Sustaining rural communities through appropriate development

To sustain rural communities, limited new development and employment opportunities which respect local, social and environmental circumstances may be required. This means facilitating the development of some rural enterprises and farm diversification in appropriate locations and ensuring they are integrated appropriately within the small settlement or rural landscape. However, the proximity of the Belfast urban area must be acknowledged and improved accessibility from rural communities to the city may be more appropriate in sustaining the community in some cases. This is acknowledged in the RDS and SPPS, where they note the variation in types of rural areas across Northern Ireland and state that policy approaches should be sensitive to local needs and to environmental issues, including the ability of settlements and landscapes to absorb development. This acknowledges that some areas are less able to accommodate new development or that policies could direct development to existing settlements.