MKA PLANNING SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING SOCIAL HOUSING APPROVED IN GREENBELT OUTSIDE EGLINTON VILLAGE.

• 21st June 2017
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• mkaplanning

MKA Planning submitted an application for 14 no. social housing units at lands 56m South East of Broadbridge Primary School, 3 Coolafinney Road, Eglinton, on behalf of the Applicants Apex Housing Association and Kevin Watson Group.

This Application was for much need social housing in Eglinton and has now been approved recently at this month’s Planning Committee Meeting.

The NIHE identified a housing need projection for Eglinton for 30 units between 2015-20.There currently are 75 households on the NIHE waiting list for Eglinton. Of these, 47 households are in housing stress.  The NIHE fully supported this planning application and provided a formal letter supporting it and providing a housing mix for the scheme. 

 

After two community consultations evenings held in Eglinton it was evident that there was strong community support in Eglinton for this proposal.

There are site specific distinguishing features of this proposal which prevent any wide ranging precedent being created;

• This is an “island” site bounded by two roadways and a petrol filling station and primary school which creates a node of development at this location.
• The building of the A2 dual carriageway and the re-alignment of the Coolafinney Road create a unique development opportunity.
• The application is located 250 m from the village limit. It is not an extension of the village and therefore cannot constitute urban sprawl or mar the distinction between town and country.

MKA Planning were able to highlight that there were overriding reasons why the development was essential and could not be located in a settlement.  This proposal was clearly essential and with no available suitable land within Eglinton to meet the identified social housing need.

The Practice is happy to say that  councillors agreed with our analysis rather than their own planners and approved this planning application.

The full planning application can be viewed on the below link, Planning Ref No: LA11/20161002/F.

http://epicpublic.planningni.gov.uk/publicaccess/