You can help wildlife by having your say in your area’s development plan. Learn about the process here.
Last updated: 2 July 2025
Every local planning authority (LPA) in Northern Ireland must produce a local development plan (LDP) for its area, containing policies and proposals regarding the development and use of land. This allows everyone to look ahead to the future, thinking about what their areas should be like and how planning decisions for development can help to achieve this.
The LDP is made up of two development plan documents – a Plan Strategy and a Local Policies Plan. It is a long-term plan that informs people of the policy framework that will guide decisions on development within their council areas.
Every LPA area must have an LDP that is up to date (or in the process of being adopted). The planning policies in the LDP must be considered in the determination of every planning application.
There is also a statutory link between an LDP and an area’s community plan. An LDP must show how the community plan’s goals are reflected in their land use and development proposals (see our community planning guide for more information on the community planning process).
It is important for you to engage in, and make representations as part of, the preparation of an LDP. This is your opportunity to have a say in the strategic policies that will guide development in your area and the local policies that set out the general requirements and characteristics of that development.
The programme and timetable for preparing an LDP should be set out by the LPA in a LDP Timetable, which needs to be kept up to date.
The preparation of an LDP must follow the LDP Timetable and should include a number of evidence-gathering and consultation stages, leading to an Independent Examination by the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) and the adoption of the final version of the plan when its planning policies come into effect.
All LDPs are subject to the following requirements and stages as outlined in Part 2 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015:
Each LPA must prepare a timetable for the development of their LDP, which needs to be approved by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). The LDP timetable is made available on each council’s (ie, the LPA) website.
LPAs are required to publish a Preferred Options paper, which is the first of three public stages in the plan-making and public consultation process. The Preferred Options paper outlines the area’s needs and characteristics, identifies the key issues and presents options to address these issues, including the councils’ preferred options and the reasoning behind them.
The Plan Strategy outlines the vision, objectives, growth strategy and strategic policies for the plan area. This should address the economic, social and development issues of the area by indicating where development, including regeneration, should take place and what form it should take. The Plan Strategy is tested for ‘soundness’ at an Independent Examination. The examination is open to representations from interested parties in support of or against the plan.
Establishing the strategic direction early in the process provides a level of certainty on which to base key development decisions in the area, as well as providing the necessary framework for the preparation of the Local Policies Plan.
The next stage in the LDP preparation process is the creation of a Local Policies Plan. This document contains the local policies (including site specific proposals, designations and land use zonings) required to deliver the council’s vision, objectives and strategic policies, as set out in the Plan Strategy. It must also undergo an Independent Examination to test for soundness which will be open to representations.
LPAs are required to monitor and review their plans to ensure they remain flexible and responsive to change where possible. They must prepare annual monitoring reports and review their plans at least every five years, with adjustments made as needed.
Public representations may be made during the consultation period at every stage of the process. Views either objecting to, commenting on or supporting the proposed LDP must be grounded in the tests of soundness and evidenced accordingly. It is therefore unlikely that a submission which simply states an objection to a proposal will carry significant weight.
When making representations, it is important to understand what stage the plan is at, what topics or issues are being considered at that particular stage, and how it has evolved from earlier stages. While the LPA must record all consultation responses, comments on parts of the plan that have already been settled at a previous stage are unlikely to have much influence.
The Plan Strategy and the Local Policies Plan are both required to undergo an Independent Examination to test the soundness of the plans. The examination will consider the content, the plans’ conformity with central government regional plans, policy and guidance, and the process used to produce the plans.
Once the examination is finished, the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) will issue the DfI with an Independent Examination Report. Following consideration of the PAC’s report of recommendations, if the plan is found to be sound the DfI will issue a binding report (a ‘Direction’) requiring the LPA to adopt the plan as originally prepared, or with suggested modifications. Once any required changes are made, the final plan will be formally adopted and published by the council.
The right to appear at an examination is limited to those people who made comments during the final consultation of either the Plan Strategy or Local Policies Plan that the LPA subsequently submitted for examination.
However, anyone is welcome to attend an examination to listen to the proceedings even if they are not taking part.
If you would like to take part in the examination, make sure that you submit comments during the relevant consultation window. Any comments submitted to the Plan Strategy consultation stage will not be carried over to the later Local Policies Plan stage.
The PAC has produced this guidance for those who might be interested in participating in an LDP examination.
If any fundamental issues with the plan are identified, the DfI may recommend that it is not adopted by the LPA. The LPA will then decide whether to withdraw their plan and prepare a new one for submission. If this happens, any existing development plan policies will remain in force while a new LDP is being prepared, which may result in such policies becoming increasingly out of date.
During its preparation, an LDP must go through a Sustainability Appraisal process. The process is designed to ensure that any environmental, economic and social impacts of the policies and proposals are identified and mitigated. An LDP Sustainability Appraisal will also incorporate the requirement to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The Sustainability Appraisal must be integrated with each stage of the plan-making process and published for consultation at each stage.
An LDP may also require a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), as set out in The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, if it’s considered likely to have significant effects on internationally important wildlife sites (Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation or Ramsar sites). The Sustainability Appraisal should take account of the findings of an HRA, if one is carried out.
Examine the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment (where there is one) for your draft LDP. Make sure the plan properly identifies and mitigates all impacts from any new development proposals on the important sites for wildlife that you know about in your area.
All LDP documents will be published on the planning policy pages of the LPA website so you can view them and make comments online. Paper copies of LDP documents should also be available for inspection on request at the LPA’s offices.
The LPA may also carry out public exhibitions as part of the consultation, usually held in venues such as community halls, to inform the local community of the LDP proposals and ask for their views.
Every council is required to have a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) – a document outlining how LPAs will involve the community in carrying out their planning responsibilities. An SCI will clearly explain who will be involved, what they’ll be consulted on, and where and when participation in the planning process will take place. Your council’s SCI should be available to view on their website.
Check the LPA’s LDP Timetable on the planning policy pages of their website to keep track of how your LDP is progressing. You may be able to sign up to receive email reminders about LDP consultations and there should also be notifications in local community newsletters if you don’t have access to email.
If you’re unsure about how or when to get involved, contact the Planning Policy team at your LPA for advice. Find your LPA here.