Land within Urban Footprints

The Regional Development Strategy aims to provide an increased share of future residential development within the existing urban footprint to reduce greenfield housing extensions and to encourage compact urban forms, in order to promote sustainable forms of development. The RDS states that targets for individual towns will be set through the development plan process.

In Magherafelt District it is anticipated that land within urban footprints will provide  584 dwellings in Magherafelt town and 223 dwellings in Maghera. These estimated figures include the following elements:

• Dwellings built between January 2000 and August 2003.

• Commitments (potential yield from sites with extant planning approval or which are the subject of current planning applications considered as commitments).

• Additional yield from uncommitted urban capacity sites.

• Windfall allowance.

In Magherafelt town it is estimated that development within urban footprints will represent approximately 33% of the total housing provision for the town over the Plan period. In Maghera the corresponding figure is estimated at 37%. The remaining housing allocation for each town will be provided on greenfield sites beyond the defined urban footprint of the respective towns.

The Population and Housing Technical Supplement provides details of estimated yields for sites within towns and villages. The higher anticipated yields in terms of units constructed on some sites within the urban footprint reflects the higher densities expected on these compared to greenfield sites.

Site Densities

Site densities are specified in the key site requirements in Part 4 of the Plan in line with prevailing regional policy and in response to specific site circumstances. A minimum site density has been specified in the key site requirements for urban capacity sites and greenfield sites within the towns of Magherafelt and Maghera and for Housing Land Use Policy Areas in the villages. This is to ensure the optimum use of land and to accommodate the housing allocation identified for each settlement in the Plan.

A maximum site density is also stipulated for greenfield sites within the towns and on greenfield sites beyond village cores. This is to ensure that greenfield sites are not developed to excess at the expense of urban capacity lands or lands within the core areas of villages. It will also minimise the potential for significant divergence between the Plan housing allocation framework and the RDS strategic objectives.

Development will be acceptable within the specified density range. A maximum density has not been set for urban capacity sites or sites within the core areas of villages. The implications of densities and yields will be considered at the time of the Plan review in 2008.

Policy HOU 2 Protected Town Centre Housing Areas

Within designated Protected Town Centre Housing Areas planning permission will not be granted for redevelopment or change of use from housing.

In accordance with the consultation draft of PPS 12 – Housing in Settlements, Protected Town Centre Housing Areas are designated in Magherafelt and Maghera as identified on the relevant town centre maps in Part 4 of the Plan.

The Department will resist the spread of commercial uses into areas which have a useful longer term residential life. They provide a valuable housing stock and are homes for established communities which contribute to the variety and vitality of life in the town centre.

Policy HOU 3 Accommodation for the Travelling Community

Development proposals for new accommodation for the Travelling Community will only be granted planning permission where all the following criteria are met: there is reasonable, safe and direct access on to a public road and that measures have been introduced to provide access to public transport and non car modes of transport;   the site is relatively flat and capable of development with landscaping and boundary definition;   there is provision for workspace, off-pitch parking, grazing areas, play space and visitor parking;   there is provision of drinking water, electricity, sewage, refuse disposal and drainage and street lighting.

In addition, any proposal will be required to comply with other relevant prevailing planning policies, in particular PPS 7, Quality Residential Environments.

Within the context of meeting local housing need and ensuring balanced communities it is important to deal with the needs of the travelling community. Therefore, proposals for traveller’s accommodation that meet identified local need should be encouraged, subject to meeting the criteria above. These proposals will be expected to clearly demonstrate how they meet identified local need and Planning Service will assess this in consultation with Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

In meeting the criteria above peripheral sites for traveller’s accommodation on cut-off sections of road residual or waste areas are unlikely to be acceptable. As with all development proposals, careful consideration will need to be given to the impact of the proposal on both surrounding land uses and the environment. Proposals that have a significant detrimental impact on surrounding land uses or the environment will be resisted.

Policy HOU 4 of the Rural Strategy requires development plans to take account of the accommodation needs of the travelling community and states that plans may identify locations suitable for travellers sites, or set out site selection criteria. The Regional Development Strategy, (SPG-HOU 6) also requires that consideration must be given to the distinctive needs of the travelling community.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has confirmed that Travellers housing needs have been assessed and considered to be fully met for the next five year period in the Plan area. Further consultation will be carried out with NIHE on this issue at the time of the Plan review in 2008.

The approach set out in the Plan is in accordance with the consultation draft of PPS12 - Housing in Settlements as being prepared by DRD.

Policy HOU 4 Social Housing

In considering applications for planning permission for housing, Planning Service will seek to ensure that, where a need is established by NIHE, provision is made for a suitable mix of housing types and tenures to meet the full range of market and social housing needs.

SPG-HOU 6 of the RDS encourages the development of balanced local communities by providing a mix of housing tenures and types. This includes social housing targeted to meet identified needs, where such need arises.

The Plan makes provision to meet need as it arises and as identified by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in consultation with Planning Service. Implementation will be achieved through the application of Quality Initiative principles to specific development proposals and, where appropriate, through Planning Agreements to secure a proportion of social housing in major new developments.

In its Interim Housing Needs Assessment Statement, NIHE confirmed that the Magherafelt General Needs Social Housing market is stable with annual housing allocations meeting current housing stress levels. A number of schemes are programmed between 2003 and 2008 to meet anticipated demand.

The Social New Build programme has identified the schemes necessary to meet supported housing needs up to 2006 identified by Homefirst Trust. It is anticipated that Housing Associations will identify and purchase suitable sites and/or properties to progress these schemes. Additional need has been assumed for 2006/07 and 2007/08 in the absence of substantive data.

Affordable Housing

Policy SPG- HOU 6.4 of the Regional Development Strategy places an onus on development plans to consider if there is a need for an exceptional housing land response to ensure a local supply of affordable housing and if local planning policies are required as a result of this.

The affordable housing issue will be addressed in the forthcoming PPS 12 - Housing in Settlements - to be published by the Department for Regional Development. There is currently no mechanism in place for the Plan to specifically address this issue in respect of its housing designations. To date, detailed analysis on levels of affordability throughout the Magherafelt District Council Area have not been made available.

The Plan however focuses development at higher densities in urban areas, promotes mixed housing developments to accommodate balanced communities and promotes improved infrastructure and communications in the District. These planning measures may indirectly make a positive contribution to affordability issues.

Second Homes

Pressure from second home development was not raised as an issue as part of the public participation process leading to the formulation of the Plan Proposals. The 2001 Census indicates there were only 14 second homes in the District at the time of the Census.