Proposed boat shed deemed ‘visually intrusive’ in Carnlough coastal area

The site for a proposed boat shed at Bay Road, Carnlough on the Antrim coast.

A planning application for the construction of a boat shed in Carnlough has been refused by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

The proposal sought retention of a concrete slab and permission to erect a boat shed to replace an existing store at Bay Road. The proposed structure would measure approximately 5 metres by 2.8 metres and stand 2.85 metres high.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Rivers advised that the site lies “wholly within a coastal floodplain”.

A development management officer’s report described the location as an “open parcel of scrub land on the seaward side of the road”. A wooden open-sided structure and concrete slab are currently in place.

Site location map for the proposed boat shed on Bay Road, Carnlough.

The report noted the site falls within the Larne Coast Special Countryside Area and the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It stated that all proposals for development in the countryside must be “sited and designed to integrate sympathetically with their surroundings and to meet other planning and environmental requirements, including those for drainage, access and road safety”.

The report explained:

“A Special Countryside Area (SCA) is designated on the Larne Coast in order to protect the exceptional landscape, unique amenity value and environmental assets associated with the natural and historic environment of this area.

“This SCA forms part of the Causeway Coastal Route and is of unique amenity value for tourists and visitors. The proposed boat shed would adversely impact the SCA by reason of its effect on the undeveloped character of the coastal area.

“The proposed shed is incompatible with the unique scenic value and character of this area of the AONB. The shed would be visually intrusive when travelling along the road and is not sited or designed to integrate with the landscape.

“It is considered that the proposed shed would appear visually obtrusive and prominent in this sensitive landscape. Key views of this coastal site would be significantly harmed, resulting in a detrimental impact on the high scenic quality and character of the AONB.”

Design elevations of the proposed boat shed on Bay Road, Carnlough.

The report concluded that the proposed “design, materials and finishes are not of a high quality and are more akin to an industrial-style shed”.

It added: “The proposal would have an adverse impact on the undeveloped character of the coastal area and on the views along the coast and out to sea.”