Regional Planning

REGIONAL PLANNING

Shaping Our Future, is a Regional Development Strategy which offers a strategic and long-term perspective on the future development of Northern Ireland up to the year 2025.  It has been prepared in close consultation with the community and seeks to define an agreed vision for the Region and to frame an agenda which will lead to its achievement.

5 Year Review of the Regional Development Strategy

There is a commitment in the Regional Development Strategy that 5 year reviews will be carried out on the Strategy to identify aspects where ‘in-course’ adjustments might be appropriate.  The first 5 year review has now been completed.  The work is detailed in 2 documents entitled “Report of the Process, Key Findings and Planned Actions” and Adjustments to the Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland 2025”.  The Regional Development Committee has considered these and has agreed to their publication.  

The Executive will now consider the proposed adjustments prior to publication..  

There is also a commitment in the RDS that a major review will be carried out in 2010.  The Department has now embarked on this major review.  The overall objective is to ensure that the Strategy is fit for purpose and capable of supporting the achievement of the Northern Ireland Programme for Government

Department of the Environment assumes responsibility for planning policy statements

On 25 October 2007 Mr Justice Gillen issued his final judgement on the judicial review of draft Planning Policy Statement 14.  While he found that DRD did not have authority to make this planning policy statement he did not quash the draft policy.

Following this judgement the Minister of the Environment Arlene Foster MLA made a Statement to the Assembly indicating that her Department, with the agreement of the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy MP, MLA, would assume responsibility for rural planning policy.  

Agreement has also been reached between Ministers that all planning policy statements would transfer to the Department of the Environment.  This has now taken place.