Pollock Park & Gibson's Hill Proposal

Area Plan Context The Craigavon Area Plan 2010 was adopted in August 2004, and includes a settlement hierarchy for the area which is set out within ‘Policy SETT 1 – Settlement Limit’. The Plan identifies Lurgan as part of the ‘Craigavon Urban Area’ (comprising Craigavon, Lurgan and Portadown), and Gibson’s Hill is listed as a ‘smaller settlement’. The 2 no. development sites are reviewed in more detail below. Pollock Park As previously noted, Pollock Park is located within the development limit of ‘Craigavon Urban Area’ and identified as unzoned ‘whiteland’ within the Area Plan, as shown at Figure 4 . The site is surrounded by existing development on all sides, with lands to the south west and south east of the site zoned for additional housing through the Plan.

Figure 4 - Pollock Park Area Plan Extract

Gibson’s Hill Site Lands to the east of Gilford Road which have been identified for the new Sports Complex, fall outside of the development limits for both ‘Craigavon Urban Area’ and ‘Gibson’s Hill’ and within the Green Belt, as noted within the Area Plan (see Figure 5 ). It is important to note that Green Belt designations have been superseded through the introduction of ‘PPS 21 – Sustainable Development in the Countryside’, which came into effect in June 2010. ‘Policy CTY 1 – Development in the Countryside’ of PPS 21 lists ‘outdoor sport and recreational uses’ as an acceptable form of development in the countryside which will contribute to the aims of sustainable development in accordance with ‘PPS 8 – Open Space, Sport and Outdoor Recreation’. The intervening field between the site and Gilford Road to the west has been identified as a Local Landscape Policy Area (LLPA).

Figure 5 – Gibson’s Hill Area Plan Extract