely objective and measurable:

good design is ft or purpose, sustainable,

efcient, coherent, exible, responsive

to context, good looking and a clearexpression o the requirements o the

brie. Quality design plays a key role in

contributing to making places that are

attractive, inclusive, durable and adaptable

places to live, work, lie shop and visit.

Good design is a sound investment in

terms o return or developers, turnover

or traders, and a more attractive

environment or shoppers; on the other

hand, low design standards and poorconstruction quality impose long term

costs; on their owners, their users and

society at large or many years ater the

development is completed.

A key message o the Retail Planning

Guidelines is that design quality in retail

development can make an import ant

contribution to the vitality and viability o

city and town centres, and designs which

are inappropriate or their contexts, or

which ail to realise opport unities orimproving the character and quality o

their locations should not be accepted.

igh qualit uran design and architecture in

mied-use retail-led develpment cntriuting

t the character and qualit f the twn centre

as a retail destinatin Athlne Twn entre.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 5

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DESIGN QUALITy

Question 1.2 w des the prpsed develpment

reect natinal plic jectives t achieve qualit

design utcmes in new retail develpment?

The Government Policy on Architecture 2009-

2015 is ounded on a recognition o the

impact o architecture on the quality o

peoples daily lives, in expressing the social

and cultural values o the nation, and in

creating a sustainable built environment.

The Policy commits the State to ostering

the demand or quality architecture inthe community as a whole; including

central and local government, the design

and building proessions, clients who

commission buildings, and the general

public. Similarly, the Retail Planning

Guidelines state that reta il development

has a key role to play in creating places

that are att ractive, inclusive, durable and

adaptable to live in, to work in, to shop in,

or to pass through.

The Guidelines set out key policy

objectives to be progressed by planning

authorities in planning or the

continued development o the retai l

sector, including inter alia ensuringdevelopment is plan-led; promoting

and securing the vitality o cit y and

town centres; enabling development to

come orward in sustainable locations;

acilitating a shit towards sustainable

orms o travel; and delivering quality

urban design outcomes.

The last o these key policy objectives

is that a high level o design qualit y

in retail development can make an

important contribution to the uture

health o city and town centres, and

in delivering quality in the built

environment generally; the Guidelines

advise planning authorities to promote

high standards o design, both in theirorward planning and t heir development

management processes.

The Gvernment Plic n Architecture cmmits the State t fstering the

demand fr architectural qualit - high qualit mied-use develpment

identied as a ke jective in the Lcal Area Plan, Killrglin, . Kerr.

Design qualit cntriuting t successful cnservatin f prtected

structure histric dcks warehuses and adaptatin t new retail use

Q, Dulin.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 1 & 5

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DESIGN QUALITy


reect jectives t prmte design qualit in the

develpment plan and/r lcal area plan?

The Government Policy on Architecture

contains specifc objectives to have

quality-led provisions incorporated

into both statutory and non-statutory

plans generated by planning authorities.

Similarly, the Retail Planning Guidelines

encourage planning authorities to

promote high standards o design; the

objective being to ensure that new retail

development meets national policy

objectives or the pursuit o quality designand construction, and the promotion o a

sustainable built environment.

The Guidelines encourage planning

authorities to include policies to promote

quality design in t heir development

plans and local area plans and to

implement these policies t hrough the

development management process;

clearly defned design policies in a

development plan or local area plan give

greater clarity and certainty to developers

and their design teams, and provide an

agenda or pre-application d iscussionsand the subsequent development

management process.

The key principles o urban design in

this Retail Design Manual might orm the

ramework or policies to promote quality

design in development plans and local

area plans. Most are relevant to all aspects

o urban design, and while in this manual

they are drated specifcally or retail

development, they complement principles

set out in previous Department o the

Environment, Community and Local

Government publications such as QualityHouses for Sustainable Communities (2007)

and the Urban Design Manual (2009).

Strategic jectives t imprve the

attractiveness f the twn centre uran

envirnment were included in the statutr

develpment plan Jhn R erts Square,

Waterfrd it entre.

Strategic jectives were included in the

develpment plan t upgrade the twn centre

pulic realm as a cntriutin t stimulating

the cmpetitiveness f the lcal retail sectr

Kenned Rad ivic Space, Navan, . Meath.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 3 & 5



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DESIGN QUALITy


develpment reect a cmmitment t design

qualit in the prcurement prcess adpted?

The delivery o a high quality built

environment, and successul retail

developments in part icular, requires

frst and oremost a clear vision and

well-defned design brie, plus a n

overall commitment to a quality agenda

that is shared by planning authorities,

developers and designers both public

and private.

The appointment o a high quality

proessional team is a frst step in

ensuring successul outcomes. In

particular, the expert ise o the design

team should be appropriate to the

development proposed. Depending on

the scale and complexity o the scheme,

the design team can comprise planners,

architects, engineers, landscape, trafc

and conservation consultants.

The ocus on quality should besustained at every stage o the design

and construction phases; successul

development outcomes require that

the design team is engaged to oversee

the project rom start to fnish, and not

merely to obtain statutory approvals

and consents.

The Retail Planning Guidelines advise

planning authorities, in appropriate

situations, to engage architectural

and/or design consultants t o advise

on appropriate plan policies and

development management responsesor particularly sensitive sites, or

example in relation to heritage towns,

architectural conservation areas and

protected structures.

While value or money is critical, ailure

to allocate the resources required to

deliver successul solutions is both

shortsighted and more costly overall;

evidence indicates that poor design

quality, delays to programmes, and latent

building deects are more expensive inthe long term than t he cost o appointing

design teams with the competencies

and skillsets required to achieve

quality outcomes.

Landmark retail-led regeneratin demnstrating

the value f an verall qualit agenda shared

the planning authrit, develpers anddesigners Liverpl one, UK.

Successful use f an internatinal architectural

cmpetitin t appint the apprpriate design

team t secure a high qualit pulic realm in cit

centre lcatin Patrick Street, rk.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 5.2



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DESIGN QUALITy


demnstrate an evidence-ased cmmitment t

qualit in uran design and architecture?


that planning authorities might include

objectives in development plans and

local area plans to prepare design and

development bries or part icularly

important, sensitive or large scale retail

developments in city and town centre

locations, and to request that design

statements be submitted or theseschemes as part o the development

management process.

Depending on the scale o development

proposed, the design brie should include

a description o the site and its context,

identiying any planning or development

constraints and summarising the relevant

development plan and/or local area plan

objectives and policies. It might also give

an indication o the type, design and

layout o development that the authoritywould wish to see on the site.

Similarly, planning authorities might

request evidence-based design statements

to be submitted as part o development

proposals or particular locations

and or certain types o development -

particularly la rger schemes and those

in sensitive urban settings. In these

situations, design statements wil l be o

value in understanding how the proposed

development addresses the specifc design

brie or the site, how the brie is ulflledin the design scheme proposed, what

is the rationale or the design approach

adopted, and why the design proposed is

considered the most suitable solution or

the site in question.

At a minimum, developers should provide

an illustrated report sett ing out how the

development proposed meets with the

principles set out in this manual, and how

it complies with relevant development

plan or local area plan objectivesand policies.

Successful eample f a jint lcal authrit and private sectr visin fr the preparatin f anagreed develpment rief and design principles fr a majr cit centre retail-led regeneratin

Princessha, Eeter, UK.

Eample f a majr develpment site framewrk

strateg included in a statutr lcal area plan

Phisrugh/Muntj LAP, Dulin.

See also:




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Shopping streets in t he centre are

concentrated to the east o the Shannon

and, while there are a number o anchor

outlets within the town, the historic

streetscape and narrow building plots

have traditionally inhibited large-

scale redevelopment.

Identifed as an opportunity site in t he

2003 Westmeath County Retail Strategy, an

assemblage o infll and backland plots,

brownfeld uses and semi-derelict

structures covering approximately

three hectares was amalgamated by the

local authority.

A primary objective or this site was to

secure a shit in the retail centre o gravity

back to the main shopping streets while

strategically l inking edge-o-centredevelopment with the town centre. The

strategic location o the site within the

historic core links it with the new Civic

Centre and Library, thereby creating a

dramatic new public realm or At hlone.

The scheme is about stitching and

mending existing streetscapes, and

making new connections and spaces.

It also seeks to give appropriate

contemporary expression to its core

unction within the town centre.

The challenge o inserting a large mi xed-use development into an historic setting

was assisted by the shape, topography and

particular eatures o the site. Exploiting

the natural gradient eectively conceals

all parking, servicing and delivery

Until recently, Athlones primary retail areas were in edge-o-centrelocations, with their own o-street parking and poor pedestrianlinks to the town centre. The traditional retail core lacked an

attractive public realm and suered high vacancy rates as a result othe dominance o the edge-o-centre developments.

Case Study 1:Athlne Twn entre



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acilities on two subterranean levels,

thus eliminating the need or expanses o

surace parking and allowing the range

o new buildings to extend towards, and

integrate with, ex isting development

on all edges. A new order is overlaid on

the site, imposing a pattern o streets

and lanes, squares and courtyards on

backlands that were hitherto excluded

rom the abric o the town.

The project accommodates an

appropriately diverse mix o uses

incorporating retail units, residential

units in disaggregated blocks o

apartments and townhouses set around

squares, courtyards and playgrounds,

restaurants and cas, a crche and

primary healthca re acility, and a4-star hotel rising to a n 11-storey

signature tower at its core, heralding the

commercial centre o town.

The development has provided signifcant

opportunities or large multiples to enter

Athlone, through provision o our major

department store anchor units, and has

acted as a catalyst or urther investment

in the town. The development has also

enhanced Athlones role and unction in

line with its designation as part o theMidlands linked Gateway in the National

Spatial Strategy.

A high qualit pulic realm is created within the centre, and with cnnectivit t ther twn centre

destinatins it adds t the verall character and qualit f Athlne as a retail destinatin.

The site asseml was identied the lcal authrit as a p ssile pprtunit site within the 2003

Westmeath unt Retail Strateg.

The mied use scheme ties int the uran faric creating three new rutes thrugh the twn centre.



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Ke Questins


develpment lcatin accrd

with the Natinal Spatial

Strateg, reginal planning

guidelines, develpment

plan, retail strateg and lcal

planning jectives?


develpment accrd with

the rle and functin f

the lcatin in the relevant

retail hierarch?

2.3 w des the the prpsed

develpment cmpl with

the ke plic principles f

the sequential apprach

set ut in the Retail

Planning Guidelines?


develpment cmpl with

the rder f pririt fr

the sequential apprach

set ut in the Retail

Planning Guidelines?


develpment relate t the

identied retail cre and

an identied Ptentialopprtunit Sites in

the lcatin?

Principle ealth cit and twn centres

cntriuting t the prper planning and

sustainale develpment f their lcatins.

2. SITE + LoATIoN


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SITE + LoATIoN

Question 2.1 w des the prpsed develpment lcatin accrd with

the Natinal Spatial Strateg, reginal planning guidelines, develpment plan,

retail strateg and lcal planning jectives?

The 2002 National Spat ial Strate gy sets

out a twenty year national planning

ramework or Ireland. It aims to

achieve balanced social, economic and

physical development across the State,

creating cities, towns and urban areas

o sufcient scale and critical mass

through a network o Gateways and Hubs.

The Regional Planning Guidelines set outdetailed settlement strategies or each

region, and identiy settlements where

signifcant growth is planned. City and

county development plans are required to

be consistent with the NSS and relevant

Regional Planning Guidelines.

The Retail Planning Guidelines require that

the location, scale, nature and u nction o

uture retai l development complies with

the retail policies and objectives set out in

the city or count y development plan, andwith a ny relevant retai l strateg y including

joint/mult i-authority retai l strategies or

the location. In larger urban areas, the

settlement hierarchy will provide or a

number o centres to serve the catchment

population: city, town centre and district

centres. These centres play an important

role in the retai l hierarchy. In smaller

settlements there will be just one centre.

More detailed planning policies and

objectives are set-out in development

plans, local area plans, architecturalconservation areas, special areas o

control, built and natural heritage

designations, and other non-statutory

planning documents approved byplanning authorities.

In larger uran areas, the settlement/retail

hierarch will prvide fr a numer f centres

t serve the catchment ppulatin: cit centre,

district centre and neighurhd centre; Cork

City Development Plan 2009-2015.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapters 2&3.

The Retail Planning Guidelines require that the

lcatin, scale, nature and functin f future

retail develpment cmplies with the plicies

and jectives set ut in the cit r cuntdevelpment plan - opera lane, rk.



19/100

SITE + LoATIoN


develpment accrd with the rle and functin f

the lcatin in the relevant retail hierarch?

The Retail Planning Guidelines state that

development plans should set out details

o the relevant retail hierarchy, the

role and size o the main city and town

centres, and the broad level o retail

development considered appropriate or

each in accordance with Chapter 3 o

the Guidelines.

In addition, the Guidelines state that

the retail hierarchy should reect the

settlement hierarchy o each centre

as set out in the relevant regional

planning guidelines, and city or county

development plan, and that uture

retail development should be consistent

with t he role and unction o t he centre

within the set tlement hierarchy. They

indicate that requirements or district

centres within a retai l hierarchy should

be supported by signifcant existingor projected uture population growth

within the immediate catchment area.

Joint and mult i-authority retai l strategies

or larger urban areas should also set

out the retail hierarchy or t he area. For

example, the retail hierarchy or the GDA

set out in the 2008-2016 Retail Strategy for

the Greater Dublin Area is translated and

carried orward into the 2010 Wicklow

County Retail Strategy. Retail strategies

should also set out guidance on the

nature and scale o retail oorspace thatis considered appropriate at each level o

the retail hierarchy

Table E1: Retail Hierarchy or the GDA

Level 1 Metropolitan Centre

Dulin it entre

Level 2 Major Town Centres & County Town Centres

Fingal: Swrds, blanchardstwn

Suth Dulin: Tallaght, Liffe Valle

Dun Laghaire: Dun Laghaire, DundrumWicklw: bra, Wicklw

Meath: Navan

Kildare: Naas / Newridge, Leilip (including llinstwn*)

Level 3 Town and/or District Centres & Sub-County Town Centres

(not defnitive list, see text below)

Dulin it: Finglas, Nrthside Shpping entre, ballfermt, Rathmines, rumlin

Shpping entre, Dnaghmede Shpping entre, omni, ballmun, Pint Village

and Pleg

Fingal: Malahide, balriggan, Skerries, harlestwn.

Suth Dulin: Adamstwn, rumlin (Ashleaf ), lnurris/balgadd, lndalkin,

Frtunestwn, Kilnamanagh, Lucan, Rathfarnham

Dun Laghaire Rathdwn: Stillrgan, blackrck, rnelscurt, Nutgrve, herrwd.

Wicklw: Grestnes, Arklw, blessingtn, baltinglass

Meath: Dunne**, Ashurne, Dunshaughlin, Kells, Trim, Latwn/

bettstwn, Eneld.

Kildare: elridge, Kilcck, and Manth, Kilcullen, Ath, Kildare,

Mnasterevin, lane.

Level 4 Neighbourhood Centres, Local Centres-Small Towns and Villages

Level 5 Corner Shops/Small Villages

* Leilip and the llinstwn area will graduall develp alng a 20 ear time perid reaching level

2 status, (see tet elw in main d f reprt).

** Dunne will graduall develp ver the net 20 ears twards level 2 status, (see tet elw in

main d f reprt).

The Dublin City Centre Retail Framework Plan

uilds n plicies in the GDA Retail Strategy

t prmte Dulin it entre as the prime

shpping, leisure and cultural destinatin in the

State - The Liffe bardwalk.

Etract frm Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area illustrating Retail ierarch fr the GDA



20/100

SITE + LoATIoN

Question 2.3 w des the the prpsed develpment

cmpl with the ke plic principles f the sequential

apprach set ut in the Retail Planning Guidelines?

One o the national policy objectives

set out in the Retail Planning Guidelines is

to enhance the vitality and viability o

city and town centres, and to protect,

support and promote their continued role

as ocal points or social and business

interaction in their communities. The

Guidelines state that where a proposed

retail development is not in accordance

with t his objective the planning authorit y

should ensure the proposal is subjected tothe sequential approach as set out in t he

Guidelines. Proposals being considered

under the sequential approach must

demonstrate that they have addressed

the relevant policy principles as set out in

Chapter 4 o the Guidelines.

The core shopping areas o town centres

should be defned in development plans

in accordance with Chapter 3 o the

Guidelines. The extent o a core retail

area, together with the classifcation owhat constitutes an edge-o-centre site,

wil l vary between larger cities and towns,

district and neighbourhood centres, and

small towns and villages.

In determining whether a site alls within

the defnition o edge-o-centre, account

should be taken o local circumstances.

The classifcation o an edge-o-centre

site depends not only on the distance

rom the core o the town centre, but also

the ease and quality o the visual and

pedestrian connectivity to the retail core.

This is urther detai led in the Westport

case study.

In smaller twns and villages, edge f

centre sites shuld e clser t the retail

cre in rder t estalish the necessar

interactin - Rscmmn.

Etract frm cunt retail strateg illustrating

the cre retail area (in red) and an edge-f-

centre pprtunit site (in ellw) -2007

Roscommon County Retail Strategy.

See also:




21/100

SITE + LoATIoN

Question 2.4 w des the prpsed develpment cmpl

with the rder f pririt fr the sequential apprach set ut

in the Retail Planning Guidelines?

The preerred location or utureretail development is within city

and town centres and, ollowing the

sequential approach, only where it can

be demonstrated to the satisaction o

the plannng authority that there are no

sites which are: a) suitable, b) available,

and c) viable, should an edge-o-centre

location be considered. The ollowing are

among the actors likely to be relevant

when assessing the suitabilit y o a site

or development.

Development plan and/or local area plandesignations will determine whether the

proposed retail use would be compatible

with current zoning objectives and land

uses in the vicinity o the site, including

compatibility with conservation and

heritage objectives.

Physical constraints might include

its capacity to accommodate the size

o development proposed, plus other

limitations such as access, inrastructure,

ground conditions, ood risks,pollution and contamination issues.

Potential impacts o the development

will include an assessment o any likely

negative eects on adjoining buildings

and structures, views and prospects,

landscape eatures and conservation, and

other similar issues.

A site is considered available when it

has been demonstrated that there are no

insurmountable legal, ownership or site

acquisition issues which would hinder

its development within a reasonabletime rame. Viability relates to the

costs associated with the acquisition

and development o a site or the

development proposed.

The identifcation o alternative

sequentially preerable sites should be

discussed with planning authorities

at an early stage in t he pre-application

planning process. There may be cases

where the planning authority is satisfed

that there are no possible alternatives toaccommodate the proposed development.

New edge-f-centre retail develpment Westprt, . Ma.

The preferred lcatin fr retail develpment in within cit and twn centres twn centre retail,

Westprt, . Ma.



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SITE + LoATIoN


relate t the identied retail cre and an identied

ptential pprtunit sites in the lcatin?

The Retail Planning Guidelines note that

most city and town centres contain

sites which would beneft rom

regeneration, and they recommend

that planning authorities should

be proactive in identiying those

considered appropriate or uture ret ail

development and designating them

as potential opportunity sites withintheir development plans, local area

plans, retail strategies, ramework

strategies, masterplans and other

non-statutory documents approved by

planning authorities.

These potential opportunity sites

should be located both within core ret ail

areas, and at appropriate other locations

that would complement and strengthen

the role o the city or town centre in

accordance with the retail and settlementhierarchy in t he development plan. As

stated in the Guidelines, sites within the

identifed core retail area should be the

frst priority when considering locations

or uture ret ail developments.

The Guidelines recommend that

release o these sites should be actively

encouraged and managed by planning

authorities, working proactively with

landowners, chambers o commerce,

retailers and developers to deliver sites

and strategic management plans or their

core retail areas. Lands in ragmented

ownership, or where there are other

planning issues, may require planning

authorities to make urban design or

inrastructural interventions to bring

orward sites that both meet the needs

o modern retail ormats and maintain

the essential character and quality o

their location.

Ptential pprtunit site identied in the2003 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Athlne Twn entre.

Successful eample f twn centre retail-led regeneratin f p prtunit site identied in 2003

Westmeath County Retail Strategy Athlne Twn entre.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines 3.3 & 4.5



23/100

The town is an exemplar o best practice

in showing how pro-active town

management, combined with goodplanning, aesthetic control, public

realm improvements and co-operation

between all the towns stakeholders, have

boosted the local economy and enhanced

Westports attractiveness as a business

and tourist destination, and as a place

to live.

The 2000Westpor t Integrated Ac tion Plan set

out policies and key objectives to conserve

the historic urban core, providing or

the expansion o central area uses,controlling peripheral development and

improving the movement patterns in and

around the town, thereby enhancing its

public realm and physical environment.

The plan acknowledged that there

were no available sites within the town

centre to accommodate a large-scaleretail development but that there were a

number o suitable sites to accommodate

medium-scale retail development that

would be encouraged.

The plan included measures to enhance

and improve the movement pattern across

the town, making pedestrian movementmore convenient by developing lanes and

shortcuts and providing or greening

o the streets and improving the open

space network.

Westport is one o the ew planned towns in Ireland. Itsgeometrically composed layout responds to the specifc topographyo its setting on Clew Bay, making it one o the most attractive and

vibrant small towns in Ireland.

Case Study 2:Westprt Integrated Actin Plan

The twn has invested

in imprving the

qualit f its streets as

pulic spaces thrugh

trafc management

measures, ne-wa

sstems and

pulic realm and

envirnmental

imprvements.



24/100

Since the plan was produced, key

strategy moves have improved the retail

environment o Westport in terms o

accessibility and parking provision.

While a by-pass is a long-term objective,

the main streets through the urban core

are now all one-way, and landscaping

and trafc ma nagement measures

have sought to improve their quality

as public spaces as opposed to simply

trafc arteries.

Parking has been provided on backland

sites within the urban core and these

are connected to the main streets

by new pedestrian passages anked

by complementary town centre uses

including cas and restaurants.

A number o incentives have been

successully implemented including the

Living Over the Shop scheme within the

urban core to provide a sustainable mix

o activity and a balance between retail,

commercial, tourism and residential uses.

In the last decade, the town has seen the

development o three new supermarkets

to complement the town-centre

SuperValu, which has been trading

in Westport since the 1950s. The new

developments have been strategical ly

sited to provide the town with an anchor

store (and additional car parking

provision) at each o its our corners;

the Dunnes, Lidl a nd Tesco stores are

located on the edge o the retail core and

would be classifed as edge-o-centre

locations. The diversity o shopping

choice in Westport generates increased

trips to the town rom its hinterland and

supports a cross-ertilisat ion between the

supermarkets and the healthy, indigenous

town centre traders.

Objectives to encourage the continued

vitality and viabi lity o the town centre a re

incorporated in the 2010 Town Developme nt

Plan and 2008 Mayo County Retail Strategy,

which clearly defnes the core retai l area

o the town and includes policies and

objectives to promote reta il development

within its core.

lckwise frm tp left:

Pedestrian rute frm acklands car park tretail cre.

New mied-use develpment including

living-ver-the-shp apartments in Westprt

Twn entre.

New retail develpments have een strategicall

lcated, prviding the twn with an anchr stre

at each f its fur crners.



25/100

Ke Questins


develpment have regard

fr the phsical, scial

and ecnmic cntets f

its lcatin?


develpment cntriute t

enhancing the character and

qualit f its lcatin?



the cherence and legiilit

f uran structure f

its lcatin?



enhancing the histric uran

envirnment f its lcatin?



cnserving the architectural

heritage f its lcatin?

Principle Regard fr the character and the

phsical, scial and ecnmic cntets f the

site and its lcatin.

3. ARATER +oNTExT


26/100

ARATER + oNTExT


develpment have regard fr the phsical,

scial and ecnmic cntets f its lcatin?

Regard or the character and quality o a

place, and integrating new development

into its setting, are key quality objectives

in urban design and architecture.

Successul developments recognise the

physical, social and economic contextso their locations, and seek to integrate

with t he urban st ructure, movement

ramework and public realm o the place

and any locally distinctive patterns

o development.

The specifc importance o urban design,

placemaking and locational criteria

in the making o a sustainable built

environment are emphasised in the

Government Policy on Archit ecture 2009-15.

Similarly, ensuring that new developmentmakes a positive contribution to the

character and quality o its location is a

key urban design objective identifed in

the Retail Planning Guidelines.

A thorough understanding o the site

and its context is the basis or good

design solutions, and all development

proposals should include an appraisal o

.the site and its context, to ensure that the

development responds to, and preerablyenriches, the character and quality o

its location.

The extent o site appraisal required will

depend on the scale and complexity o

the proposed development. On larger

schemes it will include not only the

site and its immediate surroundings; it

can extend to an appraisal o the wider

impacts o the proposed development on

the morphology and urban structure o

the place, on open spaces and the publicrealm, on views and prospects to and

rom the site, and on its relationship

to patterns o pedestrian, cycle, public

transport and tra fc movement in and

around the site.

New retail develpment respnding t the

phsical, scial and ecnmic cntet - and

making a psitive cntriutin t imprving

the character and qualit f its lcatin

Millennium Mall, Dulin



27/100

New retail development can make an

important contribution to the vitality

and vibrancy o city and town centres,

providing greater shopping choice or the

consumer, and increased activity in local

retail economies. However, successuloutcomes also demand that a high quality

o design is employed to enhance t he

sense o place o the location.

The key to the successul integration o

new retail development into city and town

centres locations is, frst and oremost,

regard or the basic tenet o urban design

that each and every building is part

o a greater whole, and whatever the

merits o any indiv idual development,

its contribution to improving the overallcharacter and quality o its location

is a key consideration, even in areas

characterised by poor design qualit y.

While built orm, scale and mass should

have regard or its urban context, this

does not iner that new development

has to replicate local building traditions

or mimic adjacent structures; on the

contrary, new development should expressits unction in an architecture that is o

today, but nevertheless with regard or the

topography and morphology o its location.

New retail development should, frst and

oremost, be o a high design standard

and wherever generic building types

are proposed, their designs should be

adapted to ensure that they contribute

positively to the character and quality othe location; developments o poor design

quality should not be accepted.

ARATER + oNTExT


develpment cntriute t enhancing the

character and qualit f its lcatin?

igh-qualit landmark develpment cntriuting

t enhancing the specic character and qualit f

its cit centre lcatin enr St., Dulin.

New develpment

cntriuting psitivel

t the character and

qualit f its lcatin

Navan, . Meath.



28/100

The term urban structure describes the

underlying physical attributes o urban

places: the pattern and layout o the

streets, routes and open spaces that link

areas internally and externally with their

local hinterland. The urban structure,

and how places are interconnected,

determines both the coherence

and the legibility o city and town

centre locations.

The urban structure provides theramework or the design o the

individual buildings and spaces that

make up city and town centres. It can be

described as fne or course; a fne grain

urban structure - compact blocks and

requent intersections - generally adds to

the attractiveness o urban places and to

the convenience with which people can

reach and move about them.

In city and town centre locations, the

orm and mass o new reta il developmentwil l general ly be determined by the

existing grain and urban structure o the

location; in edge-o-centre situations,

particularly in larger schemes, the design

and layout o the development can defne

a new urban structure or the place.

Whenever possible, new retai l

development should exploit opportunities

to improve the urban grain o the

location; providing greater pedestrian

permeability both through the

development itsel, and into t he network

o routes and destinations o its localit y,

thereby increasing pedestrian ows andimproving the economic perormance o

shopping destinations.

ARATER + oNTExT


develpment cntriute t the cherence and

legiilit f the uran structure f its lcatin?

Landmark retail-led regeneratin epliting

pprtunities t imprve the uran grain; with

greater pedestrian permeailit adding t

pedestrian ftfall and the ecnmic per frmance

f the lcatin Victria Square, belfast.

Plan shwing shpping develpment

integrated int the uran structure f its

cit centre lcatin, with rutes thrugh thedevelpment cnnected with the netwrk

f rutes and destinatins f its lcalit

Victria Square, belfast.



29/100

Shopping and serv ices orm the backbone

o many o Irelands historic city and

town centres, underpinning their role

as the ocus o the social and business

lie o their communities. As noted in

the Retail Planning Guidelines, in these

locations there will be options or re-use

and regeneration to meet the needs o

modern retail ormats within the existingurban abric.

However, while the vitalit y and viability

o historic city and town centres will

generally be enhanced by development

to meet uture retailing requirements

- including appropriate adaptation

and renovation o historic buildings -

certain locations will not be suitable

or large-scale development, whether

in terms o size, parking, trafc and

servicing requirements.

In these locations, development should be

o an appropriate size and scale, and o a

design that minimises any potential or

adverse impacts on the character, quality

and sense o place o t hose locations.

Whether new build or adaptation,

high design standards are essential

to integrating new retail unctions

and orms into historic city and town

centre sites.

Where a large oor plate is required toaccommodate the needs o a particular

retail sector, and the scale and mass o

development is greater than adjacent

buildings, creative design solutions -

and exibility in the operations o the

retailer - can successully adapt generic

design templates to the urban structure,

and the character and context, o the

historic location.

ARATER + oNTExT



histric uran envirnment f its lcatin?

Regard fr cntet des nt infer that new develpment shuld mimic its histric neighurs;

innvative cntemprar architecture is preferale t histric pastiche Suth King Street, Dulin.

optins fr re-use and regeneratin t meet the needs f mdern retail frmats within the eisting

uran faric shuld retain the character, qualit and sense f place f thse lcatins McDnagh

Junctin, Kilkenn.



30/100

Ireland has inherited a built environment

o exceptional quality and value not only

the great monuments that express our

history and culture; but also the everyday

buildings and spaces that are the settings

or the civic, commercial and social lie o

their communities.

The preservation and conservationo these heritage assets is central to

national policy on t he built environment,

and securing the vitality and viability

o city and town centres is a national

policy objective identifed in the Retail

Planning Guidelines.

Keeping historic buildings in use is

the frst principle o architectural

conservation, and there are many

examples in Ireland a nd abroad o

new shopping development in historicbuildings enhancing the vitality o city

and town centre locations; serving the

needs o their local communities while

contributing to their attractiveness or

visitors and tourists.

The adaptation and sympathetic re-use o

historic buildings by way o appropriate

interventions, and thus stimulating

the overall regeneration o historic

urban areas, is preerable to allowing

such buildings to all into disuse while

developments are relocated to edge-o-centre or out-o-centre locations.

High quality design solutions - with

appropriate conservation expertise - can

successully adapt historic structures to

new retail unctions, thereby retaining

the building in use, conserving the

elements o its special interest, and

enhancing the overall character and

quality o the local urban environment.

ARATER + oNTExT


develpment cntriute t cnserving the

architectural heritage f its lcatin?

Prtected structure

adapted fr new retail

use with cnservatin

f street frntage

and car parking

lcated t the rear Westprt, . Ma.

Eighteenth centur twnhuse cnverted t high qualit retail develpment serving the needs f its

lcal cmmunit, visitrs and turists Pwerscurt Twnhuse, Suth William Street, Dulin.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 5.2.



31/100

Construction o the civ ic space prompted

Dunnes Stores to redevelop its adjoining

site as an in-town supermarket,

capitalising on the possibility o

ronting the new civic space, while also

retaining its traditional rontage onto

Trimgate Street.

Located in Navan town centre, t he old

Dunnes Stores was eectively a single-

storey building with the exception o a

small traditional two-storey shopront.The site is long and narrow, and connects

the traditional retai l area o Trimgate

Street with the new retail areas o

Kennedy Road and the civic space.

In 1995, Navan Town Council developed a strategic planning studyor the Kennedy Road lands, designated by the Government as atax-relie urban renewal area. This led to a competition or thedesign o a new civic space or the town. The new civic space wassuccessully completed in 2009, creating a stone paved civic plazato be used or open-air markets and civic events, plus a modicum osurace car parking to acilitate existing traders.

Case Study 3:Dunnes Stres, Trimgate Street,Navan

nservatin and retentin f eisting elevatin and shpfrnt n Trimgate Street respecting twn

centre cntet f develpment.



32/100

In meeting the requirements o the brie,

large areas o the building were required

or stock and storage use. The approach

was to demolish the rear single-storey

portion o the existing store to provide a

new three-storey extension. Liting the

stock areas onto the frst and second oor

levels liberated the majority o the ground

oor area as retai l oorspace. Connection

between the new and existing building

elements is maintained with a new access

ramp to deal with the level change.

Sta areas have been relocated to the

frst oor level and positioned along t he

Kennedy Square elevation with stock and

prep areas located to the rea r. The second

oor level is predominantly a stock area

and roo glazing has been provided to

reduce the requirement or artifcial

lighting at this level.

Service access rom the civic space is

through a small incoming goods area

that has a large lit to take goods directly

to the oor required. The service area

is designed to have a low impact on the

street rontage while delivery times are

structured to have a similarly low impact.

A challenge with this type o retail

building lies in the act that wall area

is valuable shelving space and, while

ensuring that the max imum efciencies

are achieved or retail and stock shelving,

it is important that elevations do not

become dull and lieless. The approach

in this case was to pick out and rame

particular areas o activity within the

building and allow these rames to

animate the aade. This is given greater

emphasis where some o the ramed areas

have been cantilevered, which in turn

provides or additional useul oor area.

These rames become places rom which

people within the building can view the

Civic Space or similarly act in the reverse

creating a two-way dialogue between the

building and the Civic Space. The corner

element o the building is used to provide

a balance in scale with the exist ing corner

o the shopping centre directly opposite,

creating a ocal point to draw the eye

into the new Civic Space and allow t he

building to compete or the attention o

passers-by.

Ave: The redevelped twn centre supermarket adapts itself t thecnstraints f the irregular uran site, and cnnects Trimgate Street with

the new Kenned Place civic centre.

Right: The new Kenned Place frntage enlivens the pedestrian walkwa

unding the new civic space.



33/100

Ke Questins:



enhancing the vitalit and

viailit f its uran lcatin?


develpment add t the

qualit f retail chice

in the shpping ffer f

its lcatin?


develpment add t the

diversit f attractins ther

than shpping in its lcatin?



the vitalit and attractiveness

f the uran streetscape in

its lcatin?



activit at different times

f the da and das f

the week?

Principle Vitalit and viailit in cit and twn

centres that are attractive and cmpetitive

places t live, wrk, shp and visit.

4. VITALITy + VIAbILITy


34/100

The National Spatial Strategy emphasises

the importance o enhancing the physical

attractiveness and social liveliness o

places both or people and business.

It notes the preerences o people

with in-demand skills to locate inplaces that provide distinctive street

patterns, conservation o built heritage,

contemporary architecture, and a mixture

o attractive restaurants, caes, bars

and shops.

Similarly, one o the national policy

objectives set out in the Retail Planning

Guidelines is the promotion o greater

vita lity a nd viabil ity in city and town

centre locations - vitality reers to how

active an urban centre is and viability toits commercial wellbeing. Successul city

and town centres combine both, striking

a balance between the various actors t hat

make a place both physically and socially

attractive, and economically competitive.

Throughout Europe, new retail-led

regeneration projects have been a major

contributor in enhancing the vitality and

viability o city and t own cent res; serv ing

the needs o their local communities,

while a lso contributing to theirattractiveness or visitors and tourists.

The vitality and viabilit y o a city or town

centre can be measured by a number o

health check indicators - the frst being

its overall social and economic diversity,

and not least the quality o its shopping

oer. Healthy urban centres combine

a wide range o other uses - ofces,

commercial, leisure, hotels, culture,

entertainment, education and housing;

thus ensuring activity t hroughout theday and evening, and on dierent days o

the week.

VITALITy + VIAbILITy



vitalit and viailit f its uran lcatin?

one f the ke natinal plic jectives in the Retail Planning Guidelines is the prmtin f greater vitalit and viailit in cit and twn centres, adding

t their attractiveness as places t live, wrk, shp and visit Ere Square, Galwa.

See also:

Retail Planning Guidelines

hapter 2.3 and Anne 2



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that the development management

process should assess the likelihood o

new retail development having adverse

impacts on the vitality and viability o city

and town centres as a whole as opposed

to their individual traders; the goal being

to promote both retail competition and

healthy urban centres.

The Guidelines emphasise the major

role shopping plays in attracting people

to cities and town centres, and theimportance o these centres retaining

retailing as a core unction, providing

diversity o choice and quality in t heir

shopping and service acilities, and

supporting their role as the social and

economic ocus or their communities

and rural hinterlands alike.

While new retai l development can

increase competition and choice in the

local shopping oer, one o todays

major issues - not only in Ireland - is t henumber o independent shops closing,

and the resulting concern or the uture

o city and town centres as shopping

destinations in the ace o competition

rom edge-o-centre and out-o-centre

development, and the ever-increasing

proportion o sales made over the internet

and mobile phone.

To contribute to the vitalit y and viability

o city or town centre locations, retail

development should be sited: frstly,

so that it attracts increased customer

numbers to the place overall; secondly,

so that it generates increased ootall

along streets and routes in its vicinit y;

and thirdly, so that it adds to the overall

attractiveness o the city or town centre

as a shopping destination, enabling it to

compete with edge-o-centre and out-o-

centre locations.



develpment add t the qualit f retail

chice in the shpping ffer f its lcatin?

Farmers markets add t the diversit f retail chice, and the vitalit and viailit f cit and twn centre lcatins Meeting use Square, Temple bar, Dulin.

Redevelpment f eisting village centre shp

units as acklands supermarket d evelpment

and asement car parking, wrapped active

shp, caf and restauant street frntages

Rathgar, Dulin.

See also:

Retail Design Manual Principle 2; Site + Lcatin;

Retail Planning Guidelines hapter 2.3 & Anne 2.



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In todays consumer economy, shopping

is only one o the actors inuencing the

vita lity a nd viabil ity o urban centres.

Shops whose sole purpose was or the

sale and purchase o goods are being

superseded by places that combine a

diversity o retail choice with a range o

other amenities and experiences - and a

high quality physical environment.

The most successul places are those

that combine shopping with other t hingsto see and do; that are used by di erent

people and at dierent times o day

and night; that are used or di erent

activities. These encourage multi-

purpose shopping, business and leisure

trips, longer stays and higher levels o

spending overall.

International research increasingly

confrms the popular preerence or these

destinations; people are attracted to

places or the opportunities they presentto combine shopping with a visit to a ca,

hairdresser, restaurant, gymnasium or

cinema. In some cases the quality o the

ancillary attractions are just as important

as the shopping on oer.

To be successul, city and town centres

should ensure new reta il developments,

particularly larger schemes, are ocused

on the overall experience oered to t he

visitor. Whet her within buildings, blocks,

streets or whole urban areas, places that

provide a diversity o uses, activities

and experiences eeding o each other

are more attractive and competitive,

not only to shoppers but also residents

and business users; thereby enhancing

the overall vitality and viability o

these locations.



develpment add t the diversit f attractins

ther than shpping in its lcatin?

Shps whse sle purpse was fr the sale and purchase f gds are eing superseded places that cmine a diversit f retail chice with a range

f amenities and attractins in additin t shpping restaurants, cinemas and an eperience Dundrum, . Dulin.

The verall eperience ffered t shppers is nw an essential cnsideratin in securing the

cmpetitiveness f new retail develpment Victria Square, belfast.

See also:

Retail Design Manual

Principle 6; Densit + Mied Use Q3



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Active ground-oor uses are one o

the most important contributors to

the vitalit y and attractiveness o urban

places. Well-designed rontages,

eye-catching displays and generous

entrances are essential to ensuring that

retail development makes a positive

contribution to city and town centres as

competitive shopping destinations.

The basic rule is that ground oor units

should, frst and oremost, addressthe street; internalised shopping

environments turning their backs to the

public realm with blank street elevations

have seriously negative impacts on their

locations, and on peoples perceptions

o the saety o public spaces. In mall

situations, back-to-back arrangements

can provide units addressing both the

street and the mall; or larger dual aspect

shops can have entrances rom both.

In big box situations, negativestreetscape impacts can be avoided by

wrapping t he large oorplates with

complementary st reetront units such

as hairdressers, ca es, bookshops, and

suchlike. This also has commercial

advantages; the smaller traders eed o

their adjacency to the anchor stores that,

in turn, beneft rom the streetscape

activity that the specialist shops generate.

Blank aades resulting rom

inappropriate covering up o windows

has a negative impact on the overall

quality o the streetscape and should be

avoided - shopronts provide important

opportunities to engage with the street

and advantage should always be taken o

shop windows to add to the vibrancy and

vitality o the streetscape.

Similarly, streetront caes are an

important part o todays city and town

centre environments - and a positive

impact on the overall vitality and viability

o their economies. They should be

positioned in places with an attractive

microclimate and ree o trafc noise and

umes, and they should not conict with

adjoining uses and activities.



cntriute t the vitalit and attractiveness f the uran

streetscape in its lcatin?

nservatin and adaptatin f nineteenth centur market hall cntriuting t the vitalit and viranc f its uran lcatin

Marche Santa aterina, barcelna.

A high qualit pulic realm, active grund r uses, well-designed frntages, and generus entrances

are imprtant cntriutrs t the attractiveness f uran streetscapes Temple bar, Dulin.



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The diversity o uses and activities in

urban places should seek to ensure t hat

they are busy and well-used at dierent

times o day and night and days o the

week, thus cont ributing not only to t heir

vita lity a nd viabil ity, but also to making

places that are saer and more secure or

people to live, work, shop and visit.

A recent trend in larger European

developments is to combine shopping

with compliment ary uses that st ay open

later, thus creating an evening economy

in their locat ions. Cinemas, restaurants,

housing and leisure centres are the most

requent combinations; the mix ca n be at

the scale o the building, the st reet or the

whole urban block.

Passive surveillance is the cornerstone

o sae and secure city and t own centres;active upper oors add to the security o

the property, and surveillance o public

spaces. As long as the various activities do

not conict with each other, mixed-use

buildings are among the most successul

ways o mak ing places saer and

reducing crime and anti-social behaviour

in urban locations.

Living over the shop is the most

historically proven means o providing

eyes-on-the-street; CCTV and security

personnel are no substitute or public

spaces that are active t hroughout the dayand night, and on dierent days o the

week, with requent pedest rian oota ll

and lively ground oor uses.



develpment cntriute t activit at different times

f the da and das f the week?

Redevelpment f frmer telephne echange

as retail, wine ar and restaurant cntriutes t

the vitalit f the lcal streetscape and ensures

activit at all times f the da and das f the

week - Falln & brne, Dulin.

Mied- use develpment with active grund

rs and living ver the shp residential

apartments are the histricall prven means

f prviding ees-n-the-street and adding

t the vitalit f uran areas eustn Gate,

Kilmainham.

See also:

Retail Design Manual

Principle 6; Densit + Mied Use Q3



39/100

On what was a la rgely backlands site,

the Opera Lane project is a city centre

infll scheme covering two urban

blocks. The development is ocused on

a new pedestrian street Opera Lane

created by widening and developing the

existing Faulkners Lane. Connecting the

previously poorly-connected retail and

cultural cores, it links Patrick Street to

the Opera House and Craword Gallerywith new double-rontage retail units and

apartments overhead.

The 2009-2015 Cork City Development

Plan strongly encourages high quality

mixed-use developments throughout

the city centre retail area and, by

incorporating apartments, the Opera

Lane scheme brings lie and activity to

the centre o t he city. The apartments

are arranged around atria on t he upper

levels o the development with retai l

storage, sta accommodation and plantorming a buer level between the retail

and residential.

The range o retail units has resulted in

a wide mix o tenants - with a number

o multiples able to come to the city due

to the larger oorplates achieved. As a

result, increased ootall has added to the

vitality and viabi lity o the city centre.

The design o the Opera Lane scheme

Corks frst new retail and residential

street or over two centuries presenteda number o very signifcant challenges

in terms o location, environment

and history.

The 2004 Cork City Development Plan identifed two key higher-orderretail sites within the city centre to address a shortage o availableretail space. One o the sites identifed was at St. Patricks Street/Academy Street.

Case Study 4:opera Lane, rk



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The area where the development is located

has historical signifcance - and has

undergone proound physical change over

the centuries. Rather than remaining

static rom architectural or aesthetic

perspectives, it had been adapted to

meet the changing commercial needs o

the city.

The development included the restoration

o No.7 Academy Street, built in 1908 by

George Crosby - it is one o the ew art

nouveau buildings in Cork - and a lso the

protected structure at No.11 Emmet Place,

an early 18th century Merchants house

also known as the Queen Anne building,

built in 1740; works included ull

restoration o external aade, roo and

internal works to stabilise the structure.

The design challenge was not only

the appropriate retention o protected

structures, but also the preservation

and reinorcement o the existing

ramework o lanes and urban blocks. The

concomitant commercial challenge was

to ensure that the design o the new retail

street met all modern-day expectations

both o shoppers and global retail brands.

The project has been a success

notwithstanding the ormidable

baseline challenges: its scale, spatial

range across two city centre blocks

and the surrounding sensitivities o

the built environment. It is testament

to how contemporary architectural

design can work sympathetically within

demanding aesthetic parameters and still

deliver across a range o consumer and

commercial criteria.

Opera Lane has reinvigorated the city

centre, generated ootall and business

and transormed what was previously

in large part a semi-derelict area into

a thriving shopping precinct and lively

social and cultura l space, thereby

opening up the city centre in a new, easy,

accessible way.

lckwise frm tp right:

The eisting uran structure is intensied and

eisting prtected structures are cnserved and

adapted t new uses.

The new street isects the new uran lck

with a ne grain uran structure adding

t the pedestrian permeailit f the cit

centre generall.

The site cmprised a largel acklands site

etween Patrick Street and Emmett Place.

Aerial view f the site after develpment.



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Principle: it and twn centres that are

accessile and well-cnnected, eas t get t

and cnvenient t mve aut.

5. AESS +oNNETIVITy

Ke Questins



enhancing the accessiilit

and cnnectivit f its

uran lcatin?


develpment encura

Retail Planning

Documents