The good, the bad and the ugly in rural design

THE PRODUCT of two years’ work and an integral part of the new County Development Plan, the much-awaited Rural Design Guide, by Cork County Council, is due for release in the first week of January 2004.

In the foreword, authors John Clements from the Planning Policy Unit and county architect Billy Houlihan stress the significance of our buildings, not just in the preservation of our existing, vernacular stock, but in creating positive additions to our environment for the generations to come.

New buildings, they say, should not be an imitation of what's already been created, but should be adaptable to modern living and reflect the location, character and materials of their particular area.