Local Development Plan

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is responsible for the preparation of a development plan for the district. This new Plan will, (when adopted), replace the existing development plans, the Banbridge, Newry and Mourne Area Plan 2015 and the Ards and Down Area Plan 2015 (in so far as they apply to the district).

The LDP provides a 15-year plan framework to support economic and social needs in the district, in line with regional strategies and policies, while providing the delivery of sustainable development. The LDP informs the general public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested bodies of the policy framework and land use proposals that will guide development decisions; and will be the primary consideration in the determination of planning applications for the development or use of land in the district.

The LDP is prepared within the context of the Council’s Corporate Plan and Community Plan. In providing a statutory link with the Community Plan, the LDP is a spatial land use reflection of the Community Plan, providing a vision of how places should change and what they will be like in the future.

Preparation of the Local Development Plan

There are 4 key stages in the LDP preparation process:

Stage 1 Initial Plan Preparation

The Council has completed Stage 1 of the LDP process which included the development of an evidence base and the production of a Preferred Options Paper (POP). Further details on the POP can be obtained here.

Stage 2 Preparation and Adoption of the Plan Strategy

The Council is currently at Stage 2 of the LDP process, which includes the preparation of its draft Plan Strategy. Further details on the draft Plan Strategy can be obtained here.

Stage 3 Preparation and Adoption of the Local Policies Plan

The Council will commence its preparation of the Local Policies Plan following the adoption of its draft Plan Strategy.

Stage 4 Monitoring and Review

The Council has prepared housing and economic land monitors which can be obtained here.

LDP Timetable

The LDP timetable sets out the Council’s indicative programme for the production of the LDP and details of the key stages of the plan preparation process from the initial stages of the Preferred Options Paper through to the preparation and adoption of the Plan Strategy and subsequent Local Policies Plan.

The Timetable has been kept under regular review since 2017 and revised to take account of delays in preparation of the draft Plan Strategy. The Council approved this revision to the Timetable on 7 August 2023. The revised Timetable was agreed by the Department for Infrastructure on 12 September 2023.

To view or download the LDP Timetable click here

Statement of Community Involvement

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is a guide to community engagement in the planning process. The SCI outlines how the Council will engage with its citizens and stakeholders in exercising its planning functions; it sets out the procedures for involving the community in the production of the LDP, in the consideration of planning applications, in planning enforcement, and in the Council’s other planning functions.

The Council exercised its option, under Regulation 5 of the Planning (Statement of Community Involvement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 to invite comments from the public on the preparation of its SCI.

A 4-week public consultation exercise on the draft document commenced on the 8 March 2017 and closed on the 7 April 2017. Following this consultation exercise, the SCI was finalised and approved by the Council on 5 June 2017 and agreed by the Department for Infrastructure on 30 June 2017.

The SCI was revised, in respect of the LDP, in May 2025 and following approval by the Council it was agreed by the Department for Infrastructure on 5 June 2025.

To view or download the SCI click here

Contact Details

Email: planning@nmandd.org

Telephone: 0330 137 4036