Places for People A sustainable planning guide for councillors Mid Ulster Contents Introduction Your Local Council .........................................................................................................................................................................................................04 Northern Ireland is in Effectively, your council is now Background ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................06 transition to new forms of responsible for making decisions Sustainable Development ................................................................................................................................................................................... 08 that will shape the future of your Community Planning ...................................................................................................................................................................................................10 governance, service delivery area. Working in partnership with Themes and community development. other agencies, organisations and .......................................................................................................................................................................... • Coping with climate change 12 A new era has begun for local the people in your community, your ........................................................................................................................................................................... • Creating a vibrant economy 16 government; eleven newly created council is required to deliver balanced ......................................................................................................................................................... • Supporting health and well-being 20 councils with a suite of additional social, economic and environmental ..................................................................................................... • Conserving and enhancing the natural environment 24 responsibilities will aim to strengthen wellbeing. It is fundamental that all ................................................................................................................................................................................ • Sustainable communities 28 local governance processes and future development incorporates the ............................................................................................................................................................................................ • Our protected places 32 deliver more effective and responsive concept of sustainability; achieving .................................................................................................................................................. • Preserving our historic environment 36 public services. economic prosperity whilst sensibly • Promoting responsible tourism ..............................................................................................................................................................40 managing your natural and built assets • Encouraging active travel ................................................................................................................................................................................44 This system should be able to take and responding to the local needs of • Energy efficiency and renewable energy ......................................................................................................................................48 action to meet the needs of local all citizens. • Enhancing leisure and recreation ...........................................................................................................................................................52 citizens in a more modern, accountable and efficient governance structure that This handbook aims to help inform Acknowledgements will entail local planning, regeneration you of the key principles of sustainable development, exploring the themes This handbook has been complied by Dr Aisling Murphy and Dr Karen Jenkinson. and economic development amongst the functions being transferred from that require careful consideration central government. when making planning decisions. Image Credits P.28 Belfast City (Tourism NI) After outlining the diverse range of This publication has been illustrated by the kind P.30 Dalriada Festival, Glenarm (Tourism NI) natural and built heritage assets that permission of: P.31 Skainos (Skainos) Cover: Beaghmore Stones (NIEA) P.32 Portmore Lough Nature Reserve (Andy Hay, are unique to your council area, eleven P.3 Guillemot (Andy Hay, RSPB Images) RSPB Images) themes are explored to demonstrate P.4 Benburb Castle (Tourism NI), Augher Castle P.33 Strangford Lough (Tourism NI), Binevenagh Dungannon (Tourism NI) Mountain (Tourism NI) how sustainability can be achieved, P.5 Sperrins (Tourism NI) P.34 Glenariff (Tourism NI) using case studies from each council P.6 North Antrim Coast (Tourism NI) P.35 Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre (Hufton and Crow) area to illustrate good practice. P.9 The Mall, Armagh (Tourism NI) P.37 Antrim Round Tower (NIEA) P.10 Upper Lough Erne (Tourism NI) P.38 Dunluce Castle (NIEA) P.11 Moy Village (Tourism NI) P.39 Lisburn Castle Gardens (Lisburn City Council) P.12 Mourne Gorse Fires (Garry Harper) P.40 North Antrim Coast (Tourism NI) P.13 Flooding at Moira (Alan Lewis, Photopress Belfast) P.42 Belcoo Fermanagh Lakelands (Tourism NI), P.14 Extreme Weather Events (Tourism NI) Bushmills Distillery (Tourism NI), Derry-Londonderry P.15 Omagh Enhanced Local Hospital (Todd Architects/ Walls (NIEA) Hall Black and Douglas Architects) P.43 Mourne Mountains (Tourism NI) P.17 Titanic Belfast (Tourism NI) P.44-45 Derry-Londonderry Peace Bridge (Sustrans) P.18 The Mac, Belfast (Tourism NI) P.46 Lagan Meadows (Tourism NI) P.19 Clady to the Sperrins (Tourism NI) P.47 Hazelbank Park (Sustrans) P.21 Bouldering at Bloody Bridge, Newcastle (Tourism NI) P.48-49 Sustainable Housing in Newtownabbey (NIHE) P.22 Alive Surf School, Portrush (Tourism NI) P.50 Slieve Kirk Wind Farm (Action Renewables) P.23 Tulacorr Allotments, Strabane (North West Healthy P.51 Bangor Castle (NIEA) Living, Community Gardens and Allotments Project) P.52-53 Mountain Biking at Rostrevor (Tourism NI) P.24 Rathlin Island Seals (Tourism NI) P.54 Loughshore Park, Jordanstown (Tourism NI), P.26 Curlew (Andy Hay, RSPB Images), Walking in Fermanagh (Tourism NI) Yellowhammer (Tom Marshall, RSPB Images) P.55 Lower Bann Canoe Trail (Canoe NI) P.27 Oxford Island (Tourism NI), Puffin (Andy Hay, RSPB Images) 3 Benburb Castle Natural Heritage Mid Ulster contains a rich array of environmental assets. These sites are protected using various landscape designations to ensure that our natural environment retains its special characteristics, delicate ecosystems and unique biodiversity. Among these designations are the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Wolf Island Bog and Peatlands Park Special Areas of Conservation, plus the nature reserves at Ballynahone Bog and Washing Bay. With forests at Drum Manor and Ballyronan Wood, together with valuable wetland habitats and species found on the Black Bog and Lough Neagh, the district has a plethora of areas with real environmental importance. There are many more high-quality assets located throughout Mid Ulster, including those Mid Ulster that are not given special protection. Our parks, forests and open spaces all require similar attention so that we sensitively manage and utilise these assets to their full potential. Our unique heritage can be used for cultural, educational and leisure purposes, supporting our Northern Ireland is blessed with an tourism industry and economy and enhancing the quality of life and well-being of our citizens. abundance of precious and unique Landscape designations include: natural and built heritage assets. • 1 Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty • 10 Special Areas of Conservation Our natural environment is made up of many scenic • 6 Nature Reserves • 4 Ramsar sites landscapes, stunning coastlines and impressive • 2 Special Protection Areas • 52 Areas of Special Scientific Interest mountain ranges, all of which are home to a diverse range of habitats, wildlife and species. Our built heritage is represented in many historic places that include buildings of architectural significance, treasured monuments, heritage gardens and fascinating archaeological sites. These heritage assets have so much to offer; they are the foundation on which our tourism industry and economy Sperrins thrives, they provide plentiful opportunities for leisure and recreation, they offer high quality living environments, Built Heritage and they contribute to the distinct landscape character of Northern Ireland. Our built environment has evolved over many hundreds of years to produce a rich and diverse cultural heritage. There are many elements of our historic environment – from the remains Throughout the region many of these sites are easily of remote ancient settlements and castles, ritual sites and tombs, and the many buildings recognisable, but there are also many lesser known of architectural importance in our cities, towns and villages. It is important that we give sites of real importance that contribute greatly to the