Local Development Plan A Summary of our Preferred Address: Planning LDP Team Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Bridgewater House 23a Castlewellan Road Banbridge, BT32 4AX Options Paper Telephone: 0300 200 7830 (NI General Planning Line) 0300 0300 900 (Main Council Line) MARCH 2018 Email: [email protected] Website: www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Preferred Options Paper Introduction Figure 1.1: Stages in the Local Development Plan (LDP) Process Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon The LDP will also support the future Borough Council’s Local Development growth and related land-use needs LDP STAGES KEY ACTIONS Plan (LDP) will provide the planning of the Borough in terms of housing, framework for sustainable development employment and services, whilst within the Borough up to 2030. It will protecting and enhancing our unique Assessment Environmental Strategic Incorporating Appraisal Sustainability inform the general public, investors, environment and heritage. Once adopted, statutory authorities and other interested the LDP will replace the existing Area parties on the local planning policy Plans and regional-wide operational Publish Timetable context and on land-use proposals, to planning policies produced by the former help guide appropriate development to Department of Environment (DoE) – now Publish Preferred Options Paper the right locations through the decision- Department for Infrastructure (DfI). 1 making process. The Local Development Plan Process Publish Draft Plan Strategy and associated Assessments/Reports The Local Development Plan (LDP) will It is a public consultation document consist of two separate but related published prior to the preparation of the development plan documents. The Plan Strategy and Local Policies Plan. Independent Examination of Draft Plan Strategy will set out a clear vision It sets out the key issues of strategic Plan Stategy and growth strategy for the Borough, significance deemed to affect the 2 supported by a set of policies focussed Borough, along with the preferred options on facilitating sustainable development. to address them. The key issues have emerged from our evidence base, from Adoption of Plan Strategy Once the Plan Strategy has been adopted engagement with Elected Members and the Local Policies Plan will be prepared, Community/Section 75 Groups and from which will deal with locally specific formal and informal consultation with land use policies and proposals. The Statutory Consultation Bodies. Publish Draft Local Policies Plan and Local Policies Plan will detail settlement development limits, land use zonings and The main purpose of the POP is to associated Assessment/Reports environmental designations as well as promote and stimulate debate on the contain appropriate proposals for certain key issues and to encourage feedback Independent Examination of Draft individual places. from a wide range of interest groups and stakeholders, which will help inform the 3 Local Policies Plan The LDP is prepared within the context of next stage of the LDP process. The POP the Council’s Corporate Plan and will help is not a material consideration in the deliver on those elements of the Council’s determination of planning applications Adoption of Local Policies Plan Community Plan (‘Connected’, 2017- and appeals. 2030) which have a spatial dimension. It will also take account of the regional The POP is accompanied by the following direction and policies set by the Northern supporting documentation: Production of Supplementary Ireland Executive and Central Government Planning Documents Departments. The Regional and Local • Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Policy Context is set out in Section 2 of Report; the POP. • Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Interim 4 Annual Monitor and 5 year review Report incorporating a Strategic The LDP process consists of four key Environmental Assessment (SEA); stages, as summarised in Figure 1.1. • Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA); Note Further information on the various • Preparatory Papers (evidence base); The indicative timescales for the Key website, at: The formal Timetable lists the relevant stages is set out in Section 1 of the POP • Annual Housing Monitor Summary Stages in the LDP process are outlined in https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon. Assessments / Reports that are published (Introduction). Tables (up to 31 March 2016); and the Local Development Plan Timetable gov.uk/resident/local-development-plan- alongside the main Plan Documents. • Preliminary Policy Review which is available to view on the Council’s residents/ The Preferred Options Paper (POP) marks the end of Stage 1 of the LDP process. 2 3 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Preferred Options Paper Our Borough – Context and Profile Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon rural and urban landscapes, including the Our Borough has a vibrant and growing Borough extends to an area of Ecclesiastical Capital of Ireland (Armagh economic sector with over 8,100 approximately 554 square miles and City), the ‘Orchard County’, rolling drumlin registered businesses, the majority adjoins five neighbouring Council areas countryside and areas of peatland, as well of which are small or medium sized. - Mid Ulster District Council, Newry, as an abundance of heritage assets, such Notable larger employers are also located Mourne and Down District Council, as Dromore Motte and Bailey. within the Borough. Employment levels Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, are higher in the Borough, at 71% of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough The Borough’s population growth is the working age population, compared Council (by Lough Neagh), and Monaghan greater than the regional average and to the NI average of 68% (2016 figures), County Council in the Republic of Ireland this trend is expected to continue over however there is potential to grow the (as illustrated in Map 5.1, Neighbouring the 2015-2030 LDP period, with a 14.3% employment base further. It is estimated Council Areas). With a population of projected increase in population. This that approximately 12,200 new jobs are approximately 210,000, we have the is expected to be the largest growth in needed in the Borough over the LDP largest council population in Northern population of all the 11 NI council areas. period to match the projected increase in Ireland outside of Belfast City. Around population. one quarter of our population lives in the We are strategically positioned along countryside (outside of our existing 104 the main East-West and North-South The Borough Profile Section( 3 of the settlements). economic corridors and are supported POP, P22-23) includes additional key facts by high quality road and rail links that in relation to the Borough’s population, The Borough extends from the southern extend throughout Northern Ireland households, economy, infrastructure and shores of Lough Neagh to the foothills and the Republic of Ireland. The Hub environment, as additional context to the of the Mournes in the east, to the Settlements of Armagh City, Banbridge key issues considered within the POP. Blackwater Valley in the west. Three Town and Craigavon Urban Area, as shown main river corridors, Blackwater, Lagan in Map 5.2 (Spatial Context), in particular and Upper Bann, traverse the Borough. have the potential to benefit from this. It comprises a diverse mix of attractive Map 5.1: Neighbouring Council Areas Map 5.2: Spatial Context 4 5 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Preferred Options Paper Our Vision Social Objectives Economic Objectives Environmental Objectives The Vision for the LDP is: • To further develop Armagh City, • To facilitate the creation and • To conserve, protect and where “Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Banbridge and the sub-regional maintenance of conditions that possible enhance the natural and Craigavon Urban Area* as the main provide for a dynamic, diverse built environment to improve hubs for growth. and robust economy to encourage biodiversity, achieve quality design Borough will be a place of choice to live, existing and new businesses to and promote health and well-being. • To support the role of local invest. towns and villages as attractive • To promote sustainable high quality • To facilitate the growth of the work and visit with a vibrant and sustainable and vibrant local service centres design in all developments to assist economy by ensuring an adequate providing a level of development with climate change adaptation and provision of accessible land for a appropriate to their position in the place-making. economy supported by a healthy and range of employment uses which settlement hierarchy. offers a choice of sites at a range of • To prevent inappropriate new locations. connected community.” • To support rural communities development in areas known to by providing appropriate and • To support, regenerate and promote be at risk of flooding or that may Our LDP Vision reflects the Council’s sustainable opportunities for vibrant town centres. increase the flood risk elsewhere Community Plan (‘Connected’) Vision by development in the countryside. and put in place measures to assist • To support tourism development in flood risk management. being citizen focused and aspiring to by creating and identifying improve the quality of life for everyone, • To provide a sufficient supply of land for new housing to meet the opportunities for sustainable • To protect and develop