Childcare facilities should be located within residential areas or employment hubs and away from noisy and polluted roads, a proposed new land-use policy has suggested. 

The policy guidelines, which have been opened to public consultation, suggest that while industrial areas may be considered as an appropriate site for childcare facilities, additional measures must be taken to "ensure a high-quality environment for children".

Under the proposed guidelines published by the Planning Authority, countryside buildings could be considered suitable for childcare facilities, provided they are not too distant from urban areas and are easy to get to. 

Facilities on arterial, distributor or other heavy traffic roads would be undesireable due to concerns about noise, pollution and the higher risk of traffic accidents. 

Detached properties would be favoured given that they are more likely to provide outdoor play areas and on-site parking, but maisonettes and terraced houses would also be considered. Premises which share their access with a block of flats, on the other hand, will not, "to protect the amenity of the surrounding area and the impact that such facilities may have on neighbours."