Northern Ireland Planning Service

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

Policy RSO 2 Facilities and Services at Local Centres
Modest-scale retail development only, shall be approved in local centres. Small-scale office accommodation will only be acceptable where it services local neighbourhood needs.
Local centres will also be the preferred location for other neighbourhood community facilities.
Local centres cater for local shopping and community needs. Where a retail proposal meets prevailing planning policy approval will normally be granted. However, cumulative approvals of more than 500 sq.m. gross will be not be granted at any one centre. This is to avoid them becoming disproportionately large, and adversely affecting the retail hierarchy and function of other centres.
Planning permission will not be granted for commercial or other development at local centres that would be significantly dependent on a wider catchment population.
In villages, hamlets and neighbourhoods there may be occasions when the need for a new shop to serve local residents is generated. Such proposals will be assessed against prevailing planning policy. They should, by their nature, be small in scale, and any shop shall not have a cumulative gross floor-space exceeding 300 sq.m. to avoid them becoming disproportionately large relative to their role as the lowest tier in the retail hierarchy. These facilities help sustain existing communities, and reduce the need for travel to meet day to day needs.
Previous Next