Banbridge / Newry and Mourne Area Plan 2015
District Proposals: Mullaghbane

Mullaghbane is a small linear village located approximately 13 kilometres southwest of Newry and 3 kilometres north of Forkhill.

It is situated within the Ring of Gullion Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and lies within a circle of hills with Slieve Gullion to the northeast and Mullaghbane Mountain, Slievebrack and Crosslieve to the south. Mullaghbane is bisected by the Forkhill River, which runs in a northeast to southeast direction. The slopes generally rise to the west of the river and fall to the east. Slieve Gullion forms a distinctive landmark to the east of the village.

The village has grown from a small nucleus centred on the Forkhill/Tullymacreeve Road junction with Maphoner Road. Recent development has resulted in the village spreading northwards along Maphoner Road.

In addition to its role as a local service centre, Mullaghbane’s role as a tourist centre has received a boost with the development of the Ti Chulainn Cultural Activity Centre. This centre includes guest accommodation, exhibition and conference facilities and is host to activities such as the annual Tommy Mackim festival. The settlement also has a primary school, church, community centre, post office, doctor’s surgery, public house, hair salon, shop and petrol station.

The settlement development limit is designated to take account of land with extant planning permission for housing and sites that have not yet been approved but which are at a stage in the planning application process where there is a reasonable expectation that planning approval will be granted. The settlement development limit also takes account of the role of the settlement whilst protecting its natural setting and important landscapes to its periphery.

The Housing Needs Assessment has identified a social housing need of 8 dwellings in Mullaghbane. The following site has been identified in whole or in part to meet this social housing need.

Details of the social housing allocation and associated methodology are contained in the Population and Housing Technical Supplement.

The following sites, including committed sites, are zoned for housing. Policy for the control of development on zoned sites is contained in Policy SMT 2 in Volume 1 of the Plan. Zoned land will be developed in accordance with all prevailing regional planning policy and with any relevant Plan Policies and Proposals including, where specified, key site requirements.

The plan does not stipulate key site requirements for committed sites because future development will be subject to the conditions attached to planning permission. However, in the event that such permission may lapse Planning Service may alter existing conditions or attach new conditions to any subsequent approval to take account of prevailing regional planning policy and the Plan Proposals.

Full planning permission has been granted for housing development on this site.

Full planning permission has been granted for housing development on this site. Development has commenced.

Mullaghbane is located within the Ring of Gullion AONB as identified on Map No. 3/18 - Mullaghbane. The AONB was designated in 1991 under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands Order (Northern Ireland) 1985 in recognition of its exceptional scenic quality.

The following area is designated as a LLPA. Policy for the control of development within LLPAs is contained in Policy CVN 4 in Volume 1 of the Plan.