Development in the countryside - Introduction and context

The countryside is one of our greatest assets, with many and varied roles, including for recreational and tourism, nature conservation and environmental protection, as well as agriculture and forestry, infrastructure and rural communities. This is recognised in the SPPS. Whilst the Belfast City Council area is predominantly urban in nature, it contains a significant portion of open countryside, including the Lagan Valley and the hills that largely surround the city. The Belfast rural area (being land outside the settlement boundaries) accounts for over 30% (approximately 41 km²) of the total Belfast City Council area. The wider rural area of Northern Ireland is a unique resource where diverse ecosystems, biodiversity and landscape character has to be aligned and balanced with the needs of sustainable rural communities. The rural area around Belfast city and within the district boundary is particularly sensitive to development pressures, primarily due to its unique landscape character and special role in providing a quality environmental setting for the urban area. It is acknowledged that, in the main, it is a working landscape, where agriculture, existing settlement and some commercial uses occur alongside public access and recreation and nature conservation interests.