Northern Area Plan 2016
Introduction: Plan Area

The Northern Area Plan includes all of the four administrative Council areas of Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Moyle. This extends to an area of 1,969 square kilometres, that is about 14% of the total Northern Ireland land area. In mid 2002 the population of this area was estimated at 133,100, 8% of the Northern Ireland total. Table 1 provides information on each Council area.

Ballymoney Borough had one of the fastest growing populations of the 26 districts in Northern Ireland, with an 11.6% increase in the 10 years between the 1991 and 2001 Census. The Borough remains predominantly rural with most of its residents living in the open countryside or villages. Ballymoney is the only town, with a 2001 Census population of 9,000.

Coleraine Borough includes one of the largest urban groups outside Greater Belfast, with the closely related towns of Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart having a combined population of 37,500 by the 2001 Census. Coleraine is an important administrative, commercial, educational and manufacturing centre. Portrush and Portstewart have important tourism functions. The population of the Borough throughout the Post War period has increased consistently at a higher rate than Northern Ireland as a whole.

In Limavady Borough, the town of Limavady has experienced sustained growth over the past 40 years, with its population almost tripling to 12,100. The southern part of the Borough includes the small town of Dungiven (2001 Census population of 3,000), while the northern part includes the distinctive alluvial plains of Myroe and Magilligan.

Moyle District is the smallest of the 26 districts in Northern Ireland in terms of its population. The District includes a dramatic coastline, entirely within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Region’s only World Heritage Site at the Giant’s Causeway and the adjoining coastline, and the Region’s only inhabited island, Rathlin. The District Town, Ballycastle, has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years and the 2001 Census had a resident population of 5,100. The District also has an important built heritage, with four conservation areas in the coastal settlements of Bushmills, Ballycastle, Cushendun and Cushendall.