Latest news about the Plan:
Recommencement of the
Public Inquiry
24th November 2005
Background
The draft Ards and Down
Area Plan was prepared under Part III of the Planning
(Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and was published in
December 2002. Anyone wishing to object to any of the
policies or proposals contained in the Plan were invited
to do so before the 21st January 2003.
Following receipt of objections a notice, explaining
that these could be inspected from 30th June 2003 to 8th
August 2003 and inviting written comments to be received
by the Department before 15th August 2003, was
advertised in June 2003. That notice also stated the
Department's intention to cause a Public Local Inquiry
to be held by the Planning Appeals Commission for the
purposes of considering objections to the Draft Plan and
that relevant details would be advertised in due course.
The Public Inquiry into the draft Ards and Down Area
Plan opened on Tuesday 3rd May 2005 in the Queen's Hall,
West Street, Newtownards. A dispute has arisen during
the Public Inquiry over the housing figures and in
particular the status of the RDS Housing Growth
Indicator for Ards and Down, which is now under review
by Department for Regional Development. The Public
Inquiry proceeded to consider non-housing issues but was
suspended by the PAC until further notice in June
pending the resolution of this dispute.
Dates and Location of this Public Inquiry
The Inquiry will
recommence on Monday 5th December 2005 and is
programmed to run until Thursday 15 December 2005
at the following locations:
- Newtownards Town
Hall, Newtownards and
- Down County
Museum, Downpatrick
The Inquiry will
consider non-housing objections only.
Following this Public Inquiry
Following the Public Inquiry the Planning Appeals
Commission will prepare a report and forward it to the
Department. The Department will consider this report and
may then adopt the plan in whole or in part, with or
without modification.
The Department will
publish a Statement with the Adopted Plan outlining the
decisions that it has reached, in light of the report
and any recommendations contained in it, together with
reasons for those decisions.
Draft Plan Documentation
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PAC Website