Northern Ireland Planning Service

Northern Area Plan 2016
Strategic Plan Framework: Tourism Tourist Accommodation in the Countryside

Policy TOU 3 Tourist Accommodation in the Countryside
Planning permission for the development of holiday accommodation in the countryside will not be permitted except where all the following circumstances apply:
  • the scheme is small in scale and meets an identified need for tourist accommodation in the local area;
  • the scheme integrates visually into the landscape and is not overly prominent, and
  • the scale and design of buildings and landscaping reflect the local traditional vernacular.
Within Areas of Outstanding Beauty, in addition to the above criteria, only proposals for the change of use of existing vernacular buildings and structures will be considered acceptable. Where this is not feasible, any proposal should be placed on the same site with development of appropriate design and no greater footprint and mass.
All tourist accommodation in the countryside will be for short-term rental only and for no other type of occupation, and applicants will be required to enter into a legal agreement to this effect.
There will continue to be provision for some small-scale, sensitively designed, holiday accommodation development located on sites in the countryside with minimal visual impact, provided this will make a significant contribution to the local tourism economy. The extensive development of second homes of recent years has adversely affected the quality of the environment in some coastal areas and such proposals will no longer be acceptable. In determining applications for such proposals the Department will take into account existing developments and planning permissions in the area to ensure that, cumulatively, there is not a surplus of such accommodation in the locality.
Within the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, only sites where there is an existing structural commitment in the landscape in the form of substantial vernacular buildings will be considered acceptable, in principle, for tourism-related residential development. The Department will expect any proposal for the replacement of existing vernacular buildings to be accompanied by a structural statement, prepared by an appropriately qualified professional. Any proposal that involves replacement buildings will be limited to no greater a footprint or mass than the original buildings.
The Department will require any acceptable approved tourist units on rural sites to be included in a register of available accommodation for holiday renting. Where proposals meet these tests, applicants will be required to enter into a legally binding agreement whereby they undertake to make the accommodation permanently available for shortterm letting.
Previous Next