Local Development Plan

The Rural Economy
BMAP facilitates employment in towns, villages and the rural area
through the provision of employment and/or mixed use in Carryduff, and
the villages of Glenavy and Dromara to serve the outer rural parts of the
Council area. Existing employment land with capacity for further
development is zoned at Glenavy Road, Moira and Maryland Industrial
Estate, Moneyreagh. Employment land is not specifically zoned within
other villages or small settlements.
Employment in the countryside is currently assessed against prevailing
regional policy. Agriculture is recognised as being particularly important
in the Council’s rural area. Further detail is provided under Key Issue 9.
Mineral development provides employment and necessary materials for
construction in localised areas where useful deposits occur. However,
extraction and processing can have a significant effect on the countryside.
The Council recognises the need for a sustainable approach that takes
account of the need to protect and conserve environmental resources.
Further detail on this is provided under Key Issue 10.
Lisburn & Castlereagh Draft Community Plan 2017-32
This is supported by three further outcomes:
• The benefits of growth and development are distributed fairly
across society
• There is a good job for everyone that needs one
• New businesses and social enterprises are created and existing ones
grow, employing more people
The Community Plan states: “We want to develop the economy of Lisburn
& Castlereagh so that it offers fulfilling work to everyone, provides access
to goods and services that we value, and shares economic benefits in
ways that reduce inequality, and has a positive impact on our
environment.”
A skilled workforce is central to the health of the economy as businesses
increasingly need well qualified people. For employees, the acquisition of
new skills can open up new opportunities to more meaningful and
rewarding work.
We also need to improve both our physical and digital infrastructure and
to make the district an attractive one for new businesses to locate in and
for existing businesses to grow. The Maze Lands (Key Issue 8), for
example, offers significant new opportunities.
A primary outcome of the Draft Community Plan is:
‘Everyone benefits from a vibrant economy.’
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Key Issues and Options