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Department for Infrastructure Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, Adoption of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Plan Strategy (s12) Direction 2023 Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 [‘the Act’] and Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 Following the Independent Examination of the Local Development Plan draft Plan Strategy (April – May 2022) the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) issued a Direction on 28 June 2023 under Section 12 (1) (b) of the Act directing Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council to adopt the draft Plan Strategy with the modifications specified in the Direction. The DfI Direction (with all required modifications) and the report of the Planning Appeals Commission Independent Examination are available at the following links: For a copy of the PAC report please click here For a copy of the DfI direction please click here |
Local Development Plan – Submission of draft Plan Strategy for Independent Examination
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PLANNING (LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN) REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2015
LISBURN & CASTLEREAGH CITY COUNCIL LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2032, DRAFT PLAN STRATEGY – SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION AND AVAILABILITY OF SUBMISSION DOCUMENTS
In accordance with Regulation 20 of The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, the Council has submitted its Local Development Plan 2032, draft Plan Strategy to the Department for Infrastructure on 22nd March 2021. The submission of documents to the Department for Infrastructure is the next step in the Independent Examination stage for the Local Development Plan.
In accordance with Regulation 21 of the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, the Council has given notice and advertised this step informing of the availability of the submitted draft Plan Strategy and associated documents.
The list of documents submitted with the draft Plan Strategy is provided under the Submission Documents Library and are also available for inspection at the Planning Unit, Civic Headquarters, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn BT27 4RL during normal office hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) by appointment only, so that the appropriate health and safety arrangements for COVID-19 can be properly managed.
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has published its draft Plan Strategy, the first stage of the new Local Development Plan 2032, for public consultation.
The Plan Strategy for Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is the first document in a two-stage process, the second being the Local Policies Plan. Together these will constitute the council’s new Local Development Plan.
The draft Plan Strategy provides the strategic direction for the council area over a 15 year period, which will be reviewed following adoption of the Local Policies Plan. The draft Plan Strategy aims to promote and deliver sustainable development by improving the overall quality of life and wellbeing across the entire council district up to 2032.
Contained within this draft plan strategy are Strategic Policies underpinned by a suite of Operational Policies which are the means of securing appropriate high quality development meeting both the needs of residents and the council. The Plan Strategy is based on six objectives which will help shape the council area over the Plan period.
How we got here
Publication of the draft Plan Strategy follows the publication of the Preferred Options Paper (POP) on 30th March 2017 which included an eight week public consultation period ending on 25th May 2017.
A Public Consultation Report detailing those representations to the POP was published in September 2017. The council in accordance with relevant legislation and regional guidance is preparing its Local Development Plan in four stages shown in the figure below.
The Draft Plan Strategy
The draft Plan Strategy takes account of the particular characteristics of our district and the views of our residents, council members and key consultees. It provides the statutory policy framework for the future development of the council area from 2017-2032 aligned with the council’s Community Plan.
The draft Plan Strategy sets out how the area will develop and grow over the period up to 2032. It will provide the strategic policy framework across a range of areas such as housing, employment, tourism and infrastructure. It takes account of the ‘Regional Development Strategy 2035’ (RDS), the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) and other advice and guidance issued by the Northern Ireland Government.
The draft Plan Strategy contains strategic policies and the following six objectives:
A: A Quality Place
B: A Thriving Place
C: A Vibrant Place
D: An Attractive Place
E: A Green Place
F: A Connected Place
Formal Consultation
The draft Plan Strategy was published for formal consultation on Friday 8th November 2019 closing at 5pm on Friday 10th January 2020.
Copies of the draft Plan Strategy and supporting documents are available to view and download from the links below and are available in different formats upon request.
Part 1 Plan Strategy
Part 2 Operational Policies
Supplementary Planning Guidance
Our online map viewer can be accessed on our ArcGIS page
A Summary Document of the draft Plan Strategy is also available to view and download.
Representations to draft Plan Strategy
The representations submitted in response to the public consultation on the draft Plan Strategy and the supporting documents are now available by clicking here.
Representations are also available for inspection for eight weeks from 9am on Friday 21 February 2020 to 5pm on Friday 17th April 2020 at the council’s Civic Headquarters during normal office hours at the following address:
Civic Headquarters
Lagan Valley Island
Lisburn
Co. Antrim
BT27 4RL
After the period for counter-representations has closed, the council will collate the counter-representations received and publish these on our website and make them available for public inspection Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm by contacting the Planning Unit, 2nd floor, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, BT27 4RL.
After this the council will make contact with the Department for Infrastructure to cause an Independent Examination of the draft Plan Strategy to be held.
All representations will be forwarded to the Department of Infrastructure in advance of the Independent Examination being held.
General Data Protection Regulation
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) producing a specific Local Development Plan Privacy Notice, which sets out how any personal information we receive from you is managed. The notice contains the standards required that you can expect of the council when we ask for, or hold, your personal information and an explanation of our information management security policy.
A copy of our Local Development Plan Privacy Notice is available by clicking here. All representations received to the draft Plan Strategy will be published on our website and made available for public inspection Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm by contacting the Planning Unit, 2nd floor, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, BT27 4RL.
Accompanying Assessments & Technical Supplements
The following Assessments to the draft Plan Strategy are available to view and download from Friday 8th November 2019 in line with the commencement of the formal 9 week public consultation period.
- Sustainability Appraisal of the Draft Plan Strategy (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Sustainability Appraisal Report
- Sustainability Appraisal of the Draft Plan Strategy (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Non-technical Summary
- Sustainability Appraisal of the Draft Plan Strategy (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Scoping Report
- Draft Habitats Regulations Assessment Report of the Draft Plan Strategy
- The Draft Equality (Section 75) Screening Report of the Draft Plan Strategy
- The Rural Needs Impact Assessment of the Draft Plan Strategy
A range of Technical Supplements have also been produced which provide the evidence base to the draft Plan Strategy which are available to view and download from Friday 8th November 2019 in line with the commencement of the formal 9 week public consultation period.
Technical Supplement 1 – Housing Growth Study
Technical Supplement 2 – Urban Capacity Study
Technical Supplement 3 – Employment Land Review
Technical Supplement 4 – Office Capacity Study
Technical Supplement 5 – Retail Capacity Study
Technical Supplement 6 – Countryside Assessment
Technical Supplement 7 – Open Space, Sport and Outdoor Recreation
Technical Supplement 8 – Local Transport Study
Position Papers
3 Employment and Economic Development
4 Retailing, Offices and Town Centres
6 Telecommunications, Public Services and Utilities
10 Development Constraints (Flood Risk, Drainage and Minerals)
12 Open Space, Sport and Outdoor Recreation
14 Education, Health, Community & Cultural Facilities
Consultation and Engagement Strategy
With the progression of the Plan Strategy we recognise that consultation with our neighbouring councils provides the opportunity to fulfil the following aims:-
- identify cross boundary issues in the areas of economic development, housing, transport and general infrastructure;
- advise neighbouring councils of matters of collective interest including the evidence base which informs the Plan Strategy;
- seek agreement and co-operation, where possible, on the cross boundary issues identified;
- ensure that regional policy development, local transport plans and joint working is appropriately linked to the decision making role.
This Consultation and Engagement Strategy focuses specifically on how we achieve these aims with those neighbouring councils who are defined as a statutory consultee as set out in Part 1 Section 2 (1(b) ) of The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.
Soundness
The draft Plan Strategy will be examined at Independent Examination in regard to its soundness. In accordance with the new Local development Plan System, it is important that any representation or counter-representation engage with the 12 tests of soundness, which refer to the process by which the draft Plan Strategy was prepared.
Procedural tests
Consistency tests
Coherence and effectiveness tests
Any representation seeking to alter the draft Plan Strategy should clearly state why they consider the document to be unsound having due regard to the tests above. It is important that any representation which is made indicates the most appropriate soundness test(s) which it is believed the draft Plan Strategy fails to meet. It should be noted that there will be no further opportunity to submit additional information once the formal consultation period has closed unless the Examiner requests such information.
Those who make a representation seeking to alter the draft Plan Strategy should also state whether they wish to be heard orally at the examination. Unless people specifically request a hearing, the Examiner will proceed on the basis that they are content for their representation(s) to be considered in written form only.
Further information
It may be useful to refer to the Department for Infrastructure’s ‘Development Plan Practice Note 06 - Soundness’ available on the Department for Infrastructure website, www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
The Planning Appeals Commission have also produced guidance entitled ‘Procedures for Independent Examination of Local Development Plans’ available on the Planning Appeals Commission website, www.pacni.gov.uk