Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015
Plan Strategy: Strengthing the Metropolitan Area

The BMA is the largest concentration of population and commercial activity in Northern Ireland. Securing its prosperity and vibrancy is vital to the economic, environmental and social well being of the Region.

The Plan Strategy takes cognisance of the fact that the Metropolitan Area is the major gateway to Northern Ireland. It seeks to strengthen the retail, service, administrative, cultural, entertainment, health and educational roles of the BMA. This will help to sustain and enhance the strategic role of the BMA in the future economic growth and development of Northern Ireland, and strengthen Belfast, in fulfilling its role as a modern European city.

The Metropolitan Area comprises a number of urban and rural communities, each with its distinctive role. While these individual communities have their own distinctive identities, there is a high degree of interdependence between them which contributes to the strength and vitality of the BMA as a whole. The Plan Proposals recognise and aim to maintain the communities which make up the BMA and seek to build on their strengths in forging a Metropolitan Area which provides a strong and dynamic heart to Northern Ireland.

The Plan Strategy seeks to promote the City of Belfast as the regional capital of Northern Ireland and as the major focus for regional administration, commerce, specialist services, cultural amenities and as a major employment location. In addition it provides a framework to strengthen the important and complementary roles of Lisburn City and of the adjoining Boroughs of Castlereagh, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and North Down.