Northern Ireland Planning Service

Northern Area Plan 2016
Strategic Plan Framework: Housing Phasing

The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) promotes a target of 60% of all housing development to take place within existing urban areas of over 5,000 population. It requires targets to be set for individual towns through the development plan process, using the sequential approach informed by the urban capacity studies, and taking account of local circumstances. The zoned housing sites in the Plan provide for the following proportions within the existing urban areas:
Table 3: Proportion of Identified Housing Sites within the Existing Urban Area of the Towns
Settlement Type Dwellings yield on urban capacity sites Total dwellings yield on all sites % of dwellings yield on urban capacity sites
Coleraine Major Hub 1,809 2,670 68%
Limavady Major Hub 409 1,222 34%
Ballycastle Local Hub 363 491 74%
Ballymoney Local Hub 930 1,376 67%
Portrush Other Town 561 710 79%
Portstewart Other Town 578 910 64%
All towns 4,650 7,379 63%
The Plan seeks to promote the development of urban capacity sites as the preferred locations for new housing in its Main and Local Hubs, where appropriate, with the introduction of a phasing programme. The Plan period is divided into two Phases, and three sites (as set out in Allocation HOU 1) are affected by the programme.
Policy HOU 2 Phasing Priority will be given to the redevelopment of previously developed land.
Phase 2 zonings will be held in reserve and safeguarded. These lands will not be released for development, in whole or in part, prior to a review of take up and need in 2009. The amount of land released in Phase 2 will depend on
  1. the take up of land in Phase 1,
  2. the numbers of dwellings built or with planning permission,
  3. the distribution of the take-up, and
  4. the proportion located within existing urban areas.
Until the review has been completed, planning permission will only be granted on Phase 2 lands for development that is in accordance with Green Belt policies and that will not be likely to prejudice future comprehensive development. Exceptions may be made for health and educational uses where a need has been established.
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