Planning Report

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNING REPORT

Initiation of procedure pursuant to Part XI of the Planning and Development Acts 2000
(as amended) and Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as
amended)

INTRODUCTION:
The Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development Department is the proposing
Department for a development by Fingal County Council of the refurbishment and
upgrade of the Old Courthouse, Howth for continued use as a community facility and a
proposed use as a tourist office.

PLANNING HISTORY
Subject site: None on file.
In the vicinity: None relevant.

NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT:
Internal and external works to the old Courthouse and curtilage in order to provide for
a tourism office in addition to refurbishment for continued use as a community facility.
The works are stated as:-
External -
 Provision of hard landscaped area to the west of the existing courthouse, to
comprise a new access point, ramped and stepped access, retained external
stone walls, raised land levels to match internal floor level of proposed tourism
office, hardwood seating area, signage pole, advertising area and galvanised
railings.
 Remove blockwork to southern windows and restore glazing.
 Repair and redecorate external walls and windows.
 Provide new outward opening automatic door to porch.
Internal-
 Provide tourism office (15sqm) within western room.
 Provide accessible toilet within existing porch.
 All internal walls to be repaired, rewired and redecorated.
 Provide new tea station and storage beneath existing mezzanine.
 Remove existing dias.
 Provide accessible ramp from the tourism office into the larger community
space.

ZONING:
Fingal County Development Plan 2017 - 2023
The subject site is located within land-use zoning objective TC in the Fingal Development
Plan 2017-2023 which aims to “Protect and enhance the special physical and social
character of town and district centres and provide and/or improve urban facilities”.
The subject site is located in the Howth Historic Core ACA.

The Old Courthouse is a Protected Structure RPS:467 – Late 19th Century four-bay single
storey former courthouse. The existing use of the building is as a community facility. This use is not proposed to
change. The proposed tourism office use in part of the building is not specifically
mentioned as a use in the Fingal; Development Plan, however the use is considered to
be closest in nature to a cultural facility which is defined in the Technical Guidance
Notes – Appendix 4 of the Development Plan as:-
Use of a building, or part thereof, or land, for cultural purposes to which the public may
be admitted with, or without, the payment of a fee. This does not include a dancehall or
a nightclub.

A cultural facility is permitted in principle within the TC zoning.
Section 1.5 Main Aims of the Fingal Development Plan 2017 – 2023.
2. Provide for the future wellbeing of the residents of the County by: Ensuring the
provision of adequate housing, necessary infrastructure and community facilities.
8. Facilitate the potential for growth in tourism by implementing the Fingal Tourism
Strategy 2015-2018, as appropriate.

Relevant Objectives.
Objective PM66: Ensure provision of accessible, adequate and diverse community
facilities and services in new and established areas to provide for the well-being of
residents.
Objective PM67: Ensure community facilities are flexible in their design and promote
optimum usage.
Objective PM71: Support the provision of new community centres and facilitate the
refurbishment and extension of facilities where there is a need for such works. Such
facilities shall be accessible by a range of travel modes with an emphasis on walking,
cycling and public transport use, while providing limited car parking facilities to meet
anticipated demand of non-local visitors to the centre.
Objective PM72: Resist the loss of existing social and community facilities such as
community centres and youth clubs or any sports facilities including playing fields,
unless satisfactory alternatives are available.

Objective PM73: Encourage the development of multi-functional buildings which are
not used exclusively by any one group.
Objective Howth 1: Ensure that development respects the special historic and
architectural character of the area.
Objective Howth 6: Encourage and facilitate the development of a Community Centre in
Howth Village.

Objective ED61: Direct the provision of tourist related facilities, such as information
offices and cultural centres, into town and village locations to support and strengthen
the existing economic infrastructure of such centres.
Objective CH20: Ensure that any development, modification, alteration, or extension
affecting a Protected Structure and/or its setting is sensitively sited and designed, is
compatible with the special character, and is appropriate in terms of the proposed
scale, mass, height, density, layout, materials, impact on architectural or historic
features, and junction with the existing Protected Structure.
CH32: Avoid the removal of structures and distinctive elements (such as boundary
treatments, street furniture, paving and landscaping) that positively contribute to the
character of an Architectural Conservation Area.

Fingal Tourism Strategy 2015 – 2018
Action CRT8 – Develop Howth Courthouse as a Tourist Information Office.

SITE LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:
The wedge shaped site (c. 193sqm in area) contains a single storey former courthouse
structure, rectangular in plan, with a projecting entrance porch located in Howth Village
at the junction of Church Street and Harbour Road. The structure has a pitched roof
and is rendered, with decorative external pilasters along with roundels to the windows
and doors. The former courthouse building contains two pedestrian entrances, one
from Harbour Road directly into the main room of the building, while a second is
provided from the porch in the eastern façade. Internally the structure is comprised of
three rooms, 1) a rectangular space, containing a small raised dias at the eastern end
and an internal staircase to a mezzanine floor, 2) a smaller room, formerly the judges
chamber is currently used as a kitchen, and 3) a porch feature which provides
secondary access to the building.

To the west of the courthouse building is a small narrow planted area with a number of
small trees. A stepped path cuts through this space. The stone wall is forms the
boundary of the space from the courthouse building to the stepped path. On-street
parking is provided on Harbour Road.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
 Heritage Officer by report dated 23rd February 2018 welcomes the proposed
development. Comments are noted.
 Conservation Officer has no objections to the proposed development subject to
conditions.
 The Transportation Section – no report at the time of writing.
 The Parks and Green Infrastructure Division by report dated 25th January 2018
has no objections to the proposed development subject to conditions.
 Water Services – Forward Planning Section by report dated 14th February 2018
has no objections to the proposed development subject to conditions.
 Community, Culture and sports Division by report dated 20th February 2018 has
no objections to the proposed development.

APPRAISAL:
The existing courthouse building is an attractive part of the heritage of Howth Village.
Continued appropriate use is of importance for maintaining the integrity of Protected
Structures and it is beneficial to have additional public access to this vernacular
structure. The proposed use of a small area within the building as a tourism office is
considered to provide for a high quality facility in terms of accommodation within an
attractive heritage building with an associated newly constructed seating area which will
provide space for tourists to congregate. In addition designated spaces for discrete
advertising are proposed in order to avoid proliferation of signage on the heritage
structure. Overall, it is considered to that the location of a tourism office in the Old
Courthouse is contemporaneous with the promotion of Howth as a higher quality
tourism destination and is more visually appropriate than the existing temporary
facility.

Internal and external works to the structure would generally have substantial benefits in
terms of providing for appropriate refurbishment of the building for future community
uses. No designated user has been indicated within the submitted documentation.
This is supported by Objective PM73 which encourages the development of multifunctional
buildings which are not used exclusively by any one group. It is noted that the
Community, Culture and Sports Division note no objections to the proposed works. The
Conservation Officer and Heritage Officer both note support for the project. The
Conservation Officer wishes to see restriction on non-official advertising along the
railings to the front paved area. It is also considered appropriate to provide colour to
the railings, rather than galvanising.

The Parks and Green Infrastructure Section have noted that the existing tree will not
survive works and amendment to ground levels and suggest replanting with an
appropriate pine species. This is considered acceptable.

Screening for Appropriate Assessment.

The proposed development would involve modest refurbishment works to an existing
structure and provision of an additional 15sqm tourism office use.
The proposal has been assessed by the Heritage Officer and it is noted that given the
nature and location of the proposed development it will not affect Natura 2000 sites
and therefore a full Appropriate Assessment is not required in this case.

Environmental Impact Assessment.
As was noted above, the proposal is for the refurbishment works to an existing
structure and provision of an additional 15sqm tourism office use. For the purposes of
development by a Local Authority requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment under
Section 176 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) it is noted that the
proposed development is not of a class specified within Part 1 or Part 2 of Schedule 5 of
the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) and would not have
such significant effects on the environment as to require the undertaking of
Environmental Impact Assessment.

Conclusion
The proposed works to comprise refurbishment of the Old Courthouse, retain
community use and provision of a tourism office within part of the building is
considered to be an appropriate response to the need for continued upkeep and use of
a vernacular Protected Structure on a prominent corner site within the Howth Village
Architectural Conservation Area. The proposal would safeguard and ensure the
continued use of the building and provide for a modern and visually appropriate
intervention in the form of the seating space to the front (west) of the building. The
proposed development is therefore considered to be in accordance with the proper
planning and sustainable development of the area.

RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Department have no objection to the proposed refurbishment works to
the Old Courthouse (A Protected Structure) and provision of an additional 15sqm
tourism office use and new access and seating area subject to conditions requiring:-
1. Use of materials and colour scheme shall be agreed with the Conservation
Officer prior to the commencement of development.
2. Railings shall not be galvanised and shall be painted or powder coated a colour
to be agreed with the Conservation Officer.
3. A pine tree (Pinus nigra 150 – 175cm rootball specimen or similar) shall be
provided in place of the tree proposed for retention, which is unlikely to survive
the proposed works.
4. Discharge of surface water from the seating area to the proposed tree pit, of
which details are to be agreed with water services.
5. No discharge of surface water shall be permitted to the foul sewer.