Northern Area Plan 2016
Coleraine Borough: Portrush Development Strategy

Within the context of the strategic policies of the Regional Development Strategy the town has been evaluated as having modest potential for growth. On this basis it is considered that in the period from 1998 to 2016, provision should be made for 830 dwellings. By mid 2004 however, 768 dwellings had already been completed, a further 119 dwellings were under construction, and there was full and reserved matters approval for 412 dwellings which had not commenced. There is already a sizeable surplus of approved dwellings, therefore the Plan does not provide for any further green-field residential development. The emphasis throughout the Plan period will be on achieving an attractive, compact and efficient living environment.

The Plan recognises Portrush town centre to be a significant local centre, meeting many of the retail and other business needs of the local community. In addition it has an important specialist retail role providing a valued service to visitors. The commercial core of the town by the 1980s had physically deteriorated culminating in the loss of the former Northern Counties hotel. In the past decade particularly considerable progress has been made, with the redevelopment, refurbishment and improvement of many business premises, complemented by significant improvements to the public realm, notably Dunluce Avenue, Main Street and the Arcadia. The Plan seeks to build on this by protecting the vitality and viability of the town centre from competing out of town development. It is evident from the mid 2003 retail survey that the town centre remains very vulnerable to out of town competition, therefore with the exception of the designated local centre at Hillcrest, no further retail development will be approved elsewhere in the town.

Again, in the past decade there has been an encouraging level of investment in refurbished and expanded hotels, along with the successful redevelopment of part of the Northern Counties site with the Comfort Hotel. In this context the Plan will seek to protect the remaining stock of hotels and guesthouses, to ensure that the town retains a range of tourist serviced accommodation.

The growth of second homes has been contentious along the North Coast including Portrush. There is a particular concern at the physical and social impact of apartment developments. Therefore the Plan proposes that no further apartments should be approved in established residential suburbs. In addition the Plan will seek to ensure that the needs of the local community are met by requiring major new developments to incorporate affordable housing and by zoning specific sites for social housing.