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Cookstown

INDUSTRY AND MIXED BUSINESS ZONINGS

Traditionally, industry in Cookstown developed to the south of the town where the early linen mills were sited next to the Ballinderry River and to the east of the town where factories and warehousing could benefit from easy access to the railways. Although the linen mills and railways have long since disappeared, these areas remain the focus of industrial activity, with the Unipork food processing factory located to the east and the Blue Circle cement works to the south of the town. There has been significant investment into new industry at Derryloran and Ballyreagh. This land will be safeguarded against encroachment of inappropriate and incompatible uses (see Plan Policy IND 1).

The southern end of the town remains the best location for industrial expansion, benefiting from ready access to the primary road network and proximity to the town’s resident workforce, yet being separated from residential areas by the Ballinderry River. Access to zoned industrial lands on the eastern side of the town may be upgraded to a similar standard by provision of the Eastern Distributor Road. This area benefits from being within walking distance of much of the town’s population.

65.59 hectares of land are zoned for industrial and mixed business use (see Plan Policy IND 1). The key site requirements for each of these zonings are as follows:

 I 1      Land west of Sandholes Road, adjacent to
            Derryloran Industrial Estate

This 26.72 hectare site is located adjacent to an existing industrial area to the northeast. The level nature of the site and good road communications make it suitable for a range of industrial, warehousing and associated office uses.

A comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• adequate sewerage should be provided. This may include pumping of foul sewage to the gravity sewer on the Sandholes Road or alternatively, a link to the sewer serving the Derryloran Industrial Estate;

• an extension to the main water supply of 320 metres is required to serve the site;

• extensive landscaping and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs should be provided to the road frontages and the western and northern site boundaries;

• a cycle way should be provided to link with an existing scheme on Sandholes Road; and

• a pedestrian/cycle link with Derryloran Industrial Estate should be provided.

 
 I 2      Land east of Sandholes Road, Ballyreagh
 
This 2.68 hectare site is located adjacent to Copeland Ltd and behind two farm groups to the Sandholes Road. The farm groups and surrounding trees enhance the approach to the town from Sandholes Road and define the urban/rural edge. Accordingly, any development on this site should not result in the loss of these trees.

 

 I 3      Land southeast of Sandholes Road, Ballyreagh
 

This 6.6 hectare site is located adjacent to the Blue Circle cement works and quarry and is made up of the work’s Social Club building, a car park, tennis courts and playing fields. To the south, the site is bounded by quarry spoil heaps that have been landscaped.

A comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• the existing Social Club building on the site should be demolished to allow for comprehensive redevelopment;

• access to the site should be limited to two entrances – one at the northern frontage with Sandholes Road and the other at the southern frontage with Sandholes Road;

• a footway/cycleway should be provided along Sandholes Road to link the access to the existing footway/cycleway network;

• a tree survey will be required and, where appropriate, existing mature trees and hedgerows should be retained and augmented;

• landscaping and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs should be provided along Sandholes Road and the northern site boundary adjoining Ballyreagh House;

• a cycleway should be provided to link with an existing scheme on Sandholes Road; and

• a pedestrian/cycle link with the Ballyreagh Industrial Estate should be provided.

 
 I 4      Land between Coagh Road and Old Coagh Road
 

This 17.85 hectare site consists of a farm group and two dwellings, the remains of the railway embankments, and agricultural fields. The land at present is undulating with steep slopes to the eastern boundary and will need substantial levelling. Before development of the site can take place Stage Two of the Eastern Distributor Road (Coagh Road to Fountain Road) will need to have been implemented. However, as set out in Policy TRAN 2, favourable consideration may be given to proposals where developers are willing to provide an appropriate section of the road to the Department for Regional Development’s required standards in compliance with prevailing regional planning policy.

A comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• the existing farm group and dwellings on the site should be demolished to allow for comprehensive redevelopment;

• the development should be set back along its frontage with Old Coagh Road and Coagh Road to facilitate road widening;

• access to the majority of the site should be from the Coagh Road which will require to be upgraded to a satisfactory standard;

• landscaping and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs should be provided along the Eastern Distributor Road, Coagh Road and Old Coagh Road;

• the development should be set back from the steeply sloping land on the eastern boundary of the site and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs provided on the hill slopes;

• the old railway line should be retained and developed as a cycle/walkway from Molesworth Street to the Old Coagh Road; and

• pedestrian and cycle access should be provided through the site along the route shown on the Cookstown Map No. 36a, supplemented by appropriate planting.

 
 I 5      Land south of Coagh Road
 

This 4.9 hectare site is located off Coagh Road and consists of a farm group and agricultural fields. Development is dependent on implementation of Stage Two of the Eastern Distributor Road (Coagh Road to Fountain Road).

A comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• the development should be set back along its frontage with Coagh Road to facilitate road widening;

• access to the site should be from Coagh Road which will require to be upgraded to a satisfactory standard;

• landscaping and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs should be provided along the Eastern Distributor Road, Coagh Road and the eastern site boundary; and

• pedestrian and cycle access should be provided through the site along the route shown on the Cookstown Map No. 36a, supplemented by appropriate planting.

 
 I 6      Land east of Unipork Factory, Molesworth Road
 

This 6.3 hectare site is located to the east of the Unipork Factory. Development is dependent on implementation of Stage Two of the Eastern Distributor Road (Coagh Road to Fountain Road). A town walkway is also proposed through the site to link the town centre with the Ballinderry River walkway.

A comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• the Standing Stones should be retained in situ and protected from development which should pay due regard to their setting and public access to them;

• the development should be set back along its frontage with Cloghog Road to facilitate road widening;

• if access to the site is from Cloghog Road, the road will be required to be upgraded from the Eastern Distributor Road to the site entrance to a satisfactory standard;

• pedestrian and cycle access should be provided through the site along the route shown on the Cookstown Map No. 36a, supplemented with appropriate planting;

• landscaping and buffer planting of indigenous trees and shrubs should be provided along the southern and eastern boundaries;

• the mature hedge along the northern boundary should be retained and augmented with additional planting of native species; and

• a reasonable level of landscaping and buffer planting should be provided where the site abuts the Unipork Factory.

 
 I 7      Land opposite Unipork Factory,
            Molesworth Road
 

This 0.52 hectare triangular field is located to the west of Molesworth Road at its junction with Fountain Road. This site will be formed from the residue of land left between the Eastern Distributor Road and the current alignment of Molesworth Road. Accordingly, development is dependent upon implementation of Stage Two of the Eastern Distributor Road (Coagh Road to Fountain Road). The size of the site makes it best suited to a light industrial or business use.

Development on this site will require compliance with the following key site requirements:

• the site is appropriately levelled;

• direct access from the Eastern Distributor Road will not be permitted;

• landscaping and buffer planting is provided along the Eastern Distributor Road; and

• a reasonable level of landscaping and buffer planting should be provided where the site abuts the Unipork Factory.

 
 I 8      Land at Loughry (See Map No. 4)
 

This 12.35 hectare site is located to the south of Cookstown on the main Tullyhogue Road. The site benefits from mature trees along its road frontage and woodlands to the south. The site rises from the road and the western site boundaries are largely undefined.

In addition to the specific requirements stated in Plan Policy IND 2, a comprehensive design scheme for this site will be required which takes into account the following key site requirements:

• all existing mature vegetation to the main road and the existing woodland to the south should be retained;

• additional buffer tree planting should be undertaken along all of the site boundaries and should also be used to separate individual plots. Visually the dominant land use should in time become one of woodlands;

• new buildings should be erected in sympathy with the existing contours of the hill slopes and any earth workings should be minimised;

• all buildings should be of a high standard of design and use high quality materials; and

• access to the site should be taken from the existing access point serving the incubation units.