Latest News: Revised LDP (2035) Timetable

The Council has published a Revised LDP (2035) Timetable

The Development Plan Section is responsible for:

  • Preparation, monitor and review of the Local Development Plan (LDPs);
  • Designation, variation and/or cancellation of Conservation Areas (CAs);
  • Making of Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs);
  • Works to protected trees; and
  • Serving of Building Preservation Notices (BPNs)

Local Development Plan

The Local Development Plan (LDP) forms the basis of land use planning and decisions on planning applications within the Borough. It sets out what the Council area will look like and how land should be used and developed.

The current Plan covering the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area is the Northern Area Plan 2016 (NAP), which was adopted by the former Department of the Environment (DOE) on 22nd September 2015.

This NAP supersedes the previous statutory plans covering the Borough, as follows:

  • Limavady Area Plan 1984-1999
  • Limavady Area Plan 1984-1999 – Alteration No.1
  • Limavady Local Plan (South East Lands) 1989-1999
  • Limavady District Hamlet Subject Plan 1989-1999
  • North East Area Plan 2002
  • North East Area Plan 2002 – Alteration No.1: Portrush
  • Ballymoney Town Centre Local Plan 1991-2002

Preparation of a new Local Development Plan (LDP)

The Council's Development Plan Team is currently preparing a new Plan for the Borough.

The Plan, as the spatial reflection of the Council's Community Plan, provides an opportunity to develop a new planning framework specific to the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area, balancing the development needs of the Borough with the protection of our built and natural heritage assets.

The Plan, when adopted, will replace the existing Northern Area Plan 2016, and the existing suite of Regional Planning Policy Statements (known as PPSs). It will also be the key document used when making decisions on planning applications throughout the Borough.

The Plan will be accompanied by a range of documents including a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report and Interim Report [including Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) Baseline Study] as is required under the provisions of The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004.

The purpose of SA is to promote sustainable development through the integration of social, environmental and economic considerations into the Plan preparation.

Data and evidence associated with the Borough has been collected to establish a baseline survey of the area. The following topic-based Discussion Papers* have been presented to the Council’s Planning Committee and agreed for use as background evidence for the Plan:

* Please note that the contents of these papers remain as was originally presented to the Planning Committee. The only change from the previous web version is the cover page, added for public consultation purposes only. These papers may be revised/updated as we move through the Plan Preparation process.

Other documents which inform the LDP:

LDP Timetable

Our Revised Local Development Plan Timetable has been agreed with both DfI and the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC). It sets out indicative timeframes for the key stages in the production of the LDP, including:

  • Formal periods for public consultation;
  • Approximate timing of the 2 Independent Examinations that will happen during the Plan process**;
  • The Sustainability Appraisal process that will run in parallel with the LDP process.

We are currently working towards Stage 4 of Plan preparation (see Table 1 below):

Table 1: Indicative LDP Timetable*

Plan Stage Indicative Date
1. Robust evidence gathering Spring / Winter 2016
2. Publish Plan Timetable & Statement of Community Involvement Winter 2016
3. Publish Preferred Options Paper (12 week consultation period) Summer 2018
4. Publish Draft Plan Strategy (8 week consultation period) Spring/Summer 2022
5. Independent Examination of Draft Plan Strategy** Spring 2023 – Spring 2024
6. Consider DFI Binding Report Summer/Autumn 2024
7. Adopt Plan Strategy Winter 2024
8. Engagement on Local Policies Plan Spring/Summer 2025
9. Publish Draft Local Policies Plan (8 week consultation period) Autumn/Winter 2025
10. Independent Examination of Draft Local Policies Plan** Autumn 2026 – Autumn 2027
11. Consider DFI Binding Report Winter 2027 – Spring 2028
12. Adopt Local Policies Plan Summer 2028
13. Monitoring & Review of Plan Ongoing

* Please note that this timetable is subject to regular review and may be amended.

** This stage of LDP preparation is carried out by an independent examiner, therefore the time taken to complete it lies outside the Council’s control.

Both the SCI and LDP Timetable may also be viewed, strictly by appointment only, at the Council’s Planning Department, Cloonavin, 66 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1EY during normal office hours (9.00am-5.00pm Mon-Fri).

Getting Involved

To facilitate public engagement early in the LDP process you may wish to “Register your Interest”.

Our team will keep those who have registered up to date with relevant LDP information throughout the Plan process.