Draft Plan Strategy 2030

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

Our Draft Plan Strategy (DPS) and all associated documents are available to download from the Draft Plan Document Library section of this page. For further details you can also refer to our published list of documentation.

The draft Plan Strategy was published for a four-week period of pre-consultation running from 28 June 2019 to 25 July 2019. A formal period of public consultation ran from 26 July 2019 to 20 September 2019. 

All representations to the draft Plan Strategy were made publicly available for an 8-week period for counter representations which ran from Friday 11 October 2019 to Friday 6 December 2019.

All representations received to the Draft Plan Strategy are available to view and download from the Section 2A - C of our Formal Submission to DfI: 

 

In accordance with Regulation 19 of the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, all representations received to our DPS Counter Representation consultation were published for inspection.

All representations received to this consultation are available to view and download below from the Section 2D of our Formal Submission to DfI:

 

Please be aware that there is no opportunity to make any further representations at this time.

In accordance with Section 10 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and Regulation 20 of The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, the Council submitted its Local Development 2030 Draft Plan Strategy (DPS) and associated documents to the Department for Infrastructure (the Department) on 08 March 2021.

The submission of the documents to the Department (Submission Documents) forms the first step of the Independent Examination for the Local Development Plan process. In accordance with Regulation 21 of The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, the Council has advertised this step and the availability of the relevant documents within a Public Notice advertised during the week commencing 5 April 2021.

The documents submitted to the Department are provided in the Draft Plan Strategy Document Library section of this page, under the Draft Plan Submission section. In addition to the previously published information there are number of new documents included in this section including:

• Soundness Report and appendices (DPS-S-007A – G) – the self assessment of the Plan’s soundness;

• Public Consultation Report (DPS-S-001) and accompanying documentation (DPS-S-002 to DPS-S-004) setting out a summary of how the Council considered representations to our DPS, including two focussed papers in relation to housing growth (DPS-S-005) and affordable housing issues (DPS-S-006) raised during the public consultation on the DPS.

Please be aware that there is no opportunity to make further representations at this time.

As a consequence of current COVID-19 restrictions, the submission documents will not be available for public inspection at either of its Council offices at this time.

When restrictions allow, the submission documents will be available to view in person by appointment only, between 08:30 and 17:00hrs at Mossley Mill (Carnmoney Northern, Road, Newtownabbey) and Antrim Civic Centre (50 Stiles Way, Antrim). Alternatively, hard copies are also available by post upon request, however these may incur a charge. Please contact  planning@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or by telephone the Planning Section on 0300 123 6677 to make an appointment.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council – Local Development Plan
Submission List of Documents submitted to the DfI for the purposes of causing an Independent Examination.

Following the Council’s submission in March 2021, the Department requested some minor additional information in relation to the Council’s original soundness report (DPS-S-007A) which does not impact on the overall soundness of the Plan.
 
As a result, the Council has prepared the following additional information:
 

• Original Soundness Report (DPS-S-007A) has been updated and superseded with an updated version (May 2021) which includes a list of errata (DPS-S-007A1) and a Soundness Report Addendum (DPS-S-007A2);
• Appendix 1 (DPS-S-007B) of Section 4 of the Council’s DfI Submission section has been updated and superseded with Appendix 1A (DPS-S-007B1) in order to signpost the public to this latest soundness-related information; and
• Updated ANBC Formal submission of Documents List May 2021 - Annex A1

Other timetables are contained within Appendix 5 (DPS-S-007F) of Section 4 of the DfI Documents Submission Section.

Click here to view the formal submission of documents list.

Latest News – Draft Plan Strategy – Completion of PAC Advisory Report

Following the conclusion of the Independent Examination of the Council’s Draft Plan Strategy in June 2022, the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) has now completed its Advisory Report. On 4 October 2023, the PAC forwarded this Advisory Report to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) for consideration. This report has not been issued to the Council, and its release is a matter for the Department.

Whilst the Council is not aware of the detailed content of the report, it is expected to make recommendations to the Department as to whether the Draft Plan Strategy should be adopted with, or without modifications, or withdrawn. The report will also give reasons for those recommendations. The Department estimates that its consideration should take approximately 12 weeks, however this timescale will depend on the nature and scale of the recommendations made, and implications for any modifications required.

Having considered the Advisory Report from the PAC, the Department will issue a Direction to the Council instructing that the Draft Plan Strategy is adopted with or without modifications, or that it is withdrawn.

Further updates on the progress of the Council’s Local Development Plan, including the Draft Local Policies Plan, will be provided here, in the Latest News. Alternatively, you can sign up to receive our Local Development Plan emails to keep up to date with the progress of the Plan and any upcoming events. If you would like to receive these emails, please send your details, including name, address and email address to planning@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk, or download and complete the ‘Community Involvement’ form HERE and forward it to the Planning Section via post or email. 

(contact details can be found at the bottom of this page).