Local Development Plan (LDP) Timetable

What is the LDP Timetable?

The Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 requires our Council to publish a Plan Timetable to provide information about the main stages in the Local Development Plan process and the indicative timeframe that we are aiming for in meeting each stage and overall.

Through publication of the Plan Timetable, we are aiming to provide:

Information on the approximate timing of various key stages in the LDP process;
Information on the formal periods for public consultation on draft LDP documents, including the approximate timing of these consultations and the length of time that they will be operative;
Information on the approximate timing of the two Independent Examinations that will happen during the Plan process;
Information on the Sustainability Assessment process that will run in parallel with the LDP process.

As there are many factors that could cause the Timetable to change the timeframe set out is indicative in nature.

Progress against the Timetable will be monitored annually and the Council will publish further revisions to the timetable should this be considered necessary.

Local Development Plan 2030 Plan Timetable (2024 revision)

The information published below is also available as a downloadable document (PDF 4MB)

Getting in touch

Should you have a Planning query, you can contact the Council’s Planning Section in any of the following ways:

By email to: planning@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Or by writing to:

Planning Department
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Silverwood Business Park
190 Raceview Road
Ballymena
BT42 4HZ

By telephone: 028 2563 3500

This document can also be made available for viewing by appointment in the Council Planning Office for those who do not have online access.

Should you require a copy of this Timetable in an alternative format, it can be made available on request in large print, audio format or Braille.

It may also be made available in other languages to meet the needs of those for whom English is not their first language.

1. Introduction

1.1 The purpose of this timetable is to set the key stages and the indicative timescale for the formulation of the Mid and East Antrim Local Development Plan 2030 (LDP).

1.2 The Timetable has been prepared within the legislative context of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

This legislation requires the Council to prepare and keep under review a timetable for the preparation and adoption of its LDP.

1.3 The timetable has been approved by resolution of the Council and agreed with the Department for Infrastructure in accordance with Regulation 7 of the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

2. Purpose of the Local Development Plan

2.1 The fundamental purpose of the LDP is to inform the public, statutory authorities, developers, landowners and other interested parties of the planning policy framework and land use proposals that will guide development decisions within the Borough up to the end of the plan period in 2030.

2.2 The LDP will take account of the Council’s Corporate Plan, Community Plan and other Council strategies so that its objectives and land use based policies and proposals reflect the shared vision for the Borough and its communities.

The LDP will also be shaped through consultation with communities, stakeholders and the public, in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI).

2.3 The LDP must also take account of the regional policy context set by the Northern Ireland Executive and central government departments.

This includes, amongst others, the Regional Development Strategy (RDS), the Sustainable Development Strategy and the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS).

The LDP is expected to implement at local (Borough) level, the strategic regional planning policy objectives of the RDS and SPPS.

3. The Local Development Process

3.1 The LDP is produced in two stages and will comprise of two separate documents, which together will shape development within the Borough from final adoption, through to the year 2030.

3.2 The first LDP document is the Plan Strategy (adopted October 2023).

The Plan Strategy defines the strategic planning objectives for the future development of the Borough.

It include a range of strategic policies to facilitate and manage development and also a spatial strategy that indicates in broad terms the location where different types of development will be promoted and areas where development (or specific types of development) will be restricted in order to safeguard interests of acknowledged importance (such as high quality/sensitive landscapes).

3.3 As a prerequisite to the formulation of the Plan Strategy, the Council identified a number of key issues in the Plan area that emerged through the initial evidence gathering phase of the LDP.

A Preferred Options Paper (POP) was brought forward to define a range of options for addressing these key issues, including the Council's preferred option.

The POP was subject to public consultation and stakeholder engagement in accordance with the provisions set out in the Council's SCI.

The outcome informed the Plan Strategy, which itself was subject to public consultation and independent examination.

3.4 The second LDP document will be the Local Policies Plan (LPP).

This will be prepared within the context of the adopted Plan Strategy and will include a range of site specific policies, designations and proposals associated with such matters as definition of settlement limits, land use zonings and environmental designations.

The LPP is intended to deliver the strategic policies and spatial strategy contained within the LDP Plan Strategy.

As with the Plan Strategy, the LPP will be subject to public consultation and independent examination.

3.5 A Sustainability Appraisal of the LDP has commenced at the same time as the Plan and runs in tandem with it.

The purpose of the Sustainability Appraisal is to ensure that due account is taken of social, economic and environmental considerations throughout the Plan process, so as to facilitate the delivery of sustainable development through the LDP.

Reports from the various stages of the Sustainability Appraisal will be published at key stages of the Plan preparation as detailed in the Timetable at Appendix 1.

3.6 Statutory requirements for other assessments to be carried out and integrated within the overall Plan process, include the following:

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
SEA is subsumed within the Sustainability Appraisal but, subject to screening, is specifically required in order to examine the environmental effects of the Plan on proposals;
Habitats Regulations Assessment
Considers the potential impact of LDP policies and proposals on European nature conservation sites;
Equality Impact Assessment
Screening is required to assess if the LDP is likely to have differential impacts on specific sections of the community.
If so, an Equality Impact Assessment needs to be undertaken and mitigation measures considered, as necessary;
Rural Proofing
Rural Proofing is the process by which all major policies and proposals (including LDPs) are assessed to determine whether they will have a different impact on rural areas.
If so, potential mitigation measures need to be considered.

4. Status of the Local Development Plan

4.1 The adopted Plan Strategy replaces the operational planning policies contained in the various Planning Policy Statements published by the former DOE.

The LDP will, on final adoption, replace the current development plans applying to the Borough.

The development or area plans to be replaced are:

Ballymena Area Plan 1986-2001
Larne Area Plan 2010
Carrickfergus Area Plan 2001
(insofar as it relates to the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area)
Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2004
(insofar as it relates to the former Carrickfergus Borough Council area).

5. The Timetable

5.1 The Plan Timetable has been prepared in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and is set out in Appendix 1.

5.2 The timetable details the various actions applicable to key stages in the LDP process and which must be completed if the Plan is to meet legislative requirements and various tests of ‘soundness’.

It also includes those actions that relate to the assessments referred to in paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6.

5.3 The timetable sets out indicative dates for a number of the key stages in the production of the LDP.

The indicative nature of these dates recognises that there are many factors that could potentially impact upon the timescale for delivery of the LDP.

6. Monitoring and Review of Timetable

6.1 It is proposed that the following arrangements be adopted for the monitoring and review of progress on the LDP relative to the Plan Timetable:

I. Establishment of a Working Group within Council.

It is envisaged that this will be the high level co-ordinating body that will ensure oversight and strategic input on behalf of the whole community, as well as from planning professionals.

II. A work programme will be presented to the Steering Group for each key stage of the Plan process.

III. Papers will be presented to the Planning Committee on a regular basis regarding various aspects of the LDP, relevant to the particular stage in the process.

IV. The Plan Timetable will be reviewed annually; any significant delays will be identified and the causes of these will be reported to the Planning Committee.

6.2 In the event that the Plan Timetable requires amendment, Council has the power under the Planning Act 2011, to publish a revised timetable.

Any amendments will be publicised and made available on the LDP section of this website.

6.3 Further to paragraph 6.2, the Plan Timetable was first published in August 2016 with revisions in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

The revised timetable was approved by resolution of Council on 3 April 2024 and subsequently agreed by the Department for Infrastructure in April 2024.

The revised Plan Timetable is shown in Appendix 1.

Appendix 1 - Timetable

Local Development Plan process: Key stages	Sustainability Appraisal and Other Assessments and Key Actions	Indicative timeframe*
KEY STAGE 1 – Plan Preparation
Publication of Statement of Community Involvement		Complete
Publication of original Plan Timetable		Complete
Stakeholder and councillor and Community Plan engagement on key issues	Invite comments from consultation body (NIEA) on draft Sustainability Appraisal (SA) incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report	Complete
Publication of Revised Plan Timetable		Complete
Publication of Preferred Options Paper Statutory public consultation (proposed 12 weeks)	Publication of SA Scoping and Interim Report Screening for EQIA Baseline Habitats Regulations Assessment	Complete
	Prepare Public Consultation report on Responses to Preferred Options Paper	Complete
KEY STAGE 2 – Plan Strategy
Publication of draft Plan Strategy Statutory public consultation (eight weeks for representations followed by eight weeks for counter-representations)	Publication of SA Report (incorporating SEA) Publication of drafts of HRA, EQIA and RNIA, where relevant	Complete
Independent Examination		Complete
DfI issues binding direction to Council		Complete
Adoption of Plan Strategy	Publication of SA Adoption Report (incorporating SEA) Publication of HRA, EQIA and RNIA, where relevant	Complete
KEY STAGE 3 – Local Policies Plan
Commence Local Policies Plan process		Quarter 2 2024
Call For Sites (12 weeks consultation)		Quarter 3 2024
Publication of draft Local Policies Plan Statutory public consultation (eight weeks for representations followed by eight weeks for counter representations)	Publication of SA Report (incorporating SEA) Publication of HRA, EQIA and RNIA, where relevant	Quarter 4 2025
Submission of draft Local Policies Plan to DfI followed by Independent Examination before the PAC		Quarter 1 2027
DfI issues binding Direction to Council		Quarter 2 2028
Adoption of Local Policies Plan	Publication of SA Adoption Report (incorporating SEA) Publication of HRA, EQIA and RNIA, where relevant	Quarter 4 2028
KEY STAGE 4 – Monitoring and Review
Monitoring and Review of LDP (annual monitoring and five year review) Preparation of supplementary planning documents	Monitoring of SA and Other Assessments	Ongoing

*dates relate to the calendar year.