Northern Area Plan 2016
Coleraine Borough: Portstewart The Promenade and Shop-Front Design
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Designation PTP 01 The Promenade
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| The Promenade is designated as identified in Map No. 3/05b – Portstewart Town Centre. |
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Policy PTP 02 The Promenade
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| Proposals for redevelopment or refurbishment of properties on the Promenade will not be permitted unless they respect the height, scale, proportions and rhythm of the street frontage, incorporating, where appropriate, features characteristic of the streetscape. |
The Promenade, which stretches in an almost continuous frontage for some 500 metres between Harbour Road and Church Pass, is the main commercial area of the town. It is comprised almost entirely of two-and-a-half and three storey properties.
The buildings in the central section of the frontage, are three storeys in height and have a remarkably uniform eaves line with traditional pitched slated roofs. The upper floor fenestration has a strong vertical emphasis and regular rhythm, a characteristic of the Promenade generally. Substantial chimney stacks are a feature of the roofscape, although a number have been removed. Other traditional features include vertical emphasis in buildings, relatively narrow three bay frontages at ground level, gabled dormers built off the front wall. Traditional bay windows also contribute to the verticality of the street frontages, some of these extend to ground floor level. Detailed townscape analysis is set out in the Department’s Portstewart Townscape Appraisal, and applicants are advised to refer to this in preparing proposals along the Promenade and in its vicinity. New proposals will be expected to conform to the established character of the street frontage.
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Policy PTS 01 Portstewart Town Shop Fronts
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Within the town centre a high standard of shop front design shall be required for new and refurbished shop fronts. Only proposals which are consistent with the following design principles will be acceptable: - The treatment of shop fronts, fascia signs and other advertisements shall respect and reflect the character of the parent building and its setting within the streetscape;
- New shop fronts shall not be overly dominant in the street scene, and shall reflect the scale and design of the parent building and neighbouring premises;
- Where two or more shop-fronts are to be amalgamated, the design shall reflect the width of the original unit buildings, avoiding large expanses of glass and long unbroken fascias. Masonry piers or heavy timber mullions shall be used to reduce the scale of a shop front. Fascias shall be broken up into smaller elements, and columns framing the windows and doorways may be extended up through the fascia as in a traditional shop front;
- The depth of the advertising fascia shall be in proportion to the width of the shop front. Overly deep fascias will not be acceptable. Fascias shall not occupy the total space between the top of the display window and the under side of first floor windowsills. Window sills, or string course if present, shall remain an identifiable feature of the building. Fascias shall have a clearly identifiable upper edge in the form of a cornice-type detail, which may be a relatively simple feature, or a more ornate moulded cornice;
- Shop display windows and doorframes shall be set back from the face of the building to create a reveal, which may facilitate recessing of security shutter guide rails if required; and
- Full height glazing extending down to pavement level is not acceptable. A stall-riser not less than 300mm high will be required below the display windows.
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In the context of the extent of change that has taken place there is no longer a consistent shop-frontage character within Portstewart town centre. The use of high quality materials however, will be expected, and the appropriate articulation and detailing of shop front surrounds will be promoted through the development control process.
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