Every rule your project must meet, found for you.

Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)

The aim of this policy is to promote high quality shopfront design within the Borough. This aim has taken account of and is consistent with the provisions of the SPPS. Our commercial and shopping area

Belfast·LDP Plan Strategy 2035 (adopted 2023)

The primary retail area will be the focus for A1 uses. Non-retail development will be restricted in designated primary retail frontages within this area so that no more than 40% of the frontage of the

Belfast·LDP Plan Strategy 2035 (adopted 2023)

This policy provides a clear area of consolidated retail use based on where there is a high representation of A1 retail use to promote a strong and competitive retail core. The primary retailing offer

NI-wide·PPS 3 Access Movement and Parking

Parking provision in excess of the published standards will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. For example it is recognised that in city and town centres a balance has to be struck betwee

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The Regional Development Strategy 2035 (RDS) recognises the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area as the major conurbation in Northern Ireland with a thriving retail, service, administration, cultural and e

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS), published in September 2015, sets out regional planning policies for securing the orderly and consistent development of land in Northern Ireland under t

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The Plan Strategy is the strategic policy framework, for the plan area, across a range of topics. It sets out the vision for Belfast as well as the objectives and strategic policies required to delive

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

There are 4 key steps to follow when undertaking a sequential test: Step 1: Establish the appropriate catchment for the development Step 2: Decide which designated centres should be assessed Step 3:

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The catchment is the area the proposal is intended to serve / draw trade from. This will vary depending on the specific development proposed and will need to take account of the size of development, t

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Catchments should be defined by detailed drive time calculation (which is determined by estimating the catchment served by, for example, a 15 minute drive time). The drive times which are appropriate

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Policy RET 2 – Out of centre development Proposals for main town centre uses, outside of existing centres must: Submit a retail impact assessment and assessment of need for proposals that have a floor

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

An impact assessment is a methodologically evidenced based approach to determine the relative effect that a proposed development will have on the wider centre hierarchy. The purpose of the impact asse

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The impact test is useful in determining whether proposals in certain locations would impact on existing, committed and planned public and private investment, or on the role of particular centres.

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

It is for the applicant to demonstrate compliance with the impact test in support of relevant applications. Failure to undertake an impact test could constitute a reason for refusing permission.

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

The impact test will need to be undertaken in a proportionate and locally appropriate way, drawing on existing information where possible. Ideally, applicants and the council should seek to agree the

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Depending on the size and location of the proposal applicants may be required to submit either an Impact Assessment and/or Assessment of Need. The following table is intended to assist applicants in d

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

In the case of offices, it is unlikely that several the key impacts set out in policy will be directly relevant (e.g. trade diversion). In such cases, applicants should seek to agree with the council

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

In every case it will be necessary to reach a balanced decision, having regard to the provisions of the development plan, the sequential approach and impact considerations.

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Policy RET 3– District centre, local centres and city corridors. Beyond the city centre a district centre first approach will apply to proposals for major retail development and other town centres use

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

In respect to criterion (c) & (d), applicants will be expected to demonstrate that there is no adverse effect on the vitality and viability of centres in the catchment and that the proposal would comp

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Not acceptable: More than 40% of frontage in non-retail use. Not acceptable: More than 3 adjacent units in non-retail use.

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Whilst restaurant's and café's are considered to be sui-generis uses as they have no use class specified within The Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, for the purposes of this polic

Belfast·SPG009 Retail and Main Town Centre Uses

Centre Type Policy Approach Primary Retail Core and Frontage: Preferred location for all retail proposals. Belfast City Centre: Preferred location for all other main town centre uses and other signif

Belfast·SPG011 Evening and Night time Economy

While a variety of evening and night-time uses can offer a choice, the proliferation, and clustering of new or additional evening or night-time uses, could push out day time uses. This could be detrim

Belfast·SPG011 Evening and Night time Economy

Proposals for evening and night-time uses in frontages where there are concentrations of existing and/or approved similar evening or night-time uses are unlikely to be acceptable. The intention is to

Belfast·SPG011 Evening and Night time Economy

A high-quality design can improve the visual attractiveness and image of the area in the evening. Well-designed frontages and lighting can enhance the character of the streetscape, adding a sense of v

Belfast·SPG012 Sensitive Uses

Hot food takeaways will not be supported in district and local centres where the cumulative impact of introducing the facility would be detrimental to the vitality and viability of a centre and would

Belfast·SPG012 Sensitive Uses

A hot food takeaway will be considered to be harmful to the vitality and viability of a centre if it: • Increases the concentration of hot food takeaway ground floor frontages in a district or local c

Belfast·SPG012 Sensitive Uses

In centres where vacancy levels are more than 10%, the council will wish to see evidence that attempts have been made to fill the unit with a district or local centre use (other than hot food takeaway

Belfast·SPG012 Sensitive Uses

A key consideration in the test of viability is the manner in which a premises has been marketed for continued retail use. A marketing statement and supporting evidence will be required in order to de

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

Within larger settlements such as cities and towns, planning decisions must, to a large extent, be informed by the provisions made for economic development through the LDP process. In these larger se

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

Town centre health checks will help form an evidence base for LDPs. They will contain information on a range of indicators, including: • existing town centre uses, including resident population; • vac

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

As part of the process of identifying sites to be allocated for town centre uses in the plan councils should undertake a 'call for sites' consultation exercise.

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

In judging between allocations on non primary area sites, preference will be given to edge of town centre land before considering out-of-centre sites. For a site to be considered as edge-of-centre a d

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

The requirement to allocate sites should be considered on the basis of fulfilling sustainably and objectively assessed needs for retail/economic development during the plan period. It will also be imp

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

Flexibility may be adopted in seeking to accommodate developments onto sites with a constrained development footprint. For example, through use of creative and innovative design schemes, including mul

NI-wide·SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)

Factors to be addressed in a retail impact and assessment of need include: • the impact of the proposal on trade and turnover for both convenience and comparison goods traders, and the impact on town