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Employment

The RDS identifies Lisburn as a strategic location for employment growth, and recognises the need to promote its continued development as a strong
employment base. As a result, this Plan proposes to strengthen the City’s
role as an important industrial centre by zoning an additional 113 hectares of
land for employment/industry uses within the settlement limit of Lisburn City
(part of this zoning consists of a mixed-use site).

Zoned employment/industry lands are in a variety of locations to allow for a
range of industrial types and choice. All existing employment/industry zonings are identified on Map No. 2/001 – Lisburn City. Applications for planning
permission within these sites will be determined in accordance with prevailing
regional planning policy and the Key Site Requirements in the Plan where
stipulated.

Employment/Industry Zonings

The following site LC 07 is zoned for Employment/Industry as identified
on Map No. 2/001 – Lisburn City and Map no. 2/002 – Land at West
Lisburn, Blaris Road – Major Employment Location.
 

Zoning LC 07 Employment/Industry Major Employment Location Land at West Lisburn, Blaris Road

105 hectares of land are zoned for Employment/Industry at West Lisburn/ Blaris as identified on Map No. 2/001 – Lisburn City and Map No. 2/002. Key Site Requirements:       Development shall only include the following uses:         Light Industrial Use as currently specified in Class 4 of the Planning       (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as amended;         General Industrial Use as currently specified in Class 5 of the       Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as amended;         Storage or Distribution Use (including logistics) as currently specified       in Class 11 of the Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland)       1989 as amended;         Special Industrial Use as currently specified in Classes 6-10 of the       Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as amended       (Except Zones A and B);         Business Use as currently specified in Class 3 of the Planning (Use       Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as amended (Except Zones B       and C);         Hotel (suis Generis) and associated ancillary leisure facilities (Except       Zones B and C);         Educational Use (School) as currently specified in Use Class 15 (c) of       the Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as       amended (Except Zones B and C);         Healthcare Facilities as currently specified in Use Class 15 (a) of the       Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 as amended       (Except Zones B and C);         Car Showrooms (suis Generis) (Except Zones A and B).         The total amount of floorspace for Business Use as defined above       shall not exceed 5,000 sqm.         Development of the site shall only be permitted in accordance with an overall comprehensive masterplan for the site, to be agreed with the Department.  This shall outline the design concept, objectives and priorities for the site.  The Zones A-C identified on Map No. 2/002 shall be incorporated into the overall masterplan and shall consist of the following elements: Zone A       Land within Zone A shall be allocated as follows:           -  2 hectares of land shall be provided for health care use;           -  8 hectares of land shall be provided for a school;           -  5 hectares of land shall be provided for a hotel and                               associated ancillary leisure facilities;                             -  the remainder of Zone A shall develop as a Business Park                     within a generous parkland setting interspersed with high                     quality landscaping;       The Business Park within Zone A shall comprise of buildings with a maximum height of 2-3 storeys (refer to details below) and shall be sited on the mid to upper levels of the slope, in a linear form on either side of the proposed northern link road  (see below) to create an enclosed street frontage.         Buildings within the Business Park  shall consist of two generic typologies, as follows:                 -  southern edge of Business Park: smaller building floorplates shall                consist of nett plot/building ratio of around 1:1 including car               parking immediately behind, to create a continuous street               frontage, and no greater than 2 storeys in height; and                 -  northern and Eastern Edges of Business Park: larger building               floorplates shall consist of nett plot/building ratios ranging               between 1.5:1 and 2:1 including car parking immediately behind               and no greater than 3 storeys in height.  Buildings shall be mixed               with areas of open space to form a streetscape, which is partly               defined by buildings and partly by high quality landscaping.       School and Healthcare facilities shall be located to the western side of Zone A to benefit from the provision of infrastructure.         The Hotel and associated ancillary leisure facilities shall be located at       the entrance to Zone A (See focal point Map No 2/002) off the       Knockmore Link Road and shall form a gateway feature set into a       well-developed landscape.  The hotel building shall be developed as       a key landmark building and shall be a minimum of 4-5 storeys in       height. Zone B       Landscape Plateau: A landscape dominant development shall be required to manage the visual impact and minimise potential negative visual impacts on existing adjoining developments.  Built development in this area shall be developed within an extensive landscape setting and buildings shall be a maximum of 2 storeys to enable integration into the landscape.  There is evidence of archaeological remains within this area which shall require a full Built Heritage impact assessment (see further details under  Archaeological Evaluation below). Zone C       Large-scale industrial developments, logistics and warehousing shall       be concentrated along the southern edge of the site. A Park and Ride       site may be facilitated within this area.  Buildings within this area       shall be a maximum of 2 storeys in height and shall be interspersed       with high quality landscaping. The industrial units shall be laid out in        a grid pattern, which allows sub-division of plots, or consolidation       responding to the needs of larger industry if required, set within a       woodland planted structure.         Boundary definition: Development shall be enclosed by wide planted       berms (See under ‘Soil Management’) screening views from the       proposed Knockmore Link to the west, from the M1 to the south and       from existing adjoining development to the east and north.  The       planting to the north shall provide an edge to the existing Blaris       graveyard.  The design of these berms shall need to be carefully       assessed to avoid encroaching on the graveyard site and impacting       on its existing amenity.  Berms and planting shall form a screen       approximately 30 metres wide around the industrial units.  The       berms shall be formed up to a height of 5 metres using material       excavated on the site; native woodland planting shall provide       additional visual screening.         Two vehicular accesses to the site shall be provided via the proposed       Knockmore Link Road to be agreed with Roads Service, DRD. An       access shall serve the lands to the north in Zone A i.e. the Northern       Link which shall connect to the existing Blaris Road at the eastern       end of the development site.  An additional access shall be to the       south serving the larger industries in Zone C, i.e. the Southern Link       distributor route.  The Blaris Road shall not be used for general traffic       from the development lands but may be used for emergency access       only or as a bus route for the proposed park and ride facility.         A Transport Assessment (TA), agreed with Roads Service, DRD, shall       be required to identify any necessary improvements to the road       network/transportation facilities in the area. In addition to the need       for a TA, and the requirements identified therein, an initial       assessment of this specific development site indicates that as a       minimum the following improvements shall be required:                 -  improvements to the Knockmore Road;                 -  the construction of the Knockmore Link Road;                 -  new and improved pedestrian and cycling links from the site to         existing nearby public transport facilities/National Cycle Network         at Sprucefield in order to maximise the use of these facilities; and                 -  links to the proposed West Lisburn Halt  and Park and Ride facility                 shall be provided.       Traffic analysis and modelling of the road network that is likely to be affected by the comprehensive development, is required to determine what infrastructure improvements may be necessary to safely and adequately accommodate the development.         Drainage Requirements: Provision for increased drainage requirements shall be tackled at a strategic overall site scale and shall include provision of storm cells and attenuation areas.  Given the proximity of the flood plain, a geotechnical survey of the site, its drainage characteristics and a study of the potential drainage requirements shall be provided.         Buildings shall exhibit variety in their elevational treatment and       heights, particular consideration shall be given to views into the site.         An Archaeological Evaluation shall be carried out and submitted with any planning application and shall have regard for the identification and mitigation (with provision for excavation recording and/or preservation in situ) of buried archaeological remains which may presently survive at this site.         Open Space: