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Improving Health and Well-Being
4.3, 4.4NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
The planning system has an active role to play in helping to better the lives of people and communities in Northern Ireland and in supporting the Executive's key priority of improving health and well-
site-planningexternal-spaceaccessPlanning Authorities' Contributions to Health and Well-Being
4.5NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Capitalising on the synergies that exist between spatial planning and health and well-being can provide better outcomes. When plan-making and decision-taking planning authorities should contribute pos
site-planningexternal-spaceaccessaccessibilitydwellingNatural and heritage assets for health and well-being
4.10NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
The natural and heritage assets of the countryside and coast need to be recognised for the contribution they make to enhancing human health and well-being. Conserving and, where possible, enhancing th
coastalruralconservationexternal-spaceaccessShared space and community cohesion
4.13NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
The Executive through its "Together: Building a United Community" strategy is committed to addressing all barriers that prevent or interfere with the creation and maintenance of shared space, and ensu
open-spaceexternal-spaceaccessCreating shared communities and connected public spaces
4.15NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Planning authorities should utilise development planning, regeneration and development management powers to contribute to the creation of an environment that: is accessible to all and enhances opportu
public-buildingaccessaccessibilityexternal-spacesite-planningopen-spaceRemoval of barriers to shared space and interface planning
4.17NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Furthermore, the planning system can assist in the removal of barriers to shared space and maximise the accessibility of all areas within our community. The "Together: Building a United Community" str
accessaccessibilitysite-planningCountryside Development - Siting and Design Requirements
6.77NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
In all circumstances proposals for development in the countryside must be sited and designed to integrate sympathetically with their surroundings, must not have an adverse impact on the rural characte
ruralsite-planningdrainageaccessAssessment Criteria for Economic Development Applications
6.91NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
All applications for economic development must be assessed in accordance with normal planning criteria, relating to such considerations as access arrangements, design, environmental and amenity impact
economic-developmentnon-domesticaccessdesignenvironmental-impactBalanced Communities and Community Cohesion
NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
balanced communities: achieving balanced communities and strengthening community cohesion is one of the major themes underpinning the RDS. The provision of good quality housing offering a variety of h
dwellingtopic-site-planningaccessexternal-spaceTraffic and access requirements for minerals development
6.160NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Where traffic from a minerals development proposal would prejudice the safety and convenience of road users, planning permission will normally be refused unless the access road and/or local road netwo
mineralstrafficaccessroad-safetyConsiderations for zoning future open space needs
6.210NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Zonings for future needs should take into account the following: accessibility to and from existing and proposed housing areas; the potential for any detrimental impact on biodiversity or on sensitive
open-spacesite-planningaccesscoastalexternal-spacePublic open space provision in residential zonings
6.211NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Where appropriate, key site requirements for zoned residential land should include guidance on the provision of areas of public open space (including formal and informal recreation areas) as an integr
dwellingopen-spacesite-planningaccessPlanning Considerations for Development Proposals
6.223NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
on the following planning considerations: • public safety, such as roads, rail, and aviation safety (including communications interference); • human health; • residential amenity and impacts on other
site-planningvisual-amenitybiodiversityaccessCommunity Engagement and Case-by-Case Assessment Factors
6.224NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Engaging communities is an essential part of the planning system and community representations are a material planning consideration for planning authorities in plan-making and decision-taking. For al
site-planningaccessdesignAssessment criteria for tourism development applications
6.273NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Applications for tourism development will also be assessed in accordance with normal planning criteria such as access arrangements, design, environmental and amenity impacts so as to ensure high quali
tourismcoastalaccessdesignplanningGeneral Planning Assessment for Retail Development
6.299NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
In order to ensure high quality and otherwise satisfactory forms of development all applications for retail development or main town centre type uses will also be assessed in accordance with normal pl
non-domesticcommercialaccesstopic-site-planningSustainable Transport Modes and Local Design
6.301NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Whilst smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel, the provision of improved infrastructure for more sustainable transport modes gives people greater choices about how they travel. Sust
site-planningaccessIntegration of Transport and Land-Use Planning
6.303NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
The RDS and New Approach to Regional Transportation consider better integration between transport and land use as fundamental to progress in implementing the above regional guidelines. The aim of the
site-planningaccessRegional Strategic Objectives for Transportation and Land-Use Planning
6.304NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
The regional strategic objectives for transportation and land-use planning are to: promote sustainable patterns of development which reduce the need for motorised transport, encourages active travel,
site-planningaccessaccessibilityActive Travel Networks and Sustainable Transport Infrastructure
6.307NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
LDPs should identify active travel networks and provide a range of infrastructure improvements to increase use of more sustainable modes. In particular, within urban areas, providing enhanced priority
site-planningaccessParking Policy and Road Safety Objectives
6.305NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
promote parking policies that will assist in reducing reliance on the private car and help tackle growing congestion; protect routes required for new transport schemes including disused transport rout
site-planningaccess