Northern Area Plan 2016
Strategic Plan Framework: Settlements Settlement Development Limits

Settlement development limits are designated for the settlements set out in the hierarchy. The Plan identifies, by way of zonings for each Council Area in Volume 2, the appropriate land use for all the significant areas with development potential within towns and villages. These have been defined to meet all the identified main land use needs of local communities, consistent with the principles and policies of the Regional Development Strategy (RDS). Deviations from these zonings will not normally be acceptable, other than occasional small areas of other incidental uses that are fully compatible with the predominant zoned use and are consistent with all other policy guidance. More specific guidance on each proposed zone, and its Key Site Requirements which development is expected to meet, is set out in the relevant settlement sections in Volume 2. The zoning of land provides a basis for rational and consistent decisions on planning applications and provides a measure of certainty regarding the types of development that will and will not be permitted. This is not, however, an exhaustive list. Other policies within the plan and prevailing regional policies may also be relevant. There may be other, presently unidentified, requirements that come forward when planning applications are assessed.

Each town, village and hamlet within the Plan area has a settlement development limit, which defines the area where appropriate development will be acceptable in principle. The development limit is normally drawn around the edge of the curtilage of a property which is considered as being within the settlement. It does not mean, however, that where a piece of land is included within the development limit, it is automatically acceptable for development to take place there.

Outside this boundary, the rural character of the countryside will continue to be protected. Land is zoned for specific uses in the main towns of Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Portrush and Portstewart. In the small towns and some of the larger villages, land has been reserved for non-retail employment uses.

The settlement development limits are based on a detailed appraisal of each town, village and hamlet, having regard primarily to the strategic guidance of the RDS and a detailed local physical scrutiny. The development limits of the towns provide sufficient land either on urban capacity sites and, where necessary, on green field sites, to accommodate a housing allocation consistent with the RDS District Housing Indicator. Again, as advised by the RDS, each town has an ample supply of land for employment uses, and provision is made for the range of other land uses.

The area incorporated within the development limit has been reduced in some settlements, relative to the previous Area Plan, to ensure general conformity with the RDS². This has been necessary because of the extensive land zonings of previous plans, added to, in the case of the North East Area Plan, by the extensive incorporation of significant areas of undeveloped ‘white land ’. In addition, there are a considerable number of peripheral caravan parks that the North East Area Plan included within the development limits. These have now been excluded from the development limits because their development for permanent housing would result in a major distortion of the housing allocation, would be visually undesirable, and would lead to a loss of a considerable part of the existing stock of tourist accommodation to the potential detriment of local tourism. Similarly, existing recreational land on the periphery of settlements has been excluded because its development is neither necessary nor desirable.

In addition, the Plan identifies the major areas of existing open space within the development limits as advised by PPS 8: Open Space, Sport and Outdoor Recreation.

In the larger villages, the Plan identifies a small number of suitable sites which will be held for appropriate commercial purposes where, otherwise, the opportunity for small-scale businesses might not be accommodated.

In the hamlets, where potential development is small scale, land is not zoned for specific purposes to ensure flexibility.