Getting planning permission for a house in the countryside in Northern Ireland

Building a new house outside a settlement in Northern Ireland is possible, but it is carefully controlled. Permission is not granted simply because you own a field. The starting point is the planning policy that applies to that site, in that council area, at the time you apply.

This article explains the main policy routes for a countryside house and how to apply. It is general information, not a site-specific opinion. Always ask the relevant council planning office to confirm the current position.

Start with the policy that applies to your council

Most local planning applications in Northern Ireland are decided by the relevant council. Regional policy is set out in the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS), Edition 2. That document is material to Local Development Plans and to decisions on individual applications and appeals.

For many years, detailed countryside housing policy has been contained in Planning Policy Statement 21: Sustainable Development in the Countryside (PPS 21). PPS 21 defines the countryside as land lying outside settlement limits identified in development plans. Its CTY policies remain an important reference, but they do not automatically apply in every council area in the same way.

Under the transitional arrangements in the SPPS, retained policies such as PPS 21 are applied together with the SPPS until a council adopts a Plan Strategy for the whole of its area. Once that happens, the retained policy ceases to have effect in that district. This is confirmed on the Department for Infrastructure retained planning policy page (last updated 15 January 2026).

A number of councils have already adopted a Plan Strategy, and that list continues to change. We have not independently verified the adoption status of every council as at November 2026. Before you spend money on drawings, check whether your site is assessed against PPS 21, an adopted Local Development Plan, or both. Your local planning office can confirm this.

The main policy routes for a countryside house

Where PPS 21 still applies, Policy CTY 1 sets out the types of individual dwelling that may, in principle, be acceptable in the countryside. These include:

• a dwelling on a farm, under Policy CTY 10
• a small gap site within an otherwise substantial and continuously built-up frontage, under Policy CTY 8
• a replacement dwelling, under Policy CTY 3
• a dwelling within an existing cluster of buildings, under Policy CTY 2a
• the conversion and reuse of an existing building, under Policy CTY 4
• in more limited cases, a dwelling based on special personal or domestic circumstances (CTY 6), or to meet the essential needs of a non-agricultural business (CTY 7)

Even where a policy route appears to exist, the proposal must still be acceptably sited and designed, and must meet other requirements including access, drainage and road safety. Councils with an adopted Plan Strategy may use similar tests under their own policy names.

Dwellings on a farm (Policy CTY 10)

This is one of the most frequently discussed routes. Under PPS 21 Policy CTY 10, permission may be granted for a dwelling on an active and established farm, subject to criteria. In summary, the published policy requires that:

• the farm business is currently active and has been established for at least six years
• no dwellings or development opportunities have been sold off from the holding within ten years of the application
• the new dwelling is visually linked or sited to cluster with an established group of buildings on the farm

Access should use an existing lane where practicable. Exceptionally, an alternative site may be considered where there are demonstrable health and safety reasons, or verifiable plans to expand the farm business at the existing building group. If an active, established farm business cannot be evidenced, this route is unlikely to be appropriate.

Infill or gap sites (Policy CTY 8)

Policy CTY 8 says that permission will be refused for a building which creates or adds to a ribbon of development. There is a specific exception for a small gap site sufficient only to accommodate a maximum of two houses, within an otherwise substantial and continuously built-up frontage, provided the proposal respects the existing pattern of development and meets other planning requirements. For that policy, a substantial and built-up frontage includes a line of three or more buildings along a road frontage without accompanying development to the rear.

A roadside field between distant houses is not automatically an infill site.

Replacement dwellings and conversions

Policy CTY 3 deals with replacement dwellings and Policy CTY 4 with conversion and reuse of existing buildings. Both depend on what is lawfully present, and on the detailed tests in the relevant policy or Local Development Plan. Those tests should be read in full before any demolition or conversion is planned.

Design, access and how to apply

A policy route is only the first test. Proposals must also integrate with their surroundings. The Department’s Building on Tradition design guide remains useful official advice on rural siting and design. New accesses, landscape impact, drainage and non-mains sewerage can all determine the outcome.

nidirect guidance on making a planning application states that you can apply yourself or employ an agent. The application must include the correct fee and a location map. Your planning office can advise on the drawings and supporting information required, and can confirm the fee. Applications to the Department for Infrastructure and to 10 of the 11 councils can be submitted through the NI Planning Portal. Mid Ulster District Council has its own system. Plans submitted with an application appear on the public Planning Register. Our NI Planning Portal guide explains how to search, apply and track an application.

nidirect states that the council should make a decision within eight weeks, although it can take longer for large or complex applications. If an application is not determined within eight weeks, there is a right of appeal to the Planning Appeals Commission. We are not able to give a verified average decision time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a house in any field I own?

No. There must be a policy basis for the proposal, and the siting, design and other material considerations must be acceptable.

Does PPS 21 still apply to my site?

It depends on your council. If a Plan Strategy has been adopted for that area, retained PPS 21 policy no longer has effect there. If it has not, PPS 21 is still applied alongside the SPPS. Check with the council.

Is a farm dwelling allowed every ten years as of right?

No. Policy CTY 10 sets criteria that must be met, including an active and established farm business and appropriate siting.

What if I am not a farmer, but there is a gap between houses?

Only if the site genuinely meets Policy CTY 8, or the equivalent Local Development Plan policy. Many apparent gaps do not.

Can you guarantee that permission will be granted?

No. Our role is to assess the site, explain the realistic options, and, if instructed, prepare and manage an application.

This article is for general information only. It is not formal planning advice, a site appraisal, or a guarantee of planning permission. Always check the current position with the relevant council planning office.

Official sources

• Strategic Planning Policy Statement, Edition 2 (Department for Infrastructure)
• Retained planning policy (Department for Infrastructure)
• PPS 21: Sustainable Development in the Countryside (PDF)
• Building on Tradition design guide
• Getting help with planning (nidirect)
• Making a planning application (nidirect)
• The planning system and development management (nidirect)
• Planning offices in Northern Ireland (nidirect)
• NI Planning Portal

Free guide: download our House in the Countryside guide at https://niplanningpermission.co.uk/free-planning-guides/