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  • Local Development Plans - input on minerals

    Topics:
    • Minerals and Petroleum
    DfE Minerals and Petroleum Branch and the Geological Survey for Northern Ireland are actively engaging with Councils with a view to informing their Local Development Plans in relation to mineral development and the management of abandoned mines hazards.

    Local Development Plans

    Responsibility for planning transferred to local councils from the former Department of Environment in April 2015. Since then, the eleven local councils have been working towards the development of their Local Development Plans (LDP).

    The LDP will influence the spatial development of the Council areas and provide a policy framework for the future development of the area. It will inform the general public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested bodies of the policy framework and land use proposals that will guide development decisions within specified areas.

    Four key stages

    There are four key stages in the LDP process:

    1. Initial Plan Preparation - Preferred Options Paper
    2. Preparation and Adoption of Plan Strategy
    3. Preparation and Adoption of Local Policies Plan
    4. Monitoring and Review

    To inform planning policies on minerals development and the management of abandoned mines hazards, Minerals and Petroleum Branch and GSNI have been, and will continue, to engage with Local Councils as they develop their LDPs.

    Reponses to council plans

    A copy of the Department's Minerals information paper which issued to all Councils to inform preparation of the mineral development sections of their plans can be accessed at:

    • Minerals information paper
    • Mineral Prospecting Licences Map - with council boundaries

    A copy of the responses provided to each council can be accessed by clicking on the relevant council link below.

    • Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
    • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
    • Belfast City Council
    • Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
    • Derry and Strabane District Council
    • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
    • Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
    • Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
    • Mid Ulster District Council
    • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
    • North Down and Ards Borough Council - documents will be provided once Planning Options published by Council

    Related to Local Development Plans - input on minerals

    Most recent publications

    • Mineral Prospecting Licences map - with council boundaries

      Published 14 September 2018
    • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council - minerals development - DfE response

      Published 23 October 2017
    See all publications in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department for the Economy including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme.

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