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To facilitate the provision of local shops and village shops in appropriate locations.
Northern Ireland still has a significant number of village shops and local comer shops within urban areas. These shops play an important role in supplying the immediate needs of the local population. While retail provision is a matter for the private sector, it is planning policy to support the continuation of local and village shops wherever such provision is viable.
Within towns, proposals for additional retail development will normally be directed to planned or established shopping centres. However, favourable consideration may be given to proposals for new local corner shops in neighbourhoods currently deficient in shopping provision and in new housing developments where:
- there is a defined local need that cannot be met by existing shopping facilities in the area;
- there would be no significant adverse impact on the
vitality and viability of existing centres;
- there are no existing vacant and suitable premises
in the area; and
- the proposal is of appropriate scale, and is
acceptable in terms of design, impact on residential amenity, servicing and parking arrangements.
Village shops, often including a post office facility, have long played a vital role in supplying the day-to-day needs of the rural
community. Rationalisation and changes in retailing patterns however have resulted in the decline of such establishments. There is a need for such facilities to serve local residents, particularly those who do not have access to a car. Consequently, the development of local scale retailing in villages will be encouraged
provided the scale of provision and the type of goods sold clearly indicate that the shop is primarily designed to cater for the needs of the village and its catchment population. Conditions may be imposed on the scale of provision and the type of goods to be sold.
The design of village shops, and in particular the design of shopfronts should be in keeping with the character and architecture of the settlement. Particular emphasis will be placed on design
where the proposal lies within an existing or proposed Conservation Area.
The implications of the proposal for the safety and convenience of road users, the adequacy of car parking provision and any impact on adjacent residential properties will be important factors
in the determination of applications for village shops
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968KB. This is currently under review by: