Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP) 2035: Timetable

Revised: October 2023

Contents

1. Introduction
2. What is the Local Development Plan?
3. The LPP Preparation Process
   • The Timetable Diagram
4. Delivery
5. Monitoring and Review

1. Introduction

1.1 On 1 April 2015, as part of local government reform, Belfast City Council assumed responsibility for a number of functions previously carried out by government departments, including statutory town planning responsibilities. This marked the most significant change to the Northern Ireland (NI) planning system in over 40 years and presented the council with an unprecedented opportunity to address the development challenges within Belfast in a more coordinated way. The council commenced the production of the Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP) 2035 to set out a clear vision for how the council area should look in the future by deciding what type and scale of development should be encouraged and where it should be located.

1.2 This Timetable sets out the key stages and indicative timescales in the process to produce the Belfast LDP 2035. It is a public statement of the council’s programme for the production of the new plan and will help ensure that the plan process is efficiently managed and that the key stakeholders, such as the consultation bodies and the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC), are kept informed and can manage their own resources to facilitate their involvement in the LDP process.

1.3 The Timetable has been prepared in accordance with the advice set out in the Department’s Development Plan Practice Note 3: Timetable (April 2015) and fully meets the requirements of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 and the associated Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (NI) 2015. This requires the council to prepare this Timetable in consultation with key stakeholders such as the PAC, agree it with the Department.

1.4 This Timetable has been subject to continual review as the council progresses through the LDP process. There has been a number of formal revisions since it was first agreed in June 2016, each reflecting progress through key stages of the process. Statutory revisions were agreed and published in April 2018, November 2018 and July 2020. 

1.5 The Belfast LDP Plan Strategy was adopted on 2 May 2023 following the Independent Examination (IE) process. This marks a major milestone in the preparation of the overall LDP and the opportunity has been taken to further revise the LDP Timetable, following consultation with the PAC. The current Timetable was approved by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in October 2023 and forms the basis of the next stage in the LDP process, being the preparation, independent examination and adoption of the Local Policies Plan (LPP).

1.6 As set out above, the Belfast LDP Timetable has been revised a number of times throughout the LDP process to date. The Timetable itself, as indicated in the Timetable Diagrams, provides timelines for the overall LDP process. The dates indicated for the process up to October 2023 relating to the data collection and Plan Strategy stages have been updated to reflect the actual delivery of the Plan Strategy. The dates shown for the LPP stage are indicative and will be subject to further review as required. 

1.7 This revised Timetable supersedes previously approved and published Timetables. However, previous versions, which provided more detailed background on the LDP and statutory processes, remain available in the LDP section of the council’s website. The opportunity has been taken to concentrate on the LPP stage in this revised Timetable and to simplify the supporting narrative. Nevertheless, reference may be made to the previous versions to assist wider understanding of the overall context and processes.

2. What is the Local Development Plan?

2.1 The Belfast LDP 2035 will set out a clear vision for how the council area should look in the future by deciding what type and scale of development should be encouraged and where it should be located. It will inform the general public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested bodies of the policy framework and land use proposals that will implement the strategic objectives of the Regional Development Strategy (RDS) and other regional planning policies, and will guide development decisions within Belfast up to 2035.
 
2.2 In summary, the Belfast LDP 2035 will:

• Provide a 15 year plan framework to support economic and social needs in the city, in line with regional strategies and policies, while providing the delivery of sustainable development;
• Facilitate growth by coordinating public and private investment to encourage development where it can be of most benefit to the wellbeing of the community;
• Allocate sufficient land to meet the needs of the city;
• Provide an opportunity for all stakeholders, including the public, to have a say about where and how development within the local area should take place;
• Provide a plan-led framework for rational and consistent decision-making by the public, private and community sectors and those affected by development proposals; and
• Deliver the spatial aspects of The Belfast Agenda, the city's Community Plan.

2.3 The new LDP will comprise of two development plan documents:

• Plan Strategy (adopted May 2023) – The strategic policy framework for the plan area as a whole across a range of topics. It sets out an ambitious but realistic vision for Belfast as well as the objectives and strategic policies required to deliver that vision. Establishing this strategic direction early in the plan process provides a level of certainty on which to base key development decisions in the area as well as the necessary framework for the preparation of the Local Policies Plan; and
• Local Policies Plan (now in preparation) – The council’s local policies and site specific proposals in relation to the development and use of land in Belfast. It will contain the local policies, including site specific proposals, designations and land use zonings required to deliver the council’s vision, objectives and strategic policies, as set out in the Plan Strategy.

2.4 The Plan Strategy has been adopted (May 2023) and is in effect. This this sets out strategic and operational planning policies for Belfast and is the primary consideration in the determination of planning applications by the council. Once fully adopted, the Belfast LDP will replace the current development plans for Belfast produced by the Department. In Belfast the existing development plans comprise:

• Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) 2015 (see below); and
• Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Subject Plan for the Belfast City Council Area 2015 (adopted December 2008).

Although formally adopted in 2014, this process of final BMAP adoption was declared unlawful as a result of a judgement in the court of appeal delivered on 18 May 2017. This means the Belfast Urban Area Plan (BUAP) 2001, local plans for the harbour area and Lagan Valley Regional Park and parts of other adjoining development plans provide the statutory plan context for the area.

In the interim period up to the adoption of the LPP, the relevant spatial elements of the above plans will inform planning decision-making, as set out in section 1.4 and Appendix A of the adopted Plan Strategy. 

3. The Local Policies Plan (LPP) Preparation Process

3.1 The LPP represents a part of the overall LDP and it can only be prepared and taken through the statutory consultation, examination and adoption process once the Plan Strategy has been formally adopted. The process leading up to the adoption of the Plan Strategy is detailed in previous versions of this Timetable document and has not been repeated in this revision, which focusses on the LPP stage.

3.2 The key elements of the LPP process can be summarised as follows.

• Review of evidence and initial engagement – The evidence base of the draft LPP is collected/collated and considered, alongside initial key stakeholder engagement with statutory bodies and wider interests. This will include a ‘Call for Sites’ stage that enables relevant interested parties to suggest lands for development that will be considered as part of the LPP process. A further non-statutory public consultation will also take place on the overall approach to the LPP prior to the detailed drafting of the LPP for Members’ agreement. See also 3.3 below. 
• Draft Local Policies Plan – The draft LPP is a public consultation document. It will be consistent with the Plan Strategy and detail our land use proposals regarding the future development of Belfast. It is a key part of the public participation process and will be published for formal public consultation, with all representations received then being made available for public inspection and counter-representation. 
• Soundness Based Independent Examination – The draft LPP will be subject to an independent examination to determine its soundness. Following the examination, an advisory report of its findings and recommendations will be issued by the PAC to DfI.
• Binding Report – Following consideration of the PAC report of recommendations, DfI will issue a binding report (a ‘Direction’) to the council, requiring us to adopt the LPP as originally prepared, or with modifications
• Adoption of the Local Policies Plan – Once any required changes are made, the final LPP will be formally adopted and published by the council. The Plan Strategy and LPP together will become the LDP and the principal consideration when determining planning applications for development in the city. 

3.3 A more detailed engagement and communication plan for the wider public consultation processes will be developed to set out how we intend to engage with all our stakeholders and the wider public in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement.

3.4 As part of the LPP preparation, the council is also required to carry out a number of assessments on the emerging proposals. These run in parallel with the preparation of the LPP and relevant reports are published alongside the draft LPP documentation. Each of these was also required as part of the Plan Strategy preparation process and are now required for the LPP stage:

• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) – A tool for appraising policies to ensure they reflect sustainable development objectives (that is social, environmental and economic factors).
• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) – A procedure to follow that contributes to the integration of environmental considerations in the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes. 
• Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) – This considers the potential impact of LDP policies and proposals on European nature conservation sites. 
• Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) – In line with the council’s Equality Scheme, this considers how the LPP may affect different protected groups. 
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment (RNIA) - this considers how the LPP may affect different the rural communities in the Belfast countryside area.

3.5 The Timetable provides indicative dates for a number of the key stages in the production of the LPP as part of the overall LDP.

Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP) 2035 Timetable

* May require a longer period depending on changes required following Independent Examination.

# Alternative timeline if Focussed Changes process included

LPP Timetable (Revised October 2023)

Timetable of Key Milestones (Bold)

4. Delivery

4.1 Meeting the indicative timescales set out within the Timetable is dependent upon a number of factors, including effective governance arrangements, involvement of elected Members, adequate resourcing and the management of risk.

Governance

4.2 A steering group is established comprising of council members, with the Chief Executive, the Strategic Director of Place and Economy, Director of Planning and Building Control and/or Planning Manager. This is a high-level co-ordinating body that will ensure overview and strategic input on behalf of the whole community, as well as from the planning professionals.
 
4.3 Alongside this, a project management team will also be set up comprising senior council officers, the Principal Planning Officer and invited representatives from the key statutory and government departments. The purpose of the team is to ensure key consultees are able to contribute to and co- operate in the plan making process. The project management team will be consulted on, and act as an initial scoping group for the SA, including SEA.
 
Member Involvement

4.4 Progress on the Belfast City LDP 2035 will be reported to the council’s Planning Committee on a regular basis. In addition, there are a number of critical stages for Members involvement in the LPP stage:

• Members of the Planning Committee will be involved in a series of area/thematic workshops at the outset of the LPP process to help examine the core issues for consideration and identify available options. Further workshops will be held with elected Members as the LPP is developed.
• The findings from the call for sites and other early stakeholder exercises will be presented to Members for consideration in the drafting of the LPP.
• The draft LPP will be presented for Member’s agreement prior to publication for statutory public consultation period.
• Member’s authorisation will be sought following the consultation on the draft LPP to forward the Plan, with any representations, to DfI to request an Independent Examination. 
• Member’s authorisation will be sought on whether to accept or rebut the representations and submissions made to the Independent Examination for the Plan Strategy by a date set out by the independent examiner appointed to conduct the inquiry.
• Following examination, the Binding Report (Direction) from DfI will be presented to Members alongside the final Plan Strategy for adoption and publication.

Resourcing

4.5 The council has established a dedicated Local Development Plan team within the Belfast Planning Service, under the leadership of the Director of Place and Economy and the Development Planning and Policy Manager. The LDP team will carry out policy writing, sustainability appraisal, equality appraisals, consultation and evidence collection predominantly in-house to reduce resource expenditure. Staffing resources from other parts of the council will also be used to produce documents and supporting evidence.
 
4.6 The team will be supplemented as required through the procurement of specialist advice and consultancy support where specific technical evidence, such as population growth projections or economic forecasting, is necessary. The costs associated with preparing the LDP will continue to be provided as part of the council’s on-going financial planning processes.
 
Risks

4.7 The Timetable outlined within this document is challenging and there are a number of risks that could affect the production of the LPP. In order to manage risk, a Risk Register has been established for the project and risks identified managed in accordance with the council’s Risk Management Strategy. 
 
5. Monitoring and Review

5.1 An annual monitoring report will be produced by the council to inform Members and the DfI on progress in meeting the Timetable and on the land availability for housing and employment. If progress on plan production has slipped, the Timetable will need to be revised and agreed with the Department in accordance with the Development Plan Regulations.

For more information or to request a copy of the Local Development Plan (LDP) 2035 Timetable (revised October 2023) you can contact us by email [email protected] or call us on 028 9050 0510.

Keeping in Touch

You can contact the council’s Planning Service in the following ways:

In writing to:

Belfast Planning Service
Belfast City Council
Cecil Ward Building
4-10 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BP

By email: [email protected]
By telephone: 028 9050 0510
Textphone: 028 9027 0405

Should you require a copy of this Local Development Plan Timetable in an alternative format, it can be made available on request in large print, audio format, DAISY or Braille and may be made available in minority languages to meet the needs of those for whom English is not their first language.

Keeping you informed

The Place and Economy Department has set up a database of persons and stakeholders with an interest in the Local Development Plan. Should you wish to have your details added to this database, contact the LDP team in any of the ways listed.