Planning Consultation Exercise Deadline Fast Approaching

December 1, 2015

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has received a positive response to its planning consultation exercise on the ‘draft Statement of Community Involvement’ (SCI), which outlines how the Council intends to engage with the community in the delivery of its planning functions. The Council is encouraging residents to submit their views and comments before Monday 14th December.

Since the Council assumed planning powers on the 1st April 2015, obtaining responsibility for the vast majority of planning applications, the SCI outlines a policy that identifies who, how and when the community will be invited to participate in the different stages of the Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and the determination of planning applications, enforcement and other planning matters.

Chairman of the Planning Committee, Alderman Michael Henderson MBE expressed the importance of involving the community in all planning matters and would like to encourage everyone to get involved in the consultation exercise. He said, “Community involvement is an integral part of the planning process. It is our responsibility to work collectively as much as possible with the local community and to give them the chance to have their say on how the Council area should be developed.

“We want to encourage local people to become actively involved, establish a shared vision in decision making and ensure everyone has an early and informed opportunity to express their views - this consultation process enables us to do just that.

“It also guarantees that we empower all groups in our community to participate, regardless of religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, sex, marital status, physical ability, sexual orientation, and those with and without dependents.

“With the deadline fast approaching, I would like to encourage residents to get involved by sending us their views and comments on this draft SCI, either by email or post, by Monday 14th December. Now is the time to help shape the future of the area”, concluded Alderman Henderson.

The consultation on the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) document will run until Monday 14th December. Your views and comments would be greatly appreciated. Please visit www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk to download a copy of the draft SCI. Hard copies can also be obtained at Lagan Valley Island.

All comments should be submitted in writing by, email planning@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or by post, to the Planning Unit, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Civic Headquarters, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, BT27 4RL. Comments should reflect the structure of the document as far as possible with references to paragraph numbers where relevant.