BMA Settlement Strategy

The Settlement Strategy for the BMA is fundamental to the delivery of the
Plan aim. The aim of the Strategy is to focus development in the cities and
towns, with priority being given to the re-use of land within existing urban areas,
and the need to contain outward expansion.

BMA Settlement Strategy

The BMA Settlement Strategy comprises the following elements: development of a compact and dynamic regional core centred on Belfast; focus of development opportunities in existing urban areas, with the consolidation of cities and towns avoiding significant outward expansion; support and reinforcement for the role of city and town centres, the Arterial Routes within Belfast and ‘urban villages’; encouragement of vibrant rural communities in towns, villages and small settlements; and consolidation of small clusters of development in the open countryside to form a number of new rural settlements and prevent further encroachment of development into the open countryside.

The Settlement Strategy has been developed in accordance with the RDS Spatial Development Strategy. Settlements are designated according to their role, the services and facilities available, and their potential for accommodating
development.

The core development areas in the BMA are the Cities of Belfast and Lisburn
and the towns. The Plan Proposals seek to reinforce the role of city and town
centres as the main foci in the life of the community, and as key centres for the provision of jobs and services.

The city and town centres in the BMA provide a strong sense of place not only
for local residents but also for visitors for whom they are focal points.

In Belfast, in addition to supporting and strengthening the role of the City Centre,
the Plan also aims to reinforce a sense of place by including proposals to maintain distinctive places, buildings and landscapes, recognising that many people have a sense of allegiance to local areas rather than the larger Metropolitan Area. This involves focusing on the role of the Arterial Routes and ‘urban villages’ in the wider City in order to retain strong local identities. The Arterial Routes connect the
suburban parts of Belfast with the City Centre and help to provide a sense of
place and focus. Many of the Arterial Routes form the main transport corridors into and out of the City, and operate as retail and service centres for surrounding communities.

A number of ‘urban villages’ are located on the Arterial Routes in Belfast, providing
a sense of place, and a focus for community life. The Plan recognises these as established community nodes that help to respect local identities and give
expression to local diversity in the Metropolitan Urban Area. Some of these ‘urban villages’ are identified as commercial nodes in the Plan, and several are designated
as Areas of Townscape Character, in order to conserve the built heritage and character of distinctive areas of the city. They are also promoted in the Plan
through a range of policies covering urban design, provision of local services, transportation and economic development.

Other ‘urban villages’ in the Plan Area that are not located on the Arterial Routes
in Belfast, also provide a focus for local communities within wider urban areas and have a sense of place and local identity. In these instances the Plan will seek to maintain these attributes, particularly in relation to local identity and diversity.

In the Metropolitan Rural Area, the Settlement Strategy focuses on the existing network of towns, villages and small settlements, recognising the important role
that the settlements perform as local service centres in terms of sustaining and serving rural communities. Although the towns are the main locations for the
provision of services for the surrounding rural areas, there is also a need to consolidate growth in the villages in order to reinforce their role as local centres.
As many villages in the Metropolitan Rural Area are subject to strong dispersal pressures, large-scale expansion has been resisted in the majority of cases in
order to ensure that development takes places in towns where infrastructure
already exists.

The Metropolitan Rural Area also contains a significant number of small
settlements that vary considerably in terms of population. Many of these
settlements lack facilities and the aim is therefore to restrict any further
expansion into the surrounding countryside, with the focus on consolidating
growth and in the majority of cases no proposed expansion.

Designation SETT 1 Designation of Settlements

Settlements are designated in accordance with a hierarchy which consists of: Metropolitan Urban Area Cities:                        Belfast and Lisburn Towns:                      Bangor and Carrickfergus Small Towns:              Holywood Metropolitan Rural Area Small Towns:             Ballyclare, Carryduff, Greenisland, Hillsborough, Moira and                               Whitehead. Villages:                   Aghalee, Annahilt, Ballyeaston, Ballynure, Ballyrobert,                               Cogry/Kilbride, Crawfordsburn, Doagh, Dromara, Drumbeg,                               Drumbo, Glenavy, Groomsport, Helen’s Bay, Lower Ballinderry,                               Maghaberry, Milltown, Moneyreagh, Ravernet, Seahill,                               Stoneyford, Straid and Upper Ballinderry. Small Settlements:     Ballyaughlis, Ballycor, Ballycraigy, Ballyknockan, Ballylesson,                               Ballynadolly, Ballyskeagh, Boardmills, Bruslee, Craigantlet,                               Craigarogan, Crossnacreevy, Drumlough, Drumlough Road,                               Dundrod, Duneight, Edenderry, Feumore, Halfpenny Gate,                               Halftown, Hannahstown, Hillhall, Hillhead, Kesh Bridge,                               Kingsmoss, Knocknagulliagh, Lambeg, Legacurry, Long Kesh,                               Lower Broomhedge, Lowtown, Lurganure, Lurganville,                               Magheraconluce, Millbank, Morningside, Orlock, Purdysburn,                               Roughfort, Ryan Park, Six Road Ends, St James, The Temple,                               Tildarg, Trooperslane, Tullynacross and Upper Broomhedge.

These settlements form a network that consists of cities and towns centred on
the core of the metropolitan area, together with a strong network of towns,
villages and small settlements situated in the Metropolitan Rural Area.

Small settlements include clusters of development in the rural area which had
not been previously identified in development plans. They are:-

Hannahstown (Belfast City Council Area); The Temple, Ballynadolly, Duneight, Halftown, Morningside (Lisburn City Council Area); Ballyknockan, Crossnacreevy
and Ryan Park (Castlereagh Borough Council Area); Bruslee and Hillhead (Newtownabbey Borough Council Area); Craigantlet, Orlock and Six Road Ends
(North Down Borough Council Area).

While these small settlements provide a community focus for their immediate
rural area, they generally have limited infrastructure and services. The Plan aims
to consolidate development within these settlements, and in the majority of cases, the Settlement Development Limit is drawn to prevent any further encroachment
into the countryside, with no further land being provided for expansion.

In Castlereagh Borough, Moneyreagh, Crossnacreevy, Ballyknockan and Ryan Park,
did not previously have Settlement Development Limits due to the absence of a development plan for the area. Consequently, the Plan designates them as settlements.

Policy SETT 2 Development within the Metropolitan Development Limit and Settlement Development Limits

On Zoned Sites planning permission will only be granted for development proposals that comply with the specified use. On Land Use Policy Areas planning permission will only be granted for alternative uses to the specified use where the development proposal meets all the following criteria: it is subordinate to the designated use and occupies a small portion of the Land Use Policy Area; it can exist in close proximity to the designated use without adverse environmental consequences; it does not prejudice accessibility to the remainder of the Land Use Policy Area;   it does not prejudice the potential to meet overall development needs in the settlements; and   it does not prejudice the potential of the road network to meet overall development needs in the settlement. Planning permission will only be granted to development proposals within the Metropolitan Development Limit and Settlement Development Limits, including zoned sites within cities and towns and Land Use Policy Areas within villages and small settlements provided that the proposal is: sensitive to the size and character of the settlement in terms of scale, form, design and use of materials; and in accordance with the Key Site Requirements contained in the District Proposals.

Settlement Development Limits are designated for Lisburn City and each town,
village and small settlement in the Plan Area. A Metropolitan Development limit is designated for the Contiguous Development Zone⁴.

In accordance with PPS 1 ‘General Principles’, land use zonings and designations
are set out in the District Proposals, along with the Key Site Requirements which developers will be expected to meet. 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.

Zoned Land and Land Use Policy Areas are shown on the relevant settlement maps
in the District Proposals. Development proposals in the cities, towns, villages and
small settlements in the District will be considered in the context of prevailing
planning policy and the Plan Proposals.

It is not the Department’s practice to zone lands for specific purposes within
villages and small settlements as zoning can create a degree of inflexibility in the development of those lands that can frustrate their orderly development. However, land is zoned in some villages for employment/industrial use in order to give
certainty to the provision of this land use. Land Use Policy Areas identify lands considered to be particularly appropriate for specific types of development. The
Plan designates Housing Policy Areas in villages and small settlements where appropriate to identify the main housing growth areas.

⁴ See Glossary (Appendix 5) for definition of Contiguous Development Zone.

Policy SETT 3 City and Town Centres

Within designated City and Town Centres, planning permission will only be granted for proposals which support and enhance vitality and viability by: reinforcing them as the main locations for retail, office, leisure and cultural activity; or providing for a diverse mix of uses including housing; or enhancing their roles by increasing activity and accessibility.

This policy will support and reinforce the roles of city and town centres throughout the Plan Area, as these centres provide a focus for urban and rural communities,
and are well served by public transport for the provision of shopping, office, leisure and cultural activities in common locations accessible to the whole community.

City centres are designated in:

• Belfast
• Lisburn

Town centres are designated in:

• Bangor
• Carrickfergus
• Ballyclare
• Carryduff
• Holywood

Details of the designations are contained in the relevant District Proposals.

Policy SETT 4 Arterial Routes within Belfast

Regeneration of the designated Arterial Routes within Belfast will be facilitated by: allowing an appropriate scale of retail and office use within shopping and commercial areas, where designated, to serve local populations; and promoting good quality urban design.

The Arterial Routes within Belfast are key access routes to the City Centre. As
such their appearance is important in forming a positive impression for visitors of
the City and the Metropolitan Area as a whole.

The Arterial Routes, and in particular the ‘urban villages’ located along them, have
had a traditional role as local foci for commercial and community life within the City.

The fortunes of the Arterial Routes have varied over the years. Some have seen growth in their service role. Many others however have declined as redevelopment
has reduced local populations and as a result of changing shopping patterns.

The Plan seeks to support the regeneration of the Arterial Routes by facilitating
retail and office provision, in order to serve local populations. The identification of lands to facilitate an increase in housing within the existing urban footprint will
provide the opportunity to increase the support for services provided in local areas.

The following Arterial Routes are designated within Belfast and Castlereagh
Districts, and as they include areas designated as shopping and commercial areas, Policies R 6 (Retailing section), OF 3 (Office section) and urban design policies set
out in the Urban Environment Section and the District Proposals will apply:

• Albertbridge Road
• Andersonstown Road
• Antrim Road
• Castlereagh Road
• Crumlin Road
• Divis Street/Falls Road
• Donegall Road
• Grosvenor Road/Springfield Road
• Holywood Road
• Lisburn Road
• Newtownards Road/Upper Newtownards Road
• Oldpark Road
• Ormeau Road
• Shankill Road/Woodvale Road
• Woodstock Road/Cregagh Road
• York Street/York Road/Shore Road

The following Arterial Routes are also designated but do not contain shopping/commercial areas. Accordingly only urban design policies set out in the
Urban Environment Section and the District Proposals will apply:

• Ballygomartin Road
• Castlereagh Street
• Glen Road
• Malone Road/University Road
• Ravenhill Road
• Stewartstown Road
• Woodstock Link

Details of each designated Arterial Route are contained in the relevant District Proposals.

Policy SETT 5 Development Opportunity Sites

Within development opportunity sites, development proposals shall be in accordance with the Key Site Requirements set out in the District Proposals. Where development opportunity sites contain listed buildings and buildings of architectural or historic significance, which make a positive contribution to Conservation Areas and Areas of Townscape Character, development proposals shall ensure such buildings are retained as required by prevailing regional planning policy.

In accordance with PPS 1 ‘General Principles’, development opportunity sites are included as zonings in the District Proposals, together with the Key Site
Requirements which developers will be expected to meet.

Development opportunity sites are zoned in Belfast, Lisburn, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Ballyclare, Carryduff and Holywood. They generally involve lands which are under-utilised or vacant and where development, which might provide a mix of new uses, could promote the vitality and viability of the urban area or town centre, or could enhance the townscape. This could be achieved, for example, by closing frontage gaps or by replacing unattractive features. Such development within city and town centres could enhance shopping frontages, encourage pedestrian movement and so assist commercial growth.

The Key Site Requirements and guidance for specific sites are contained in the relevant District Proposals. The initiation of development proposals for sites will be
a matter for landowners and interested developers.

Where DSD support is sought to develop, redevelop or enlarge a development opportunity site, the development proposal will be subject to independent
assessment by DSD of its regeneration merits in the context of its regeneration
policy framework for the general area.

Policy SETT 6 Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland

The policies contained in ‘A Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland’ except where superseded by prevailing regional planning policies will apply to the entire Plan Area.

The planning policies contained in the Rural Strategy apply to the rural area of the
six District Council areas comprising the BMA. The Rural Strategy specifically stated that these policies did not apply inside the development limits of Bangor, Carrickfergus, and Londonderry, and within the inner edge of the Green Belt for the Belfast Urban Area.

In order to provide complete and consistent coverage of planning policies in the
Plan Area, this policy extends the application of the policies contained in the Rural Strategy to the entire Plan Area, except where policies have already been
superseded by PPSs.

Planning Service has a programme to prepare a number of PPSs that apply to all
of Northern Ireland. As PPSs are finalised, they will progressively supersede the policies in the Rural Strategy.