Abstract

This toolkit sets out an approach to the design and management of towns and communities, based on many years of experience. Many Irish towns developed as small, fairly self-contained communities with a rural farming hinterland. This development model worked until the mid-20th century, but with the introduction of a planning system based on single land-use zoning and car-based movement, a more dispersed pattern became dominant. While many town centres have declined, the urban form has grown much more dispersed with suburban estates, ribbon development and sprawl resulting in dependency on vehicular movement.

Evidence-based research is showing the adverse consequences of this form of urban development on the health of people, such as increasing obesity, loneliness and depression, while town centres appear neglected and unattractive with poor economic health.

The toolkit sets out principles to create healthy sustainable communities based on a ‘people-centred’ approach to design. This includes:

• planning for towns to be compact with everyone able to access services within a 5-10 minute walk or cycle;
• designing a high-quality network of routes, spaces and places that are interesting, attractive and enjoyable for people of all ages to walk, cycle and interact;
• clustering a variety of uses and facilities close to each other to create activity, interest and social awareness;
• designing the public realm and urban form to respond to the spatial needs of people of all ages; and
• work with the natural environment and enhance the built environment in a sustainable way as an essential part of improving our health and wellbeing.

Critical is the management process, which requires a community-based approach supported by professional ‘enablers’ who can help source funding, and manage implementation and progress. The toolkit includes several best-practice case studies and forms part of a government-supported approach linking quality placemaking with human health and economic prosperity.