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Maghera serves as the main shopping centre for the northern portion of the District providing a range of comparison and convenience goods and includes 3 supermarkets, furniture showrooms and many small-scale independent retailers. The main shopping area which includes 3 banks, an hotel and several public houses, cafes and offices is located along most of Main St. and part of Coleraine Road. The town has experienced some recent business expansion including Walsh’s Hotel, Victoria House, McKee’s Food Processors, a cinema and health centre. There are current opportunities for new retail activity within the town centre including Main Street where there are a number of vacant and under-utilised units which have the potential to be refurbished or redeveloped. Access to the town is generally good but the increasing volume of traffic, particularly heavy goods vehicles, in a north-south direction does cause periodic congestion along the narrow streets in the heart of the town. There are 5 main car parks located at St. Lurach’s Road, Coleraine Road, Main Street, Hall Street and Church Street which provide very good access to shoppers. There are a number of sites including those to the rear of existing frontages which may present opportunities for development. A detailed town centre health check was carried out as part of the development plan process to provide a benchmark against which to measure the effects of future change in economic activity in the town centre. Details of the town centre health check are contained in the Commerce Technical Supplement.
The town centre is more extensive than that contained in the Magherafelt Area Plan 1976-1996. It is designated to reflect the expansion of business activity in recent times and includes a wide range of commercial and non-commercial uses. It includes Main Street, Bank Square, St. Lurach’s Road and small sections of Church Street, Hall Street, Coleraine Road, Station Road and Fair Hill. Designation MA 17 Primary Retail Core
The purpose in identifying a primary retail core is to allow control to be exercised over development inside that area to ensure the continuance of a compact and attractive shopping environment, offering both choice and convenience. The area includes most of Main Street and 2-22 Coleraine Road. The majority of shops are located on the south side of Main Street and Coleraine Road and each of the 3 main supermarkets has adjacent car-parking provision. There are opportunities to consolidate retail uses particularly on the northern side of Main Street and to lift the visual appearance of the narrow streetscene by improving design standards. The main concentration of retail floorspace in the town centre should continue to be within the primary retail core. Development proposals within the Primary Retail Core will be processed in accordance with prevailing regional planning policy currently contained within PPS 5 - Retailing and Town Centres.
The following sites MA 18 – MA 20 are designated as Development Opportunity Sites as identified on Map No. 82d – Maghera Town Centre.
This is a site comprising several parcels of land measuring 0.18 hectare located behind Main Street frontage properties within the primary retail core. It includes some rear garden space, rough ground and a vacant dwelling and has both a common access laneway at the rear and some direct access onto Main Street. The site is suitable for a mixed use development including residential and commercial use.Site, Land at rear of 102-118
This site comprises the former recreation centre, all weatherpitch and adjoining vacant plot fronting the road and measures 0.31 hectare. It is located adjacent to a public car park and within the town centre. The site is suitable for a range of uses including residential, office, leisure, entertainment, cultural and service uses.Main Street
This is a portion of vacant ground at the rear of the Northern Bank adjoining the cinema and measuring 0.04 hectare with direct access onto St. Lurach’s Road. Development of the site would fill a gap which presently exposes the unsightly rear elevations of buildings and would improve the streetscene. This site is suitable for a range of town centre uses. Policy for the control of development in development opportunity sites is contained in SETT 3 in Part 2 of the Plan.Designation MA 21 Protected Town Centre
This is a short terrace of long established housing on the edge of the town centre and includes a substantial detached residence with mature gardens which are considered worthy of retention. Policy for the control of development in Local Landscape Policy Areas is contained in Policy CON 2 in Part 2 of the Plan.
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