Northern Ireland Planning Service

Strategic Planning Policy Statement For Northern Ireland

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Public Consultation Exercise

Draft Strategic Planning Policy Statement For Northern Ireland (SPPS) (Date Posted 04 02 2014)

DOE has published Draft SPPS for 12 weeks public consultation ending on 29 April 2014. The SPPS sets out the Department’s regional planning policies for securing the orderly and consistent development of land in Northern Ireland under a reformed two-tier planning system.
All responses to this public consultation can be submitted to the Department electronically using our interactive digital consultation portal accessed through the following link:

http://planningni-consult.objective.co.uk/portal

Strategic Planning Policy Statement (Date Posted 08/10/2013)

As part of the overall programme of planning and local government reform, the Department is undertaking a comprehensive consolidation and review of planning policy which will reconfigure existing provisions within a single policy document.  This reflects a new approach to the preparation of regional planning policy.
Existing planning policies are currently detailed and operational in nature.  However, in preparing for the introduction of the two-tier planning system, it is intended that the consolidated planning policy document will be much more strategic in its focus, simpler and shorter. Key strategic policies will remain in place set out in the one document.
The SPPS will set out the core principles that planning authorities should observe in the formulation of local planning policy, the preparation of development plans and the exercise of development management functions.  
The SPPS is being accompanied by a strategic environmental assessment (SEA). This will assess the impact of the draft SPPS on Northern Ireland’s environment. In addition, the SPPS will be supported by assessments on Regulatory and Equalities Impacts
The aim is to publish the the final SPPS before the transfer of planning powers to the Councils on 1st April 2015.  

SPPS Timetable (Date Posted 29/10/2013)

The key stages of the process through to final publication of the SPPS include:
  • Stage 1: Formal Initiation / early stakeholder engagement / SEA Scoping Report / draft SPPS preparation – Autumn/Winter 2013
  • Stage 2: Public Consultation on Draft SPPS and associated Assessments – expected early 2014
  • Stage 3: Assessment of Consultation Responses and SPPS revisions, where appropriate - late Spring / Summer 2014
  • Stage 4: Publication of SPPS in final form - Autumn / Winter 2014/15

Download the following documents - For information only (Date Posted 06/11/2013)

Early Stakeholder Engagement- RTPI Summary Report

The Royal Town Planning Institute Northern Ireland (RTPI NI) was invited by the Department to independently facilitate a series of informal stakeholder discussion sessions associated with the introduction of the SPPS. Five pre-draft stakeholder meetings took place during the week commencing 30th September 2013 and included representatives from a range of groups and individuals. A summary report is available to download below:

A Report of Discussions held with Stakeholders

In addtion the RTPI (NI) convened two Summits over Spring/Summer of 2013 with a range of stakeholders, supported by follow-up statements, to discuss the principles of the SPPS. A summary report is available to download below:

SEA Scoping report

Key Information

The SPPS webpage will be updated as appropriate during the policy development process.