The central aim of the Strategy is to strengthen the regional role of the Metropolitan Area so that it can compete successfully at the European and International level (see Diagram 1). To achieve this aim the Development Strategy comprises a series of measures that focus on a number of subject areas.

It is based on proposals designed to encourage a widespread and sustainable renaissance of the BMA. It seeks to build on the recovery of the last twenty years and to give priority to renewal in urban areas. It provides for balanced growth in rural areas in order to sustain a strong and vibrant rural community and a living, working countryside.

A range of locations is identified for the provision of housing and employment in order to enhance the quality of life for all of the Metropolitan community and to promote equality of opportunity. A generous and continuous supply of land for employment will help to support sustainable economic development. Developing a strong Belfast City Centre and a revitalised Metropolitan Area helps to underpin and strengthen public transportation as a key element in an integrated and inclusive transport system. Protection of the Natural environment is achieved through limiting urban expansion onto greenfield sites and by safeguarding key environmental assets.

There is a high degree of interdependence between the constituent parts of the Metropolitan Area and between the social, economic, environmental and transportation issues which the Plan seeks to address. The Plan Strategy therefore adopts a holistic approach, addressing issues on a comprehensive BMA wide basis. The Plan Proposals also seek to integrate the need for both conservation and development through a mix of co-ordinated economic, social and environmental policies and proposals.

Diagram 1: Key Components of the Plan Strategy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

The Plan Strategy for the BMA consists of the following main elements:

Strengthening the Metropolitan Area

The BMA is the largest concentration of population and commercial activity in Northern Ireland. Securing its prosperity and vibrancy is vital to the economic, environmental and social well being of the Region.

The Plan Strategy takes cognisance of the fact that the Metropolitan Area is the major gateway to Northern Ireland. It seeks to strengthen the retail, service, administrative, cultural, entertainment, health and educational roles of the BMA. This will help to sustain and enhance the strategic role of the BMA in the future economic growth and development of Northern Ireland, and strengthen Belfast, in fulfilling its role as a modern European city.

The Metropolitan Area comprises a number of urban and rural communities, each with its distinctive role. While these individual communities have their own distinctive identities, there is a high degree of interdependence between them which contributes to the strength and vitality of the BMA as a whole. The Plan Proposals recognise and aim to maintain the communities which make up the BMA and seek to build on their strengths in forging a Metropolitan Area which provides a strong and dynamic heart to Northern Ireland.

The Plan Strategy seeks to promote the City of Belfast as the regional capital of Northern Ireland and as the major focus for regional administration, commerce, specialist services, cultural amenities and as a major employment location. In addition it provides a framework to strengthen the important and complementary roles of Lisburn City and of the adjoining Boroughs of Castlereagh, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and North Down.

Promoting Urban Renewal

The Plan Strategy is to limit expansion at the periphery of built-up areas and to promote regeneration and renewal within. The Plan Proposals confirm and renew existing established foci of commercial and community life throughout the Metropolitan Area. Priority is given to supporting and enhancing the role of city and town centres, Arterial Routes into Belfast City Centre, local centres and the ‘urban villages’ throughout the Metropolitan Area. In this way the Strategy seeks to maintain a polycentric pattern of development promoting the renewal of distinctive places which play an important role in local community life.

The Plan Proposals promote a compact urban form through maximising the housing growth within the existing urban footprint and proposing limited new urban extensions into the Green Belt. This will help to support urban renewal by sustaining existing communities and providing support for necessary services and facilities.

Housing growth within the existing urban footprint is provided in a manner which will not lead to an erosion of identified townscape character.

The Plan Proposals for the location of shopping, offices and community services oppose dispersal and promote provision at existing foci within the Metropolitan Area.

The promotion of an urban renaissance throughout the Metropolitan Area will be assisted by the identification of land for economic and commercial development. Opportunities for job creation on lands currently in employment use are retained, and new opportunities are provided across the Metropolitan Area. Major regeneration projects at Springvale, Crumlin Road and in Belfast Harbour (Titanic Quarter) will contribute to urban renewal. These are well located to help in dealing with disadvantage in the North and West Belfast Axis and the East Belfast Crescent as identified in the RDS. Lands at Titanic Quarter present a redevelopment opportunity of major significance for the entire Metropolitan Area.

Sustaining a Living, Working Countryside

The Plan Strategy seeks to sustain a living and working countryside while protecting areas which are visually or environmentally sensitive. The Plan Proposals acknowledge the complementary roles of the urban and rural areas. While the urban area provides services and employment opportunities for the rural community, the rural area provides agricultural produce, environmental benefits and leisure opportunities for residents of the cities and towns.

The principles of sustainability are also central to the development of the rural area. A balanced and integrated approach to development is therefore an essential element of the Strategy. The Strategy supports the network of towns, villages and small settlements in the rural area. More significant housing growth is available in small towns in accordance with the Spatial Development Strategy of the RDS. The role of smaller settlements is to provide appropriate development opportunities for local services or housing in keeping with their scale and character. In order to facilitate the development of rural businesses, land is identified for employment use in or near a number of the larger rural settlements.

Regional planning policies for the countryside seek to facilitate development necessary to sustain local communities, while resisting development pressures unrelated to the local community.

A Green Belt is designated beyond the Metropolitan and Settlement Development Limits to meet all the strategic Green Belt objectives as stated in Policy GB/CPA 1 of the Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland.

Enhancing Quality of Life

The Plan Proposals seek to support an improved quality of life through an appropriate allocation of land within the settlements for housing and job creation, leisure, community, cultural, education and health facilities, and open space. A mixed-use approach is encouraged to the development of new residential areas. Emphasis is also placed on the development of balanced local communities and meeting social housing need. In these ways the Plan Proposals seek to facilitate the development of ‘liveable communities’ providing choice and opportunity in relation to jobs, commercial facilities and services. Improvements in public transport will provide safe and equitable access to employment and major services.

The Plan Proposals seek to further community interaction and cohesion through the development of ‘shared places’ accessible to all the community. The role of city and town centres, and other main foci of community life throughout the BMA is supported and strengthened by policies to develop their use as centres of retail and office development.

The development of healthier lifestyles in support of Belfast City Council’s Healthy Cities Project is encouraged through increased provision for walking and cycling facilities together with policies which seek to provide an alternative to travel by car. Reduction in car travel offers the potential for improvement in air quality on major routes. Community greenways are identified including parks, playing fields and natural areas to create a network of open spaces and opportunities for leisure and recreation. In addition the Plan Proposals identify new lands for open space.

A key element in enhancing the quality of life is to achieve a significant improvement in the quality of the urban environment. Protection and enhancement of the environment helps in improving quality of life in the Metropolitan Area, and assists in attracting employment and promoting economic growth. The Plan Strategy seeks to achieve this by protecting natural and built heritage and by requiring a high standard of development in key locations which serve as ‘shop windows’ for the Metropolitan Area, including, for example city and town centres. Quality in new development is promoted through the provision of Key Site Requirements for the development of zoned and designated lands.

Supporting Economic Development

While the planning system cannot create jobs it has a key role in facilitating economic development through the zoning of land and provision of supportive planning policies.

The proximity of Belfast City Centre to the Harbour area provides a strong growth dynamic at the heart of the Metropolitan Area.

The Plan Proposals maintain the role of the City Centre as the primary retail and office location in Northern Ireland and provide for expansion in commercial activity.

Relocation of port functions and the potential for redevelopment of former shipyard lands are opening up major new development opportunities in the Harbour area. The Plan Proposals provide a framework to take advantage of these opportunities which does not prejudice the future development of Belfast City Centre.

Planning policies, land allocations and necessary supporting improvements to infrastructure provide the basis for future economic growth and job creation. This will enable the BMA to continue to fulfil its role as the primary engine for growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland, while also targeting disadvantaged TSN areas within the Metropolitan Area.

The Plan Proposals provide for a generous and continuous supply of land for employment purposes in a range of accessible and sustainable locations throughout the Plan Area. Major Employment Locations (MELs) are designated at Belfast Harbour (including Titanic Quarter), West Lisburn, Purdysburn and Mallusk/Ballyhenry, together with designation of employment sites to target disadvantage and assist regeneration in North, West and East Belfast. Employment sites are provided in Bangor and Carrickfergus to provide local employment and an alternative to commuting. Lands are zoned in a number of towns and villages in the rural area to facilitate growth and diversification of the rural economy.

Lisburn City Centre and the town centres are promoted as major locations for future retail and office growth. Provision is made for controlled growth of retailing at the Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre.

The Plan Proposals provide flexibility to secure further inward investment through limited dispersal of major office development to business parks.

Support for further growth in tourism is provided through protecting a range of tourism development opportunities and facilitating the development of tourism infrastructure.

Promoting Equality of Opportunity

The Plan Proposals seek to promote equality of opportunity for all sections of the population in the Metropolitan Area. Lands for housing and employment are zoned throughout the Plan Area to provide a wide range of opportunities for house building and job creation. Plan Proposals support the drive to tackle disadvantage by designating employment sites to target TSN areas in the North, West and East Belfast. The promotion of Belfast City Centre and the development opportunities within Belfast Harbour will support the provision of new job opportunities in central locations accessible to all sections of the community.

Transportation proposals seek to improve and develop public transport to assist in providing safe and equitable access to services, facilities and employment opportunities for all the community. Particular emphasis is placed on access to major employment opportunities identified in the Plan.

Specific policies facilitate the provision of social housing, and accommodation for the Travelling Community.

Developing an Integrated Inclusive Transport System

The Plan Proposals seek to reduce reliance on the car by a closer integration of transportation and land use, by promoting a significant improvement in public transport and by management measures to influence the choice of travel mode. The provision of improved facilities for walking and cycling as a means of providing greater travel choice is a key principle.

The Plan Proposals seek to manage integrated transportation with benefits to the environment and human health, and to enhance accessibility to employment, community and other facilities for those without access to the use of a car. The emphasis on provision of housing and employment within existing urban footprints, and on mixed-use development, will ensure patterns of development supportive to a choice of modes of transport, including public transport.

The BMA is the major gateway to Northern Ireland and the heart of the Regional Strategic Transport Network. Fast and efficient transportation links to the Belfast Harbour are essential to the economic prosperity of the Metropolitan Area and Northern Ireland as a whole. The Plan Proposals identify road improvements necessary to ensure the efficient movement of freight and people.

Road improvements are also proposed to facilitate future housing and economic growth, to provide necessary links by public and private transport to MELs and to reduce traffic in the built-up area, with benefits to living environments.

Protecting the Natural Environment

The Plan Proposals emphasise the need for a sustainable approach to development in order to protect the environment. In line with the RDS, priority is given to development within existing urban footprints to reduce the need for expansion onto greenfield sites.

The open countryside within the Plan Area is protected through the extension of the Green Belt. The Plan Proposals place a high priority on protection of the fine natural setting of the Metropolitan Urban Area. Major areas of planned urban expansion on greenfield land are restricted to sites which primarily provide for employment creation or community uses at Blaris/West Lisburn and at Mallusk/Newtownabbey. These locations lie on key transport corridors and thereby permit integration between these uses and the existing transport infrastructure.

Linear expansion along transport corridors will ensure that development avoids other more vulnerable areas which are important in terms of the setting of the Metropolitan Area.

Areas of High Scenic Value (AOHSV) are designated in order to protect areas of quality landscape including the Belfast Hills. The Lagan Valley Regional Park (LVRP) is strengthened through the inclusion of additional lands and the majority of the Park now lies within the Green Belt. The shores of Belfast Lough provide a unique natural resource for the Plan Area, and are protected from development. Local Landscape Policy Areas (LLPAs) will protect areas of distinctive landscape and the amenity and settings of settlements, from inappropriate development.

While areas of international and national nature conservation importance are already protected from development through other statutory designations, conservation of bio-diversity is enhanced in the Plan through the designation of Sites of Local Nature Conservation Importance (SLNCIs) and the protection of priority habitats identified by the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy.