Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report, together with the associated documents which had been published on the Council’s website:

“1.0  Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1   The Minister of the Environment committed to undertake a review of regional strategic planning policy for development in the countryside following the publication of Strategic Planning Statement (SPPS) ‘Planning for Sustainable Development’ in its final form in 2015. Members will be aware the SPPS consolidated some twenty separate policy publications into one document, setting out strategic planning policy in relation to a wide range of subject policies, including regional policy for Development in the Countryside. A copy of the SPPS Subject Policy ‘Development in the Countryside’ is available on the Council’s website.

1.2    The aim of the SPPS with regard to the countryside is to manage development in a manner which strikes a balance between protection of the environment from inappropriate development, while supporting and sustaining rural communities consistent with the Regional Development Strategy 2035.

1.3    The current strategic policy approach is to cluster, consolidate and group new development with existing established buildings and promote the re-use of previously used buildings. The SPPS identifies a range of development types (both residential and non-residential) which in principle are considered to be acceptable in the countryside and provides that other types of development will be considered as part of the development plan process in line with the other policies set out within the SPPS.

1.4    The purpose of the report is to make members aware of the Calls for Evidence for Development of the Countryside and seek approval for the draft response outlined in paragraphs 3.2 and detailed on the Council’s website.

2.0    Recommendations

2.1    Members are asked to consider and, if appropriate agree the draft response to the Call for Evidence: Development in the Countryside outlined in paragraph 3.2 and detailed on the Council’s website.

3.0    Main report

3.1   The Council welcomes the opportunity to respond to a ‘Call for Evidence’ for Development of the Countryside. The ‘Call for Evidence’ process will improve the DoE’s understanding of the operation and impact of the existing strategic policy and provide up-to-date evidence on the social, environmental and economic impacts of development in the countryside. The DoE is particularly keen on views on how strategic planning policy should assist with achieving sustainable development to support vibrant rural communities, without compromising our natural and built environment, and other assets of acknowledged importance.

3.2    Key Issues

         The Council supports the broad aims of the SPPS with regard to Development in the Countryside to ‘manage development in a manner which strikes a balance between protection of the environment from inappropriate development, while supporting and sustaining rural communities.’ The following are the key issues from the draft Council response to DoE’s Call for Evidence – Development in the Countryside (copy available on the Council’s website). It is recommended that Council:

·        Supports the intention to maintain sustainable rural communities.

·        Recognises the value of Northern Ireland’s unique natural resource, its diverse ecosystems and biodiversity and the need to retain its sensitive landscape character of our rural resource for future generations.

·        Recommends a more proactive approach to managing land for development and to ensure planning policies are put in place to accommodate selective, modest growth based on rural settlements.

·        Welcomes further detail on Special Countryside Areas i.e. how to define, manage and monitor the designation as well as its proposed implications to the planning system. As part of this work, the DoE should clarify:

-       If there scope to control pressures of urban sprawl and less sustainable development in rural areas immediately adjacent to towns and cities under the Special Countryside Areas;

-       if additional protection could be afforded to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the wider countryside

·        Supports the protection of our natural and built environment and recognises that in formulation of the LDP all Council’s are responsible for the protection of the wider environment as a sustainable asset for all future generations.

·        Supports the precautionary principle as vital in plan making in particular when outlining proposed land use zonings, locations for development and settlement limits where it must take full account for implications on natural heritage features and landscape character. Through effective planning practices, the potential for adverse environmental impact can be minimised and enhancement features secured.

·        Recognises the function of rural areas to the local and regional economy in providing services to the wider catchment population. Agriculture, farm diversification and forestry will continue to be important defining elements of rural life. Prime quality agricultural land should continue to be protected and should not be eroded in a piecemeal way but only used to meet strategic development objectives.The term ‘active farm’ should be defined in the SPPS along with additional guidance on farm diversification, agriculture and forestry development.

·        Support design standards compliance with published guidance/advice using sustainable materials, where appropriate, and energy efficiency. Criteria should be consistently applied through planning policy and development management, consider sustainability along with greater weight should be attached to the provisions of the ‘Building on Tradition’ rural design guide.

·        Across most rural areas innovative and flexible approaches should only be considered to deliver affordable houses in suitable numbers, with the focus on existing settlements rather than new clusters in the open countryside.

·        Request clarification on monitoring arrangements to ensure any criteria to facilitate dwellings outside existing settlements seeks to achieve a suitable balance rather than follow a trend that has resulted in high levels of approvals for single dwellings in the countryside.

·        Seeks assurances effects on natural and built heritage are considered and the suite of environmental protections in the countryside should be closely monitored to mitigate loss of our assets, natural habitats, ecosystems, biodiversity and indeed the amenity value and character of our unique rural countryside environments.

3.3    Finance and Resource Implications

         There is no resource implications associated with this report.

3.4    Asset and Other Implications

         The evidence received by DoE following the ‘Calls for Evidence’ may have implications on the policy making process of the LDP.

3.5    Equality or Good Relations Implications

         There are no relevant equality and good relations implications attached to this report.”

            The Committee approved the draft consultation response for submission to the Department of the Environment.