Eight Apartments Proposed For Society Street Site In Coleraine

Plans have been submitted to demolish two buildings and construct eight apartments at a site in Coleraine town centre.

The application covers No.21 Society Street and a section of the rear yard and store serving No.22 New Row.

A planning statement submitted with the proposal outlines a three-and-a-half-storey building containing five one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments.

The homes would range in size from 50 to 66 square metres, with an internal staircase and passenger lift providing access to the upper floors.

The site lies between the Post Office operations yard and a neighbouring home at No.23 Society Street. It currently contains single and two-storey buildings, including a property described in the statement as a derelict former bookshop with a flat above.

The proposed building would have a rendered finish and a mansard roof, with the uppermost accommodation set within the roof space.

According to the supporting statement, the design aims to reflect the surrounding buildings through its roof height, proportions and vertically emphasised windows.

The site is within an Area of Townscape Character and an Area of Archaeological Potential.

The statement says further archaeological reports would be undertaken if required by the Historic Environment Division during consideration of the application.

No on-site car parking is proposed. The statement argues that the town centre location, nearby services and access to public transport support this approach.

An internal bin store would be provided, with external access for waste collection. The statement also points to nearby public open spaces as recreational provision for residents.

A biodiversity assessment identifies low potential for bat roosts in buildings assessed as part of the proposal and recommends emergence surveys before work begins. Other recommendations include protecting nesting birds and installing bat and bird boxes.

The statement records that a separate application for a commercial ground-floor store with a one-bedroom apartment above, on land behind No.22 New Row, was approved on 4 March 2025.

It argues that the latest proposal would bring a dilapidated site back into use, provide additional town centre housing and improve the Society Street frontage.

The application seeks full planning permission.