Work outlined to help make Maghera a 'vibrant and welcoming' town

Lodged by agent RPS Group on behalf of the council, the application seeks permission to make improvements to the existing footpaths and spaces; plant new trees and replace others; erect new street and feature lighting and erect new street furniture and railings and replace others.

It is also seeking permission to reconfigure on street parking and realign roadside kerbs and create a new pedestrian crossing on Lower Main Street.

The work will take place on lands adjacent to 1-5 Glen Road, 2-122 Main Street, Maghera Day Centre; 2-53 Coleraine Road; 2-48 Hall Street; 1-19 Fair Hill; 2-12 Bank Square; 1-6 Martins Terrace; 1-43 Church Street; 20 Tirkane Road, 7 Meeting House Avenue and Maghera Presbyterian Church.

According to the application form, the area of the site is 3.9 hectares and the work is intended to help make the town a “vibrant, welcoming place where people work in partnership to create a thriving town reflecting its unique culture and heritage” according to a design and access statement submitted with the report.

The primary focus of the scheme is to “improve the existing public realm within the project area, creating a more walkable and easily navigable public realm environment, whilst improving the aesthetics of the overall streetscape”.

Natural stone paving, trim and kerb materials will be used to provide consistency with the materials used in a recently completed public realm scheme in the area.

Cyclists will be catered for in the town centre with the inclusion of cycle stands and drinking facilities and on-street parking spaces will be improved to accord to current DfI Roads guidelines on space requirements for both able-bodied and less able-bodied users.

A report presented to members of the committee on Monday, January 9, notes no objections were received in relation to this application and recommends the application is approved, noting “this proposal is in keeping with the relevant policy considerations”.

Lodged on Monday, July 11, the application was validated on Wednesday, July 20. Council’s planners had set an internal target date of Wednesday, November 2 for the application.

At January’s meeting of the planning committee, the chair of the committee, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan noted every member would have a conflict of interest before a proposal to approve the application, in line with planning officers’ recommendation, was put forward by Council’s Chair, Councillor Cora Corry and seconded by Councillor Gavin Bell.