Donabate Urban Centre Strategy Fingal County Council

5.0 Urban Design Appraisal
5.1.7 Building Condition
Building condition varies widely across the Town
Centre Strategy area, from very poor to good.
The different levels of visual repair exhibit a clear
pattern, with poor to fair conditioned buildings
being concentrated immediately east and west of
the railway bridge. Broadly, there is a correlation
here between the age and condition of certain
buildings.
Please refer to Map 6: Building Condition.
5.1.8 Quality of the Public Realm
The streets and public realm of the area have a
‘placeless’ aspect due to their lack of unity and the
absence of a consistent or quality design character.
The majority of the town centre has active frontage
to provide overlooking onto Main Street. However
it is inconsistent and lacks enclosure, in particular at
the junction of the Portrane and Beaverstown Road.
Here, low density residential development begins.
Generally, paving and signage are of standard quality
materials, which are by and large fit for purpose.
Also, along Main Street to the western edge
planted beds have been implemented as part of
the pavement which succeeds in creating a positive
visual amenity, an environmental buffer to the road
and a comfortable enclosure ratio to the street.
There are numerous areas within the town centre
where the road surfaces and footpaths are of
poor quality or of narrow widths. These areas are
identified in Map 4: Urban Design Appraisal.
When moving away from the town centre there are
a number of areas where the footpaths only exist
on one side of the road or abruptly end. These areas
primarily include the eastern edge of the R126,
along the southern edge of the Portrane Road and
the northern edge to Turvey Avenue.
Areas along Main Street shows evidence of
unsafe parking and poor junction layout which is
unattractive. A reorganization of key spaces within
the town centre to facilitate delineated parking bays,
low traffic bollards and street trees would manage
the parking in a more attractive and functional
manner.
At the junction of the Portrane and Beaverstown
Road where public footpath and active frontage
stops.
At the Portrane Road the use of red tarmac
surfacing to signify the approach to the school
Provision of planted beds at Main Street
Need for improved planting at entrance
to housing estate
Donabate Urban Centre Strategy 20