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Northern Ireland Planning Service

Northern Area Plan 2016
Coleraine Borough: Macosquin

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Settlement Designation

The origins of Macosquin go back to a sixth century monastic settlement. Features remain from its subsequent development as a Plantation village laid out at the beginning of the 17th Century. The village has a primary school, a general store and a modest range of social and recreational facilities.
Macosquin is located immediately west of Dunhill Road, part of the Northern Transport Corridor, 4 kilometres south of Coleraine. The A29 Drumcroone Road, a protected route and link corridor, joins with the A37 a short distance east of the village. Therefore Macosquin has excellent road links with most of County Londonderry and Mid-Ulster. However, it is only served by a limited bus service.
Following rapid growth in the 1950s and 1960s the village had a peak population of over 800 in the 1970s, but subsequently has declined to a 2001 population of 594. After an almost total absence of development in the 1990s there has been a recent increase in private house building, strengthening the village’s residential function. Macosquin has been designated a Small Village in the Settlement Hierarchy in Volume 1 of the Plan.
Designation MN 01 Settlement Development Limit
A Settlement Development Limit is designated as identified on Map No. 3/09 - Macosquin.
The development limit will consolidate the existing village, contribute to a more compact urban form and ensure that any new housing is convenient to all the village’s facilities.

Housing

The following Table sets out the provision of housing in Macosquin at July 2004.
Table 1: Housing Provision, July 2004
Housing Provision Number of Houses
Allocation 1998-2016 71
Completions 1998-July 2004 30
Under Construction July 2004 14
Commitments July 2004 6
Housing zonings 45
Housing Zonings (Existing Commitments)
The following housing sites have planning permission and are identified on Map No. 3/09 – Macosquin:
Location Number of dwellings to be completed Site area (ha.) Commenced July 2004 Map reference
Off Clonsilla Drive 17 0.83 Yes MNH 01
Knockmore Crescent 3 0.21 No MNH 02

Housing Zoning

The following sites are zoned for housing development, subject to compliance with the key site requirements and other requirements for the development of the site consistent with relevant planning policy including current Planning Policy Statements and the specific considerations related to the submission of planning applications:
Housing Zoning MNH 03 Land at Dunderg Road / Ballinteer Road (0.95 ha.)
Key Site Requirements
  1. Development shall be within the range of 15 to 25 dwellings per hectare.
  2. Any development proposal shall identify all trees worthy of retention and ensure that no activity, works or storage takes place within the limit of the crown spread of the trees, or a distance of half the height of the trees, whichever is the greater.
  3. Any development on this site shall provide a footpath along the frontage of the site and link to the existing network.
  4. The preferred access shall be on to Ballinteer Road, which shall be widened to 5.5m along the frontage of the site.
  5. An area of low-lying ground beside the watercourse may be prone to waterlogging or seasonal flooding and developers should be advised to give appropriate consideration to finished floor.
  6. The stream within the site requires protection with a buffer zone of appropriate width.
Housing Zoning MNH 04 Ramsey Park (1.31 ha.)
Key Site Requirements
  1. Development shall be within the range of 15 to 25 dwellings per hectare.
  2. Any development proposal shall identify all trees worthy of retention and ensure that no activity, works or storage takes place within the limit of the crown spread of the trees, or a distance of half the height of the trees, whichever is the greater.
  3. The access to this site shall be from Ramsay Park.

Open Space

The Plan identifies major areas of existing open space for information purposes. Policies relating to open space are contained within PPS 8: Open Space, Sport and Outdoor Recreation. All existing open space, whether identified in development plans or not, is protected under Policy OS1 of PPS8.

Macosquin Area of Archaeological Potential

An Area of Archaeological Potential has been identified in Macosquin, and is shown on the Settlement Map (Map No. 3/09). This area may contain archaeological remains and developers are strongly advised to liase with the Department before submitting any proposals in this area. Section 6.10 of Volume 1 of this Plan and Policy BH 3 of PPS 6 provide further guidance on this matter.

Local Landscape Policy Areas (LLPAs)

Any proposals for development within these areas will be considered within the terms of Policy ENV 2 in Volume 1 of the Plan. Where additional degree of control is considered necessary this is specified below.
Designation MNL 01 St. Mary’s LLPA
A Local Landscape Policy Area is designated as identified on Map No. 3/09 – Macosquin.
Those features or combination of features that contribute to the environmental quality, integrity or character of this area are listed below.
  1. St. Mary’s LLPA is centred on the Rectory, Glebeview House and St. Mary’s Church, including several prominent listed buildings.
  2. The trees within this LLPA are particularly significant and important to the setting of Macosquin, particularly when seen from the adjoining trunk road.
Trees within this LLPA will be protected from all development which would be incompatible with their retention.
Designation MNL 02 Macosquin River LLPA
A Local Landscape Policy Area is designated as identified on Map No. 3 – Coleraine and Map No. 3/09 – Macosquin.
Those features or combination of features that contribute to the environmental quality, integrity or character of this area are listed below.
  1. The Macosquin River LLPA is adjacent to and south west of St. Mary’s LLPA.
  2. It includes an attractive 1,200 metre section of the river valley, important tree groups, historic monuments and a listed building.
This LLPA is entirely within the Coleraine Green Belt and will be protected from all development other than what is essential for the efficient operation of agriculture.
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