Mayor of Derry and Strabane council Hilary McClintock
THE Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Alderman Hilary McClintock, has welcomed the publication of two notable documents relating to the operation of Planning across the Derry and Strabane area.
The Council’s Planning Department has just announced the publication of its Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which sets out the policy for involving and engaging the community in the production of the new Local Development Plan for the District, as well as in the consideration of Planning Applications and in Planning Enforcement.
A Timetable for the production of the Local Development Plan (LDP) 2030 has also been released, outlining when the Council expects to reach key stages in its progress towards the adoption of the LDP Plan Strategy and the subsequent Local Policies Plan.
Mayor McClintock said the documents would be extremely useful in terms of involving the public in the future development of urban and rural areas across the district.
“The publication of these two important documents are a public statement of the Council’s commitment to improving and enhancing our Planning process,” she declared.
“The SCI outlines a new approach to engaging with local citizens in terms of Planning – whether it is commenting on an individual planning application, or having their say on the long-term planning of our District.
“I’m also particularly glad to see the publication of the LDP Timetable which marks the formal commencement of a strategic Planning process which, together with the Community Plan, will be pivotal to delivering our social, economic and environmental vision for this District until 2030.”
The new LDP will replace both the Strabane Area Plan 2001 and the Derry Area Plan 2011, as well as a raft of Planning Policy Statements.
This Plan will mark out a more cohesive strategic way forward for Planning following the transfer of Planning powers to local councils in April 2015.
This Timetable will be reviewed throughout the process as Council moves towards the adoption of the Local Development Plan for the District.
Head of Planning with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Maura Fox, said: “The Local Development Plan integrates with the Community Planning Process currently being implemented by the local Council.
“Its primary focus is the responsible and dynamic development of the District in keeping with the aspirations of local citizens, ensuring that lands are appropriately and sustainably zoned and that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of future generations.
“The LDP will inform the public, statutory authorities and developers regarding the policy framework and land use proposals which will influence development decisions here until 2030.”
The SCI and the Timetable documents can be viewed at www.derrystrabane.com/sci
Hard copies can also be viewed at two main Council offices, at 98 Strand Rd, Derry and at Derry Rd, Strabane, during normal opening hours.
