Regional Policy Context

The RDS provides a framework for sustainable economic growth capable of accommodating the future levels of economic activity. A strategic objective is to support a sustainable economic drive which will provide jobs and wealth across
the Region and help reduce socio-economic differentials.

The RDS provides a number of Strategic Planning Guidelines and measures to
support economic development within Northern Ireland which are as follows:

• revitalise the role of town centres and other common locations well served
  by public transport as focal points for shopping, services, employment,
  cultural and leisure activities for the whole community (SRC 3.2);
   

• promote the development of major employment/enterprise areas in locations which are accessible to all sections of the community (SRC 3.2);
   

• promote a balanced spread of economic development opportunities across
  the Region focused on the BMA.…and the urban hubs/clusters, as the main centres for employment and services and make provision for a generous and continuous supply of land for employment purposes (SPG-ECON 1);
   

• exploit the economic development potential of the key transport corridors
  (SPG-ECON 2);
   

• promote the regional gateways as economic development opportunities
  (SPG-ECON 3);
   

• create and maintain a regional portfolio of Strategic Employment Locations (SELs) (SPG-ECON 4); and
   

• support the network of service centres based on main towns, small towns
  and villages in Rural Northern Ireland (SPG-RNI 3).

The RDS sets out a spatial framework for the future growth of the BMA including locations with potential for employment growth.

•  create a thriving Metropolitan Area centred on a revitalised City of Belfast
    by :

  • maintaining its role as a major industrial centre;
     

  • maintaining its role as a major industrial centre;
     

  • strengthening the regional gateways;
     

  • promoting physical regeneration; and
     

  • maintaining the role of Belfast City Centre as the primary retail and
    office location in the region (BMA 1.1).
     

• develop the complementary role of the suburban districts of Castlereagh
  and Newtownabbey by:

  • continuing to support Castlereagh as an important centre of
    employment for the wider Metropolitan Area; and
     

  • focusing on Newtownabbey’s advantageous location on the major transport corridors in order to develop it as a major industrial and university centre (BMA 1.2).
     

• develop Bangor, Carrickfergus and Lisburn by strengthening the multi-
  functional role of their town centres and by:

  • consolidating Bangor’s role as an important retail centre and boost its
    role as a commercial centre within BMA;
     

  • accepting the need to widen Bangor’s economic base;
     

  • recognising the role of Carrickfergus as an important industrial and
    service centre; and
     

  • promoting Lisburn’s continued development as a strong employment
    base (BMA 1.3).
     

• promote an urban renaissance throughout the Belfast Metropolitan Area by:

  • enhancing the employment potential of the City Centre, Laganside and
    the Harbour Estate and identification of strategic locations for
    employment growth around the North and West Belfast regeneration
    axis, the Purdysburn area, Sprucefield/West Lisburn, and Mallusk/Ballyhenry (BMA 2.1); and
     

  • promoting regeneration of Belfast and Lisburn City Centres and Bangor
    and Carrickfergus Town Centres and areas of disadvantage and deprivation including Belfast Middle City particularly the North West
    Belfast Axis and the East Belfast Crescent (BMA 2.1).
     

• facilitate the development of rural industries, businesses and enterprises in appropriate locations, and ensure they are satisfactorily integrated with the settlement or rural landscape by:

  • facilitating the development of opportunities for growth in employment, niche markets, inward investment, micro-businesses, and extending the rural services industry.

Regional planning policy is currently set out in PPS 4 Industrial Development. This
PPS is currently being revised and a Public Consultation Draft PPS 4 Industry,
Business and Distribution was published in January 2003.

Directive 96/82/EC, known as the Seveso II Directive, was implemented in
Northern Ireland by the Control of Major-Accident Hazards Regulations (NI) 2000
and the Planning (Control of Major-Accidents Hazards) Regulations (NI) 2000.
These are specifically concerned with the implementation of Article 12 of the
Directive which requires that the objectives of preventing major accidents and
limiting their consequences are taken into account in land-use planning policies
and that these objectives are pursued through controls. There is also a
requirement to set up appropriate consultation procedures to facilitate
implementation of these Regulations. Further information is contained within the Employment Technical Supplement.

The Plan Proposals do not identify new development sites for the use or storage of hazardous substances. The determination of planning permission for such proposals may entail the submission of an Environmental Statement, which may be
accompanied by an application for consent to store hazardous materials on a site. Granting consent to store hazardous substances would establish a consultation distance within which Planning Service is required to consult with Health and
Safety Executive (Northern Ireland) and DOE Environment and Heritage Service on proposals for new development.

Details of such guidance and procedures for controlling development in relation
to hazardous substances are contained in the Department’s publication entitled “Development Control Advice Note 12 – Planning Controls for Hazardous
Substances” available from Divisional Planning Offices or Planning Service Headquarters.

BMA Employment Strategy

The BMA Employment Strategy seeks to sustain balanced economic growth and job creation by: promoting City and Town Centres as the main foci for retail and office functions; providing a generous and continuous supply of land for employment/industrial uses; and promoting a balanced portfolio of employment/industrial sites throughout the Plan Area.

The Employment Strategy has been developed in accordance with the RDS and
in discussion with District Councils, the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, the business community, private sector investors and local enterprise. The RDS seeks to facilitate approximately 100,000 extra jobs, which would be
required to cater for the expanded population forecast in 2015. In Northern Ireland approximately 48% of all jobs are currently within the Plan Area. In allocating land
for employment creation purposes, the Plan Proposals seeks to make provision to accommodate at least 50% of this potential increase within the Plan Area. The Department for Employment and Learning has published⁶ economic scenarios for Northern Ireland from 2002-2006 (high, standard and low growth scenarios). The report concludes that the job increases are likely to be concentrated in the service sector. Details of the scenarios can be found in the Employment Technical Supplement.

⁶ Labour Market Bulletin, 15th December 2003

Whilst it is not the role of the Plan to create employment, the Plan Proposals seek
to promote and encourage job creation by establishing a framework which is supportive to employment and business needs and responsive to the needs of the community.

A major priority is to facilitate job creation within and accessible to disadvantaged areas in line with government policy on New TSN. Opportunities for job creation through the zoning of new sites and the protection of existing industrial land will
help to promote regeneration in the North and West Belfast Regeneration Axis and
the East Belfast Crescent as identified in RDS.

City and Town Centres

A major factor of economic change in recent years has been the growth of the
service sector, and this is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Department has given recognition to the economic forces driving change in
the economy by promoting Belfast City Centre, Lisburn City Centre and town
centres as main foci for service sector employment (See the Plan Proposals for Retailing and Office Development).

City and town centres throughout the Plan Area are considered to be important locations for employment creation as they represent neutral territory accessible to
all sections of the community. Belfast City Centre will continue to be the main
focus for service employment throughout the Plan period.

The Plan Proposals identify sites, which present opportunities for development
and regeneration. Within Belfast City Centre opportunities for development are designated at gateways into the city at Grosvenor Road, Gamble Street and East Bridge Street. These represent major opportunities for employment creation and for the regeneration of areas in physical decline at key prominent locations. Transportation initiatives such as the key public transport interchanges proposed at Grosvenor Road and at Gamble Street will improve the accessibility of such areas.

Smaller opportunity sites are designated in Belfast City Centre and within Lisburn
City Centre, and the town centres of Ballyclare, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Carryduff
and Holywood. Details of the designations of opportunity sites and of Key Site Requirements, where appropriate, are contained in the District Proposals.

Lands zoned for Employment/Industry

The Strategy is to provide a generous and continuous supply of land for
employment purposes through a hierarchy of sites which consists of:

• Major Employment Locations (MELs);

• Key Employment Sites;

• Mixed-use Sites; and

• Key Local Employment Sites.

The Plan Proposals promote a balanced portfolio of employment/industrial sites of varying sizes, in a range of locations throughout the Plan Area in order to cater for new business creation and the expansion and development of existing businesses.

The employment/industrial sites which are zoned contribute to sustainable development due to their proximity to major roads, the rail network or bus routes within the Plan Area in order to promote accessibility to employment opportunities
for all sections of the community.

The Plan Proposals will improve the advantages of business locations, for example,
by transportation initiatives such as improved public transport, traffic management initiatives and road proposals.

The RDS proposes a regional portfolio of Strategic Employment Locations (SELs)
and lists the criteria which are to be used to identify them. It also states that
SELs will be identified in development plans. The Department for Regional Development, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Invest
Northern Ireland, and the Department of Employment and Learning are currently carrying out a study into SELs in conjunction with the Department of the
Environment.

Employment/Industry Policies

Allocation EMP 1 Employment/Industry

A total of 2,292 hectares of land is to be allocated to be zoned for employment/industrial use distributed as follows: Belfast                                                             941 hectares Lisburn                                                             399 hectares Carrickfergus                                                     166 hectares Castlereagh                                                       211 hectares Newtownabbey                                                  463 hectares North Down                                                       112 hectares and comprising:- Metropolitan Urban Area: 484 hectares of land in new zonings Major Employment Locations Belfast Harbour Area (including Titanic Quarter)                                      39 hectares West Lisburn/Blaris                                               105 hectares Purdysburn                                                           59 hectares Global Point/Ballyhenry                                            91 hectares Key Employment Sites North Foreshore Belfast                                           47 hectares Castlereagh Road, Belfast                                          2 hectares Former St Patrick’s School site, Glen Road Belfast                                                    32 hectares Mixed-Use Sites Crumlin Road Regeneration Site                                  12 hectares Barbour Threads, Lisburn                                            8 hectares Key Local Employment Sites Millmount, Dundonald                                                 9 hectares North of Antrim Road, Mallusk                                     21 hectares South of Antrim Road, Mallusk                                    34 hectares Newtownards Road, Bangor                                       17 hectares A Science Park at Shore Road, Jordanstown                                                            8 hectares Metropolitan Rural Area: 40 hectares of land in new zonings Hillhead Road, Ballyclare                                             5 hectares Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff                                     13 hectares Comber Road, Carryduff                                           12 hectares Rathfriland Road, Dromara                                          4 hectares Gobrana Road, Glenavy                                              6 hectares Lands zoned for existing employment/industry and remaining undeveloped: 289 hectares Belfast                                                                  71 hectares Lisburn                                                                  75 hectares Carrickfergus                                                          69 hectares Castlereagh                                                            19 hectares Newtownabbey                                                        35 hectares North Down                                                             20 hectares Lands zoned for existing employment/industry and developed: 1,479 hectares Belfast                                                                  737 hectares Lisburn                                                                  202 hectares Carrickfergus                                                            89 hectares Castlereagh                                                              99 hectares Newtownabbey                                                        276 hectares North Down                                                              76 hectares

Lands for employment/industry are zoned to facilitate the needs of industry and business enterprises over the Plan period. The zoning of land provides a basis for rational and consistent decisions on planning applications and provides a measure
of certainty about which types of development will and will not be permitted.

Major Employment Locations (MELs)

MELs are designated at Belfast Harbour Area, Global Point/Ballyhenry, Purdysburn
and West Lisburn/Blaris. Their location at regional gateways and within major transportation corridors facilitates the creation of new employment opportunities
in sustainable locations which are accessible to all sections of the community. The Plan Proposals accommodate limited dispersal of office development to MELs (see Office Proposals).

Key Employment Sites

The Key Employment Sites identified are located within Belfast and serve the
northern, eastern and western sectors of the City. In the southern sector the
former Gasworks’ site fulfils this role. These key employment sites promote opportunities for investment close to major areas of disadvantage and social need
in the North and West Belfast Axis and the East Belfast Crescent.

Mixed-Use Sites

The zoned lands are sites of former major industrial/institutional uses with potential
for redevelopment. Redevelopment of the sites offers the opportunity to provide a
mix of uses necessary to support economic and community regeneration of the local areas. Employment uses should be an important element in any development
package. Crumlin Road Regeneration Site is well located within areas of
disadvantage in North and West Belfast.

Key Local Employment Sites

Key Local Employment Sites are greenfield sites located on the edge of
settlements along main transportation routes. These sites will facilitate investment and job creation and provide employment opportunities in local areas reducing the need to travel and contributing to sustainable patterns of development. The employment/industrial site at Shore Road, Jordanstown will facilitate the
development of a Science Park taking advantage of the proximity to the knowledge resource of the University of Ulster.

Metropolitan Rural Area

The Plan Proposals also make provision to facilitate employment/industrial
development in towns, villages and in the rural area. Land for Employment/
Industrial use is zoned in the towns of Ballyclare and Carryduff and in the villages
of Glenavy and Dromara to serve the outer rural areas of Lisburn District. Existing Employment/Industrial land with capacity for further development is zoned at
Glenavy Road, Moira and Maryland Industrial Estate, Ballygowan Road, Moneyreagh.

Proposals for employment/industrial development on lands within villages and small settlements which do not have specific areas zoned for employment/industrial uses
will be assessed in accordance with prevailing regional policy.

Existing Employment/Industrial Land

Existing employment/industrial sites zoned in the Plan comprise:-

• Undeveloped zonings in previous Area Plans; and

• Developed zonings from previous Area Plans and other lands currently in
  employment/industrial use.

Undeveloped zonings in previous Area Plans

Lands zoned for employment/industry in previous Area Plans are carried forward
into the Plan and are zoned for employment/industrial use. They comprise both developed and undeveloped employment/industrial sites of 0.5 hectares and over. These lands provide additional capacity for employment/industrial uses within the
Plan Period. Key Site Requirements for large undeveloped portions of land zoned for industry in previous Area Plans are set out in the District Proposals. For smaller undeveloped portions development proposals will be considered in accordance with prevailing regional policy and relevant plan proposals. Within areas zoned in previous Area Plans for industry and partly developed there remains a total of 289 hectares
of land undeveloped. These undeveloped areas are included within areas zoned as existing employment/industry.

Developed zonings from previous Area Plans and other lands currently in employment/industrial use.

The developed portions of zonings from previous Area Plans and other lands
currently in employment/industrial use are zoned in order to retain them for employment purposes. A total of 1479 hectares is zoned as existing employment/industry. These lands have some potential to accommodate new development and also offer opportunities of redevelopment for business use.

Details of the zonings for employment/industry are contained in the District
Proposals.

In accordance with PPS 1 General Principles, land use zonings are set out in the District Proposals along with the Key Site Requirements which developers will be expected to meet. Key Site Requirements may include matters relating to the
provision of infrastructure, landscaping and access arrangements as well as requirements relating to the type, design and layout of employment/industrial development.

Developers should however note that while the Key Site Requirements for the development of zoned sites are set out in the Plan, the need for certain supplementary infrastructural works and/or mitigation measures necessary to
facilitate the specific scale and form of development proposed may only be
identified at planning application stage. An example may be as a result of an Environmental Impact Assessment or a Transport Assessment.

Details of land supply are contained in the Employment Technical Supplement.