Architecture and Masterplanning in Armagh
Before land in Armagh can go for planning, someone has to show how many homes fit and how they will look. We start with a capacity study, then develop a masterplan that respects neighbours, trees, levels and drainage. The design is tested for cost and buildability at every stage, so what gets approved is something that can actually be built.
Armagh · BT61Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Sites we take on near Armagh
We cover Armagh as part of County Armagh. It is about 10 miles south-west of Portadown, around postcode district BT61. Portadown is the closest neighbouring place we cover, at about 10 miles, followed by Dungannon and Lurgan.
Near Armagh, we look at sites that need a fresh planning strategy, schemes that need redesigning to work and land with an expired or ageing consent. Because Armagh is in Northern Ireland, land titles are registered with Land & Property Services (Land Registry and Registry of Deeds) and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us the site address near Armagh and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
Our approach in Armagh
Clear plans for landowners
We explain drawings in plain terms, so you can see how your land would be used, where the access runs and what land might be left over.
Funded on promotion
Where we promote your land, the design work is part of the planning work we fund, recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning.
Capacity studies
We test several layouts to show what a site could realistically take, allowing for access, open space, drainage and the separation distances councils expect between homes.
Design codes followed
Where a council has adopted a design code or design guide, we design to it and explain in the design statement how the scheme responds.
Planning in Armagh: the Northern Irish rules
Countryside planning policy in Northern Ireland is generally restrictive, so land inside or next to the settlement development limits around Armagh is usually the strongest prospect for new homes. Outline planning permission can establish the principle, with reserved matters approved later. A promotion agreement lets us fund that planning work, with our costs recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning. Your reasonable legal fees are covered too, agreed in the heads of terms.
In Northern Ireland, design is assessed under the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and the council's local development plan, with Creating Places, the regional guide to residential layout, still widely used. Building regulations approval is handled by council building control, and new roads usually need to meet Department for Infrastructure standards for adoption.
| National planning policy | Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS, Edition 2), applied with retained Planning Policy Statements until each council adopts its Plan Strategy |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP), made up of a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| Developer contributions | Section 76 planning agreements under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (there is no Community Infrastructure Levy) |
Architecture and Masterplanning in Armagh: questions
What is a masterplan?
A masterplan is a drawing and supporting document that shows how a larger site will be laid out: where the homes, roads, footpaths, open space and drainage go, and how the site will be built in phases. It gives the council and the community a clear picture of the scheme before detailed designs are prepared for each phase.
How many homes could my land take?
It depends on the size and shape of the site, the access, the character of the area, the open space and drainage the scheme needs, and local planning policy on density. Sites of the same size can have very different capacities. A capacity study is the reliable way to answer the question, and our free site appraisal gives an indicative figure.
How do you make new homes fit in with existing streets?
We study the scale, materials, building lines and spaces of the surrounding area and design homes and streets that respond to them. On a village edge that might mean lower density and more landscaping; in a town, homes that follow the existing street pattern. Early talks with planning officers and neighbours help shape the design.
Do new housing schemes need sustainable drainage?
In most cases, yes. National and local policy usually expects new developments to manage rainwater sustainably, for example with swales, ponds and permeable paving. In Wales, most new developments need separate approval from the local SuDS approving body. We design drainage into the layout from the start, because it can take up a real share of the site.
Do you take on planning and building work in Armagh?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Armagh and elsewhere in County Armagh, including Portadown and Lurgan. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Architecture and Masterplanning · Guide: Planning permission explained for landowners