Brownlow House, Lurgan Park and Lurgan Golf Course together comprise some 9 hectares of land, east of Lurgan’s commercial core. The house and its landscape setting are part of the lands granted to the Brownlow family who gained the estate in the early 17th Century and laid out the original town. The present Brownlow house, an impressive feature in the present townscape, was built in Tudor style in 1836, replacing an earlier house, for which the 18th Century landscape, now Lurgan Park, was designed. This very fine park combines an ornamental lake with avenues and stands of trees and individual specimens, together with some modern planting, and is identified for inclusion in the Department of the Environment’s Environment and Heritage Service proposed Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest in Northern Ireland.

The LLPA combines areas which have historic significance and are important for their landscape and amenity value, not least for the contribution which they make in defining part of the Lurgan settlement limit. It is designated to protect the surroundings of the listed building and protect the planned landscape and important tree groups in this area of significant landscape and visual amenity.

Within L/LLPA1, redevelopment within The Waves Complex will only be acceptable subject to the following key site requirements:

•  development proposals must not adversely affect the intrinsic environmental value and character of the Local Landscape Policy Area;
   

• any future development should be of a high design and sensitive and in keeping with the landscape character of Lurgan Park;
   

• there should be linkages between the development and Lurgan Park;
   

• there should be a comprehensive planting scheme to integrate and screen the development;
   

• and existing trees within Lurgan Park should be adequately protected, both at the design stage and the implementation stages, and the requirements of BS 5837 1991 ‘Trees in relation to Construction’ must be observed.

The Pines is a substantial residence, well-screened from public views by mature tree planting and its boundary wall, with a variety of mature planting, including specimen trees in its grounds. It serves as a visually distinctive feature at the ‘entrance’ to the town. The LLPA is designated to protect the important tree groups and the visual significance of the area.

Within this LLPA planning permission may be granted for low density development subject to:

• the retention and protection of existing trees; and
   

• satisfactory access and infrastructure.
   

Areas of Townscape Character

Development proposals within the ATC will be assessed in accordance with Plan Policy CON 5 and prevailing regional planning policy.

The Area of Townscape Character covers the residential development which lies between College Walk and Lough Road, as well as dwelling numbers 3-6 College Walk. The houses are of individual design but all are set in mature gardens, in spacious plots, which extend from Lough Road to the rear of dwelling numbers 3-6 College Walk. The boundary with Lough Road is defined by a row of mature trees on a raised bank. The Area of Townscape Character is designated to retain the housing density, mature planted settings and the spacious plot size within the area, and to complement the adjoining Local Landscape Policy Area which is designated at Lurgan College. The density of development proposals will be an important consideration in determining those proposals.