Local Development Plans

We are preparing a new Local Development Plan (LDP) for the Borough that will look forward to the year 2030.

The purpose of the new LDP will be to inform the public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested parties of how the Borough should develop in the years ahead.
The Plan will balance competing demands and aim to ensure that good development occurs in the right place, at the right time. It will contain policies and proposals that will be used in determining planning applications. A good plan will lead to decisions that are consistent and people will know what to expect in terms of change, and the locations where development will be encouraged.

The Plan will be prepared in the context of the Council’s overall Corporate Plan and wider government policy including the Regional Development Strategy 2035 and the Strategic Planning Policy Statement. It will also take account of the Council's published Community Plan Love Living Here.
The new Local Development Plan has a number of key stages. Further guidance can be viewed in the Towards Preferred Options Document or on the Department for Infrastructure website. The local development plan preparation process is specified in the Planning (Northern Ireland) Act 2011 and the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

• What is the Local Development Plan?

  The Plan Strategy is one of two development Plan documents which, when read together will comprise the Local Development Plan (LDP) for the Borough. The second document is the Local Polices Plan (LPP) and this will be brought forward by the Council once the Plan Strategy has been adopted. 

  The LDP is a spatial land use Plan which is primarily about place. It will guide future development and use of land in our towns, villages, hamlets, and rural areas by addressing the spatial implications of social, economic, and environmental change. It is therefore a powerful tool for place-shaping. 
   
  The purpose of the LDP is to inform the public, statutory authorities, developers, and other interested parties of how our Borough should develop in the years ahead. It will balance competing demands and aims to ensure that appropriate development occurs in the right place at the right time. The policies and proposals of the LDP will be used to determine planning applications. A good LDP will lead to decisions that are consistent and people will know what to expect in terms of change, and the locations where development will be encouraged. 
   
  In summary, the LDP is intended to:

  • Provide a plan framework that will support the economic and social needs of our Borough up to 2030, taking into account regional strategies and policies, whilst providing for the delivery of sustainable development; 

  • Facilitate sustainable growth by co-ordinating public and private investment that will encourage development where it can be of most benefit to the wellbeing of our community;

  • Allocate sufficient land to meet the needs of our Borough;

  • Provide a plan-led framework for rational and consistent decision making;

  • Help deliver the spatial aspects of the Community Plan; and

  • Provide an opportunity for all stakeholders and in particular our residents to have a say about where and how development within our Borough should take place.

• Local Development Plan Timetable

  The Council is required to publish a Local Development Plan Timetable under the requirements of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.
  Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in compliance with the Chief Planner's update (DfI, May 2020), the Council has published a Revised Timetable with indicative dates for the main stages of the Local Development Plan. This Revised Timetable (Revised Timetable 2020) replaces previous versions of the Council's LDP Timetable, which were published in July 2018 and January 2016. 
  
  To view the Timetable please click here
  
  Alternatively, it is available to view in person by appointment only, during normal office hours at Mossley Mill, Carnmoney Road North, Newtownabbey, and Antrim Civic Centre, 50 Stiles Way, Antrim. 
  
  Copies are also available by post upon request. To make an appointment please contact planning@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or T. 0300 123 6677.

• Statement of Community Involvement

  The Council has published a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) including how we will engage with you during the local development plan process. Details of the SCI can be viewed here.

  
  Statement of Community Involvement Update
  The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) refers to the project management team for the Local Development Plan being involved in the Sustainability Appraisal for the Plan.
  
  The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has now written to all councils following concerns regarding the extent to which statutory consultation bodies should provide input into the sustainability appraisal. The key issue relates to DAERA which, because it has a role in relation to the discharge of its functions as the consultation body for the purposes of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations (NI 2004), may be viewed as having a conflict of interest. DfI is currently considering reviewing its guidance.
  
  It is considered that there is no detriment to the Council’s Local Development Plan at this time. The Shared Environmental Service (SES), which has been appointed to carry out the necessary assessment, undertook the assessment of Preferred Options Paper with Council officers and nominated party representatives.
  
  The Forward Planning Team will continue to liaise with SES regarding the assessment of the next stages of the plan and who should be involved. At this stage, it is proposed that that section of DAERA that is involved in the Sustainability Appraisal will not take part in the Council’s appraisal of any Local Development Plan document.

• Departmental Changes

  Since the publication of the Statement of Community Involvement, the number of Government Departments were reduced and renamed. Where a reference is made in the Statement of Community Involvement to the Local Development Plan and Department of Environment and Department for Regional Development, the subject functions are now within the Department of Infrastructure; likewise, the Department for Social Development is now the Department for Communities.

• Independent Examination and Soundness

  Each stage of the Local Development Plan will be published in draft for a period of publication and will be subject to an Independent Examination. 
  
  The purpose of the Independent Examination is to determine whether the plan satisfies statutory requirements and is sound. Soundness is a new requirement in the Local Development Plan process and will be based on 12 tests set out in the Department of Infrastructure’s Development Plan Practice Note 06 Soundness.
  If you are interested in the Local Development Plan and consider you may wish to make a representation to the plan during the period of public consultation, it is recommended that you read Development Plan Practice Note 06 which can be accessed here to familiarise yourself with the new tests that the plan will be assessed under.
  
  It is also recommended that you read the Planning Appeals Commission “Procedures for Independent Examination of Local Development Plan” which can be accessed here. This sets out the stages of the Independent Examination and how your response (known as a representation) to the plan will be taken forward.
  The Planning Appeals Commission strongly advise that people who make representations seeking to change a plan state clearly why they consider the plan to be unsound, having regard to the tests in DPPN 06. To assist, the Council will develop a form to accompany the plan, as recommended by the Planning Appeals Commission, at the time of public consultation to assist in making representations.
  
  Further information on representations can be found in the Department of Infrastructure’s Development Plan Practice Note 09 Submission and Handling of Representations which can be viewed here.

• Housing Monitor

  Monitoring will be a critical element in accessing the delivery of the Local Development Plan (LDP) once it is adopted and published. The Council will therefore regularly update data, review land use decisions and work with its partners in order to identify how the LDP is meeting its Strategic Objectives and what issues or new opportunities are emerging within the Borough.
  
  In view of the importance of monitoring in delivery of the LDP, the new planning system introduced in 2015 requires the Council to prepare an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) following the adoption of its LDP to be submitted each year to the Department for Infrastructure. As a minimum the AMR will specify the housing land supply, the number of net additional housing units built, the supply of land for economic development purposes; and such other issues as appear to the Council to be relevant in the implementation of the LDP. The Council will also be required to undertake regular reviews of their LDP at least every 5 years from the date of adoption of the Local Policies Plan and submits its findings to the Department. The AMR and 5-year reviews of the Plan required under planning legislation will ensure the LDP is effectively monitored on an on-going basis. 
  As part of the plan preparation, the Council has already undertaken monitoring of housing land availability within all our settlements. The purpose of the Housing Monitor is to: -

  • Monitor the course of housing development in settlements with regard to the Regional Development Strategy (RDS);

  • Monitor progress of housing development in settlements in accordance with the provisions of prevailing Development Plans;

  • Inform the preparation of our new Local Development Plan with regard to the allocation of land for housing; and

  • Provide information on the available potential for further housing development in settlements.

   
  A copy of the following Housing Monitor reports for the following years are available to download below:

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2015 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2017 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2018 period  - click here

  • ANBC Housing monitor for the 2019 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2020 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2021 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2022 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2023 period - click here

  • ANBC Housing Monitor for the 2024 period - click here

  The Housing Monitor for the 2024 period can also be viewed on the interactive map viewer

   
  You may also request a copy of the Council’s Housing Monitor by contacting us (details at the bottom of this page). 

• Employment Monitor

  Monitoring will be a critical element in accessing the delivery of the Local Development Plan (LDP) once it is adopted and published. The Council will therefore regularly update data, review land use decisions and work with its partners in order to identify how the LDP is meeting its Strategic Objectives and what issues or new opportunities are emerging within the Borough.

  In view of the importance of monitoring in delivery of the LDP, the new planning system introduced in 2015 requires the Council to prepare an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) following the adoption of its LDP to be submitted each year to the Department for Infrastructure. As a minimum the AMR will specify a supply of sufficient land is maintained for future economic development; the amount of employment land available for development in Strategic Employment Locations and Local Employment sites identified through the Draft Plan Strategy (DPS) process.

  An Employment Land Evaluation Report (ELER) 2019 was prepared in support of our Local Development Plan (LDP) 2030 – Evidence Paper 3 ‘Economic Growth’, and identified nineteen sites designated as ‘Strategic Employment Locations’ (SEL); seventeen of these zonings coming forward from extant development plans. The DPS also identified a need a further two SEL sites, one in Antrim, and one in Ballyclare.

  Since publication of the DPS and supporting ELER in July 2019, Officers from the Forward Planning Section have prepared annual ELER monitoring reports using survey information gathered each year from April to March, building on the 2019 baseline.

  The ELER Monitor ‘Remaining Employment Lands’ does not interpret the information gathered, nor is it an exact science. However, it continues to form part of the evidence base for the LDP and will be used to inform judgements on future industrial and economic development growth provided through the Plan. This is consistent with the Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS) which states,

  A fundamental role for LDPs is to ensure that there is an ample supply of suitable land available to meet economic development needs within the plan area… A system to monitor take up and loss of land allocated for economic development purposes as well as ongoing assessment of future requirements and trends will help to identify any shortfalls that may arise or highlight the need to reconsider the proposed use of sites”.

  • ANBC Employment Land Evaluation Report for the 2024 period - click here
• General Data Protection Regulation
  Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by producing a specific Local Development Plan Privacy Notice, which lets you know how we manage any personal information we receive from you. It contains the standards you can expect 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 here . All representations received will be published on our website and made available at Mossley Mill and Antrim Civic Centre for public inspection. All representations will be forwarded to the Department of Infrastructure in advance of Independent Examination.
• Next Steps

  The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) has completed its Advisory Report in relation to the Independent Examination of the Council’s Draft Plan Strategy. 

  Having considered the Advisory Report from the PAC, on 27 September 2024 Department for Infrastructure issued a Direction to the Council. The Draft Plan Strategy was found to be sound, subject to the 93 modifications identified by DfI. DfI now directs the Council to adopt the DPS under section 12(1)(b) of the Planning Act.

  Further details on the adoption of the Draft Plan Strategy, including links to the PAC Advisory Report and Departmental Direction, can be found here.

• Keeping Involved
  The Council wishes to encourage the ongoing involvement of the local community in the LDP process.  You can sign up to receive our Local Development Plan emails to keep up to date of the progress of the Plan and upcoming events.
  
  If you would like to receive our Local Development Plan emails, please send your details, including name, address and email address to planning@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or download the Community Involvement form here and forward it to the Planning Team via post or email (contact details can be found at the bottom of this page).