Local Development Plan

Key Issue: 19 Promoting the Lagan Navigation as a Key
Tourism / Recreation Opportunity Area
‘Discover
‘Discover
Waterways
Waterways
Lisburn’,
Lisburn’, a
project
project
led
led
by
by
the
the
Council
Council
in
in
partnership
partnership
with
with
the
the
Lagan
Lagan
Navigation
Navigation
Trust,
Trust,
is
is
developing
developing a
strategy
strategy
to
to
reopen
reopen
the
the
Lagan
Lagan
Navigation
Navigation
from
from
Belfast
Belfast
to
to
Lisburn.
Lisburn.
Phase
Phase 1
of
of
the
the
project
project
which
which
includes
includes
the
the
Navigation
Navigation
House
House
and
and
stables,
stables,
the
the
Lock
Lock
Keeper’s
Keeper’s
Inn
Inn
and
and
boat
boat
house,
house,
the
the
basin
basin
to
to
the
the
rear
rear
of
of
Navigation
Navigation
House
House
and
and
associated
associated
new
new
infrastructure
infrastructure
provides
provides a
unique
unique
and
and
significant
significant
opportunity
opportunity
for
for
attracting
attracting
tourists
tourists
to
to
the
the
area
area
(see
(see
Appendix
Appendix I
Map
Map
16
16
for
for
further
further
details).
details).
Lisburn
Lisburn
City
City
lies
lies
at
at
the
the
heart
heart
of
of
the
the
Lagan
Lagan
Navigation
Navigation
route
route
and
and
the
the
provision
provision
of
of
water-based
water-based
tourism
tourism
and
and
educational
educational
facilities
facilities
at
at
Navigation
Navigation
House
House
along
along
with
with a
café,
café,
boat
boat
house
house
and
and
improved
improved
access
access
has
has
the
the
potential
potential
to
to
make
make
this
this a
unique
unique
future
future
tourism
tourism
destination.
destination.
The
The
project
project
consists
consists
of
of
the
the
potential
potential
restoration
restoration
of
of
the
the
27
27
mile
mile
route
route
from
from
Belfast
Belfast
Harbour
Harbour
through
through
Lisburn
Lisburn
and
and
on
on
to
to
Lough
Lough
Neagh.
Neagh.
The
The
Lagan
Lagan
Navigation
Navigation
route
route
was
was
one
one
of
of
the
the
most
most
successful
successful
commercial
commercial
navigations
navigations
in
in
Ireland
Ireland
and
and
boasts
boasts
the
the
only
only
flight
flight
of
of 4
locks
locks
(Union
(Union
Locks)
Locks)
in
in
the
the
Irish
Irish
Waterway
Waterway
network.
network.
The
The
re-opening
re-opening
of
of
the
the
Lagan
Lagan
Navigation,
Navigation,
in
in
addition
addition
to
to
the
the
potential
potential
water-based
water-based
tourism
tourism
opportunities,
opportunities,
could
could
create
create
further
further
opportunities
opportunities
for
for
outdoor
outdoor
recreation
recreation
(walking,
(walking,
cycling,
cycling,
angling
angling
etc.).
etc.).
This
This
could
could
contribute
contribute
to
to
increased
increased
demand
demand
for
for a
range
range
of
of
local
local
tourist
tourist
accommodation
accommodation
and
and
the
the
potential
potential
for
for
job
job
creation
creation
within
within
the
the
hospitality
hospitality
and
and
leisure
leisure
industries.
industries.
A
business
business
case
case
has
has
recently
recently
been
been
forwarded
forwarded
to
to
the
the
Department
Department
of
of
Finance
Finance
for
for
consideration
consideration
and
and
potential
potential
funding
funding
of
of
Phase
Phase 1
of
of
the
the
project,
project,
(the
(the
reopening
reopening
of
of
the
the
navigation
navigation
canal
canal
from
from
Belfast
Belfast
to
to
Union
Union
Locks
Locks
in
in
Lisburn)
Lisburn)
at
at a
cost
cost
of
of
£46.3m
£46.3m
over
over
nine
nine
years.
years.
The
The
project
project
provides
provides a
key
key
Tourism
Tourism
Opportunity
Opportunity
Area
Area
to
to
build
build
on
on
the
the
existing
existing
tourism
tourism
base
base
and
and
enhance
enhance
the
the
Council’s
Council’s
tourism
tourism
offer.
offer.
Activity
Activity
Tourism
Tourism
was
was
identified
identified
as
as a
key
key
target
target
within
within
the
the
NI
NI
Tourism
Tourism
Strategy
Strategy
2020.
2020.
It
It
covers
covers a
range
range
of
of
‘active’
‘active’
holidays
holidays
including
including
canoeing,
canoeing,
climbing,
climbing,
horse
horse
riding
riding
and
and
mountaineering,
mountaineering,
to
to
the
the
less
less
physical
physical
activityfocused
activityfocused
areas
areas
such
such
as
as
nature
nature
watching,
watching,
food
food
trails
trails
or
or
local
local
culture
culture
and
and
heritage
heritage
trails.
trails.
The
The
former
former
DETI
DETI
(now
(now
Department
Department
for
for
the
the
Economy)
Economy)
and
and
TourismNI
TourismNI
identify
identify
Activity
Activity
and
and
Special
Special
Interest
Interest
breaks
breaks
as
as a
key
key
target
target
market
market
worthy
worthy
of
of
support
support
in
in
Northern
Northern
Ireland.
Ireland.
Activities
Activities
referred
referred
to
to
include
include
golf,
golf,
angling,
angling,
walking,
walking,
gardens,
gardens,
cruising
cruising
and
and
cycling
cycling
amongst
amongst
others.
others.
Activity
Activity
Tourism
Tourism
in
in
Northern
Northern
Ireland
Ireland
is
is
estimated
estimated
to
to
be
be
worth
worth
£100m
£100m
and
and
the
the
activity
activity
industry
industry
has
has
grown
grown
significantly
significantly
since
since
1998
1998
with
with
over
over
214
214
private
private
sector
sector
operators
operators
offering
offering
42
42
activities
activities
across
across
the
the
region.
region. 38 38 The
The
Council
Council
believes
believes
that
that
it
it
has
has
the
the
potential
potential
to
to
become
become a
significant
significant
destination
destination
for
for
outdoor
outdoor
recreational
recreational
and
and
tourism-focussed
tourism-focussed
activities.
activities.
38 38 NITB Tourism Strategy
NITB Tourism Strategy
132
Key Issues and Options