Within Carrickfergus Borough, the outer edge of the Green Belt remains unchanged but it has been amended at its inner edge between Jordanstown and Greenisland. Lands previously identified as the ‘Whitelands’ in the BUA 2001, between Greenisland and Jordanstown are now designated as BMA Green Belt.

All proposals for development within the Green Belt will be considered in accordance with prevailing regional policy and the Plan Proposals.

The designated Rural Landscape Wedge will:

• distinguish and maintain the separate identities of Carrickfergus and Greenisland by forming a visual break between the two settlements;

• prevent the merging of the two communities;

• provide an important element in defining and protecting the setting of Carrickfergus and Greenisland;

• maintain the rural character of the countryside; and

• protect the identity and setting of the small settlement of Trooperslane adjacent to Carrickfergus.

The Rural Landscape Wedge is primarily used for agricultural purposes and as a countryside recreation resource. It has areas of biodiversity interest including the Jointure Bay Stream SLNCI which runs adjacent to the police station up to the railway line.

Coast

The BMA Coastal Area is identified on Map No.1 - Carrickfergus Countryside and is designated under COU 3, BMA Coastal Area in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.

Policy for the control of development within the designated BMA coastal area is contained in Policy COU 4, BMA Coastal Area as contained in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.


Areas of High Scenic Value

Two Areas of High Scenic Value, Island Magee and the Carrickfergus Escarpment are designated at COU 6/01 and COU 6/02 in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.

These are identified on Map No .1 - Carrickfergus Countryside and on clarification Map No. 4 - Carrickfergus Escarpment AOHSV (Volume 1), showing the full extent of the Carrickfergus Escarpment AOHSV designation which runs across the Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey Borough Council boundaries.

The Carrickfergus Escarpment was identified in the Northern Ireland Landscape Character Assessment 2000 as an area of scenic quality and is designated in the Plan as an Area of High Scenic Value. Only a small portion of the Escarpment is within Carrickfergus Borough, with the majority located in the Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It forms a magnificent backdrop to Greenisland, creating a distinctive landscape setting for the wider BMA.

The steep slopes to the east of Whitehead are identified in the Northern Ireland Landscape Character Assessment 2000 as part of the Island Magee area of scenic value. These slopes are designated as an Area of High Scenic Value due to their distinctive landscape setting for the settlement of Whitehead. The prominent slopes are located primarily in Larne District Council Area but a portion falls within Carrickfergus Borough Council area.

Both Areas of High Scenic Value lie within the BMA Green Belt and are identified as Areas of Constraint on Minerals Development, in recognition of the damaging effects that mineral development could have on their local scenic quality.

Proposals in both AOHSVs will be assessed in accordance with prevailing Green Belt policy and in accordance with Policy COU 7, as set out in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.

Mineral Development

Historically basalt lava was extracted from Carrickfergus Borough as a source of aggregate and road stone and a subsequently a number of small derelict workings occur to the high ground to the north of Carrickfergus. Mining extraction today is confined to mining rock salt at Kilroot where there are considerable reserves.

Salt mining has been taking place in the Carrickfergus area since 1851, leaving abandoned mine shafts with associated workings at several locations within the Borough. Up until 1958 salt mining was not carried out to present day safety levels. This resulted in subsidence in certain parts of the Borough particularly where solution mining took place.

Current mining activities at Kilroot use modern engineering standards and solution mining is no longer permitted. In addition to planning permission a licence from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment under the Mineral Development Act (NI) 1969 is required for the mining of rock salt. Licences are also required from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for the exploration of oil or gas under the Petroleum Product Act (NI) 1964. The geology of the Borough is such that accumulations of natural gas may occur and part of the Borough is at present under licence for petroleum exploration.

Designation CE 06 Areas of Constraint on Mineral Developments

Areas of Constraint on Mineral Developments are designated as identified on Map No. 1 - Carrickfergus Countryside and Map Nos. 3c – 3h, 5c and 8a – 8p SLNCIs and Map Nos. 9-18 environmental designations at the following locations: - Island Magee AoHSV (as designated at COU 6/01–Part 3); The Carrickfergus Escarpment AOHSV (as designated at COU 6/02 -Part 3); Belfast Lough Ramsar, SPA; Outer Belfast Lough ASSI; Larne Lough Ramsar, SPA and ASSI; North Woodburn Glen ASSI; Castletown ASSI; Ballycarry ASI; Islandmagee ASI; SLNCIs as identified at designation CE 02 above and CS 17, CS 47 and WD 04; Area of salt reserve as identified at designation CE 07; and Areas of potential subsidence as identified at designation CE 08.

By their nature, scale, location and duration of operation, mineral developments frequently impact more severely on the environment than any other form of development. They can damage or destroy sites of nature conservation or earth science value and sites of historic or archaeological interest. They can also have a significant visual impact on the landscape and have an adverse effect on the amenity of the people living nearby.

Areas of Constraint on Mineral Developments are identified in order to safeguard the most valuable and vulnerable areas of the environment within the Borough from the detrimental effects of mineral extraction. Their identification has taken account of nature conservation interests, the archaeological and built heritage, landscape quality and character, visual prominence, amenity value and geological/ geomorphological interest.

In view of their scientific importance all ASSIs, ASIs, Ramsar sites and SPAs are designated as Areas of Constraint on Mineral Developments. SLNCIs are also designated as Areas of Constraint on Mineral Developments.

Proposals for the development of mineral resources will be determined in accordance with prevailing regional planning policy, currently set out in MIN 3 of the Rural Strategy and in addition Policy COU 8 as contained in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.

Policy CE 07 Area of Salt Reserve North of Kilroot, Carrickfergus

An Area of Salt Reserve is designated east of Carrickfergus to the North of Kilroot as identified on Map No. 1 - Carrickfergus Countryside and Map No. 3a – Carrickfergus. Within this designated area planning permission will not be granted for surface development that would prejudice the exploitation of the proven Salt Reserves with the exception of:- Structures related to and necessary for established businesses including agricultural buildings where these require planning permission; and The improvement, extension or replacement of occupied dwellings which comply with the normal planning and environmental criteria for such development as set out in the Rural Strategy.

Salt is currently being mined underground at Kilroot where there are considerable reserves. In any future proposals for further extraction of salt at this location, careful consideration will be given to minimising the effect that these are likely to have on the stability of the surface lands directly above and surrounding the proposal.
The Department also wishes to ensure that surface development does not prejudice the exploitation of the proven reserves, which are considered to be of particular value to the Northern Ireland economy.

Where planning permission is granted for surface development in this area and where the Department perceives a risk of subsidence from either old shafts or new mining, an informative will be attached to the consent indicating the risk of subsidence. This will inform the applicant that the responsibility and subsequent liability for safe development and secure occupancy of the site lies with the developer and/or landowner.

Policy CE 08 Area of Potential Subsidence Carrickfergus

Areas of Potential Subsidence to the east and north west of Carrickfergus are designated as identified on Map No. 1 - Carrickfergus Countryside and Map No. 3a - Carrickfergus. Within Areas of Potential Subsidence planning permission will not be granted for any new built development in the interests of public safety.

Investigations have established areas around the shafts and workings of old salt mines that have the potential to subside and where it would be unwise to permit new structures to be erected, especially structures intended for human habitation.

The principle of safeguarding against the effects of instability in adjacent areas, including property damage, personal distress to occupants and degradation of the physical environment, will be taken into account when dealing with planning applications in the locality.