Local Development Plan

Retailing
POLICY CONTEXT AND EVIDENCE BASE
Regional Development Strategy 2035 (RDS)
The RDS states the importance of accessible, vibrant city and town
centres which offer people more local choice for shopping, social activity
and recreation.
It recognises Lisburn as having a vibrant city centre with a strong focus on
leisure provision, sports and the arts. Potential exists to grow the retail
offer and create a high-quality office offer through the creation of
employment in business services.
Potential also exists to generate a new driver for the night-time economy.
Sprucefield will continue to retain its status as a regional out-of-town
shopping centre.
The RDS Spatial Framework Guidance acknowledges the important role
Lisburn has within the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and indicates a
number of strategic guidelines:
• Recognise the high development potential of Lisburn and the scope
to accommodate housing development in the City Centre, reflecting
its highly-accessible strategic location and strong employment base
• Enhance Lisburn City as a major employment and commercial
centre. Lisburn is strategically located at the meeting of key
transport corridors and has high development potential and the
scope to generate additional jobs
• Recognise Sprucefield as a regional out-of-town shopping centre.
Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS)
The SPPS highlights the importance of planning in supporting town and
city centres and contributes to their success. The SPPS seeks to encourage
development at an appropriate scale in order to enhance the
attractiveness of city and town centres, helping to reduce travel demand.
The aim of the SPPS is to support and sustain vibrant town centres across
Northern Ireland through the promotion of established town centres as
the appropriate first choice location of retailing and other complementary
functions, consistent with the RDS. Regional strategic objectives in
relation to town centres and retailing include:
• Secure a town centres first approach for the location of future
retailing and other main town centre uses
• Adopt a sequential approach to the identification of retail and main
town centre uses in Local Development Plans (LDPs) and when
decision-taking
• Ensure LDPs and decisions are informed by robust and up-to-date
evidence in relation to need and capacity
• Protect and enhance diversity in the range of town centre uses
appropriate to their role and function, such as leisure, cultural and
community facilities, housing and business
• Promote high-quality design to ensure that town centres provide
sustainable, attractive, accessible and safe environments; and
• Maintain and improve accessibility to and within the town centre.
Key Issues and Options 95