Appendices - Armagh City and District Council

STAGE ONE REPORT
2. Planning Policy Context
The planning system in Northern Ireland exists to regulate the development and the use of
land in the public interest. National planning policy for Northern Ireland is issued and centrally
controlled by the Planning Service, a sub-department of Department the Environment in
Belfast. The Department’s functions, in relation to planning, are set out in the Planning
(Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and the role of the Planning Service is to administer most of
these functions in addition to developing, and implementing, Government planning policies
and development plans across Northern Ireland.
This section provides an overview of the key policy considerations, which will shape the future
development of the Armagh City Centre Masterplan.
2.1 National Planning Policy
2.1.1 Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland 2025
‘Shaping our Future’, the Regional Development Strategy 2025 1 (RDS), sets out the
overarching development strategy for Northern Ireland for the next 20 years and provides a
framework for the future development of the region. It advocates development that will bring
about enhanced economic competitiveness in a sustainable manner and will bring with it the
renewal and revitalisation of established towns and villages.
The RDS defined the Spatial Development Strategy 2025 as the tool that would guide and
manage the development of Northern Ireland at the strategic level up to 2025. This Spatial
Development Strategy is a framework for the future physical development of Northern Ireland,
based on urban hubs and clusters, key and link transport corridors and the main regional
gateways of ports and airports.
Within the Spatial Development Strategy, Armagh is designated as a Main Hub and Major
Tourism Development Opportunity while being located on the routes of two Link Corridors.
Main Hubs are noted in the RDS as containing the potential to develop as areas where
economic activity can cluster and as locations providing employment, services and other
amenities. Indeed, it is stated that settlements such as Armagh will have a significant role to
play in accommodating the need for urban housing at the district level.
It is further noted that the centres of Main Hubs will assume a vital role in the success of rural
Northern Ireland and therefore must be sustained as “attractive vibrant town centres
performing a multi-functional role as prime locations for retail, service administrative,
leisure and cultural facilities”.
The identification of Armagh as a Major Tourism Development Opportunity could greatly
benefit the economy of the city with the RDS noting that it’s cultural and historic role, as the
ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and as one of the oldest centres of Christianity, should be
promoted. Potentially linked to this heritage tourism could be the development of
environmentally sensitive water-based recreation and bird-watching attractions at the Union
Canal and Lough Neagh.
1 Available at http://www.drdni.gov.uk
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