Northern Area Plan 2016
Strategic Plan Framework: Retail, Services and Offices

Within the Plan area, Coleraine town centre is the principal commercial centre with an estimated 75,000 square metres of gross retail floorspace in use in 2003 (based on information from the Valuation Agency). In addition, it provides a wide range of administrative, financial, leisure and professional services. It has an important subregional role for the north east of the Region serving a catchment population of over 150,000 for higher order services. The retail function of Coleraine town centre has been strengthened by a number of major retail developments in the past decade, particularly the opening of The Diamond Centre as the town’s first enclosed shopping mall in the latter part of 2002. The Plan will provide for the continued commercial strengthening of the town centre.

Ballymoney town centre (29,000 sq. m. of gross retail floorspace in use in 2003), Limavady town centre (28,000 sq.m.) and Ballycastle (11,500 sq. m.), are the next largest centres. They also have locally significant administrative, financial, leisure and professional services. The Plan aims to consolidate and strengthen the commercial roles of these towns.

The town centres of Portrush (10,500 sq. m.) and Portstewart (6,500 sq. m.) retain locally important commercial functions. In addition, the small towns of Dungiven, Garvagh, Kilrea, Bushmills and Cushendall all have a significant range of commercial facilities, providing an important service to their local populations. There are also a number of larger villages that provide a basic range of facilities for local residents. The Plan seeks to contribute to the protection of these facilities which assist in meeting the needs of local communities in a sustainable manner; and to promote further appropriate development.

The Riverside Centre, Coleraine, has developed over the past 15 years with a particular commercial role accommodating a range of retailing commonly found in out of town centre sites. It includes a large DIY store, a suite of retail warehouses selling predominantly bulky goods, car showrooms, fast food restaurants and leisure/fitness facilities. The site also includes a superstore. The Plan will seek to ensure that any future development of the Riverside Centre is complementary to, rather than competing with, the town centres, and does not adversely affect the vitality and viability of the latter.

The small towns in the Plan area are identified as District Centres, and there are Local Centres in the towns of Coleraine, Limavady and Portrush.