Northern Ireland Planning Service

Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015
District Proposals: Carrickfergus The Natural Environment

Areas of International/National Nature Conservation Designations

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The Lough Shore at Carrickfergus contains a wide variety of habitats including hard and soft intertidal foreshore. The Shoreline of Belfast Lough is recognised as an area of international nature conservation Importance and is designated as follows;
  • The Belfast Lough Ramsar Site;
  • Belfast Lough Special Protection Area (SPA);and
  • Outer Belfast Lough Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).
These designations are mainly in recognition of the Lough’s support for internationally important over-wintering numbers of Redshank as well as the wintering waterfowl assemblage.
The Belfast Lough Shore Ramsar, SPA and ASSI are also designated as Areas of Constraint on Mineral development at Plan Proposal CE 06. These areas are identified on Map No.2 - Environmental Designations (Parts 1-3, Volume 1) and Map Nos. 9 -18. Further details are set out in the Countryside Assessment Technical Supplement.
Development proposals within or adjoining these areas will be assessed in accordance with prevailing regional policy as set out in PPS 2 Planning and Nature Conservation.
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