Avoncore Midleton Part 8 Design Report
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Comhairle Chontae Chorcaí Cork County Council – Housing Directorate Design Report For 16 no. Social Housing Unit Development at Avoncore, Midleton, Co. Cork. Document Control DESIGN REPORT for Document Title: 16 no. SOCIAL HOUSING UNIT DEVELOPMENT at AVONCORE, MIDLETON, CO. CORK Digital Title & Location: U:\_South\ATS1_S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore\Admin\18.0 Reports\18.05 Design Report Project: U:\_South\ATS1_S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore Prepared by: Richard Fenton MRIAI on behalf of Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate Date: 29.05.2020 Revision: 01 Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Site 2.1 Site Context 2.2 Site Capacity 2.3 Strategic site location and description 2.4 Infrastructure & Services 3. Planning Policy 3.1 Development Plan and Local Area Plan 3.2 Car parking 3.3 Public open space 3.4 Planning history 4. Environmental & Heritage Considerations 4.1 Environmental parameters 4.2 Archaeological and architectural heritage 4.3 Flooding 5. Project Proposal 5.1 Design Statement 5.2 Housing Need & Provision 5.3 Material palette 5.4 Case Studies 6. Conclusion Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore 1.0 Introduction This report relates to a Part 8 planning application for the construction of 16 no. social housing units at Avoncore, Midleton, County Cork. Cork County Council seeks to create sustainable communities and acknowledges that this requires the delivery of quality housing in well managed estates and clusters. This report has been prepared and compiled by Cork County Council’s Housing Directorate. 2.0 Site 2.1 Site Context The subject site is located within a mixed-tenure, mixed-income residential neighbourhood in the Broomfield West townland, approximately 1.3km north of Midleton town centre, and accessed via the Regional Midleton to Rathcormac Road (R626). The site is considered an infill, brownfield development surrounded by housing estates on all sides. To the west of the proposed development site runs the Owenacurra River. The site is bound on all sides by two storey residential housing units. Units to the north and south of the site back onto the site with rear garden access to the southern housing units via a laneway on the subject site. The site is subject to antisocial activity and as such railings have recently been installed at the site perimeter. The proposal sets about re-activating the site as an infill development which seeks to reconnect the site with the existing urban fabric and pedestrian pathways. The subject site is in the ownership of Cork County Council and therefore can be efficiently utilised to meet some of the demand for social housing in the area. The site has been identified by Cork County Council’s Housing Directorate as a key site within the existing residential area of Midleton and is suitably located within close proximity of services and facilities. Site selection was restricted to consideration of land close to the defined settlement core of Midleton town centre. Figure 1 Aerial Map Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore Figure 2 View from North of Site Figure 3 Site Topographical survey Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore 2.2 Site Capacity The overall site area is 0.51 Hectares (1.3 Acres). The proposal of 16 dwellings achieves a density of 31.3 dwellings per hectare. 2.3 Strategic site location and description The subject site is located approx 1.4km to the town centre and 1.1km from Midleton Community Hospital. It is generally accepted that 500m represents a suitable catchment area from which residents can access local services and convenience shopping. This site is located close to supermarkets, post office, primary and secondary schools, cafes, filling stations etc. There is an existing social housing development to the south and west of the site, some of which have been purchased privately. To the north and east of the site are private housing developments providing a mixed income residential neighbourhood. In terms of public transport facilities, the site is located within a 20 minute walk from Bus Eireann’s direct route to Cork city and within a 10 minute walk of the train station which goes to Cork city on a regular basis. Given its proximity to educational and recreational facilities located close-by the development of the site for residential use will offer an appropriate location for social housing and would contribute to the creation of sustainable mixed communities, in accordance with national and local statutory planning policy, and raises no concerns as to sustainable community proofing. Figure 4 Indicates the subject site outlined in red, together with highlighted adjacent facilities. Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore 2.4 Infrastructure & Services Please refer to OCSC services drawings within this application for details of site infrastructure and services. A new road and turning bay is proposed within the site boundary to provide access to the development. On-street parking is provided to create a compact environment reducing the amount of hard surfaces while providing parking in close proximity to the dwellings. Water: There is an existing water main on the existing access road. It is proposed to connect into this water main at the site entrance. Foul: The Midleton Waste Water Treatment plant does not have sufficient capacity for the development at this point in time. It is proposed to connect to the WWTP in the future when capacity becomes available. There is an existing foul network on the existing access road. A new foul line is required on the new road into the site. Due to the falls on the site, it is proposed to connect to the existing foul line, south of the site to achieve a gravity connection. Waste water is to be directed to the Midleton Public WWTP(or other) once upgraded and advised by Irish Water. Storm: The nature of the geology in the Midleton area makes it unsuitable for use of soakaways. Generally the area has sandy gravel overburden on limestone with karst features. Ground breaks or subsidence are a regular occurrence. Concentrating the infiltration of surface water at a soakaway gives rise to increased risk of subsidence occurring. The scheme will incorporate a reinforced concrete attenuation tank of robust construction that will provide a high degree of confidence of water tightness, provide for a safe means of access for internal inspections and repairs as may be required in future. Attenuation tank to be sized to cater for Greenfield rates of run-off in the post construction phase and will be designed to BRE365. A hydrocarbon interceptor will be installed on the system to prevent release of oils/fuels from being released to ground. A bypass separator (Klargester or equivalent) is to be provided to remove any hydrocarbons from surface water. The hydrocarbon interceptor will be installed on the storm line prior to entering the attenuation tank. Eir: Eir is available via telecom poles. Ducting will be taken from the pole to each unit via a footpath level chamber. This is pending agreement with Eir. ESB: ESB is available on the site pending agreement with ESB. Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore 3.0 Planning Policy 3.1 Development Plan and Local Area Plan In accordance with the East Cork Municipal District Local Area Plan, the proposed site is situated within the settlement boundary of the Town. This Local Area Plan and Cork County’s Development Plan 2014 are the statutory plans for Midleton Town. The proposal is supportive of the following ‘Planning Considerations and Proposal’ in the East Cork Municipal District Local Area Plan: 3.3.10 The planning strategy for Midleton, as set out in the Cork County Development Plan 2014, provides for the population of the town and environs to grow to 21,576 persons, representing growth of 9,575 persons on the 2011 population. In order to accommodate this level of population growth, an additional 5,243 housing units need to be provided in Midleton. This Plan makes provision for a residential land supply of 180 ha with the capacity to provide approximately 4,125 units. This, together with the brownfield opportunities in the town itself (former Town Council), regeneration areas and special policy areas bring the overall unit provision for the town of Midleton to 5,255, in line with the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan. 3.2 Car parking The proposed development will include 29 new on street perpendicular car parking spaces to serve the proposed 16 units. Given the location of the proposal and the proximity to good public infrastructure such as the railway station and bus services, this provision of parking is considered sufficient. 3.3 Public open space The proposal seeks to integrate a large rectilinear public space in the centre of the development to act as a communal focal point. This communal area will integrate hard and soft landscaping including street furniture and native trees creating a space that can be used in all seasons. The proposed terraces define and overlook the public space creating passive surveillance through and around the green. The proposal integrates a long linear planted area to the southern boundary and pockets of planted areas between the street parking and footpath areas. Further to the open public space provision, each unit has a private garden space to the rear of the proposed units. The proposed percentage open space is 12% of the development site. 3.4 Planning history There have been no previous planning applications on the site. Cork County Council, Architects, Housing Directorate S_2018_049_Housing_Midleton Avoncore 4.0 Environmental & Heritage Considerations 4.1 Environmental parameters An AA screening report has been prepared to assess whether the proposed development, individually or in-combination with other plans or projects, and in view of best scientific knowledge, is likely to have a significant effect on any European site(s).