Every rule your project must meet, found for you.
Search Northern Ireland’s planning and building-control guidance, ask a question in plain English, or generate a project compliance checklist — every answer cited to the source.
Working to a specific project? Generate a compliance checklist →
Answers, with citations
Ask in plain English and get an answer that links to the exact source clause — never an unsourced guess.
Scoped to your council
Overlay a council's local development plan on the Northern Ireland-wide regulations and policy.
Project compliance checklist
Characterise a project and get the requirements that apply, grouped by work area. Try it →
The library
Search the source guidance
10 results · filtered
Policy Aim for Artificial Modification of Watercourses
13.38Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)
The aim of this policy is to minimise the potential flood risk impact and adverse consequences for the environment associated with the modification of watercourses. This aim has taken account of and i
flood-riskdrainageenvironmentalArtificial Modification of Watercourses - Environmental Impact
13.39Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)
The artificial modification of watercourses through culverting or canalising is widely accepted as an environmentally unsustainable practice, as such operations will often adversely impact upon the la
flood-riskdrainageenvironmentalprotection-from-floodingAcceptability of Watercourse Modification Proposals
13.40Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)
Such proposals run contrary to the Council's aim of making space for water and will therefore only be acceptable in exceptional circumstances.
flood-riskdrainageenvironmentalSP6 – Environmental Resilience
SP6Belfast·LDP Plan Strategy 2035 (adopted 2023)
SP6 – Environmental Resilience
site-planningenvironmentalCriteria for Identifying Suitable Housing Development Sites
35NI-wide·PPS 12 Housing in Settlements
All of the following criteria will be considered in the identification of suitable sites: • the need for urban expansion, informed by allowances for existing commitments; • the physical and environmen
dwellingsite-planningaccessaccessibilityenvironmentalinfrastructureEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Requirements
Appendix 2NI-wide·PPS 16 Tourism
Certain tourism developments, depending on their nature, scale or location may be likely to require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under the provisions of the Planning (Environmental Impact Ass
tourismeiaplanning-applicationenvironmentalSensitive Areas Definition
Appendix 2, footnote 4NI-wide·PPS 16 Tourism
The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 defines a sensitive area as: an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI); an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AO
eiaconservationsensitive-areaenvironmentalSustainability Assessment for Tourist Amenities in the Countryside
Appendix 3NI-wide·PPS 16 Tourism
APPENDIX 3 – TOURIST AMENITIES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE Sustainability Assessment Economic Sustainability • the proposed development will result in locally significant employment and / or training opportu
tourismruralsustainabilityenvironmentaleconomiccommunitysite-planningJustification and Amplification - Countryside Industrial Development Requirements (5.20-5.23)
5.20, 5.21, 5.22, 5.23NI-wide·PPS 4 Planning and Economic Development
While most industrial development is generally best located within settlements the Department recognises that certain industrial projects, because of their size or specific site requirements, may requ
industrialnon-domesticsite-planningruralenvironmentalHigh-Noise Sports and Activities
6.208NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)
Particular attention should be paid to those development proposals which generate high levels of noise such as motorsports, shooting, water skiing and paintball adventure games. These activities are m
soundsite-planningenvironmental