Stage 2: Preferred Options Paper

Actions: Governance

Paragraph 2.20 (page 9)

(a) The SCI states: A series of Councillor Workshops will be held to seek the views of all Elected Members on the issues and alternative options to be addressed by the POP.

A series of Councillor Workshops where held between October 2015 and March 2017 in order to seek members’ views on the issues and alternative options to be addressed by the POP (see Table 2 below). Prior to the workshops members were furnished with a copy of an agenda and a briefing paper on the proposed content of the workshop. Further to each workshop a summary report of the issues and the discussions that took place was sent to each of the members to ensure that their views were accurately recorded and to seek the views of those who were unable to attend. The report set out the main issues and options, a summary of the discussion at the workshop and highlighted the options which gained the most consensus at the workshops.

Table 2: Record of Councillor Workshops – Preferred Options Paper Date Workshop Theme 8 October 2015

 Housing and Settlement  Employment and Economic Development  Retailing and Town Centres

18 February 2016

29 November 2016

 Settlement Evaluation  Settlement Hierarchy

 Spatial Strategy  Strategic Housing Allocation  Existing Zonings  Housing Need  Open Space

8 December 2016

 Economic Development  Infrastructure

23 January 2017

9 February 2017

9 March 2017

 Minerals Resources  Subsidence and Land Instability  Natural Heritage  Built Heritage

 Planning Policy Review:

PPS2, PPS3, PPS4, PPS6, PPS7, PPS8, PPS10, PPS11, PPS12, PPS13,

PPS15, PPS16, PPS18, PPS21, PPS23, PSRNI

 Protection of Proposed Road Schemes  Developer Contributions  Management of Open Space  Review of PPS21 Rural Housing Policies  LDP Vision, Strategic Objectives and Overarching Principles

(b) The SCI states: A Public Consultation Report on the POP will be presented to Elected members following the end of the consultation period. The report will contain a summary of representations and Planning officers comment. A written record will be taken of where elected members take differing views to that recommended in the report, along with the rationale for that view. This will be taken into account in formulating the Draft Plan Strategy.

Following the consultation period for the POP a Public Consultation Report was prepared which set out a summary of the consultation process. The report also provided a breakdown of the public and statutory consultee responses to

The Public Consultation Report was brought to the Local Development Plan Working Group on the 9 November 2017. A presentation was given at the meeting which provided an overview of:  The key issues that had received broad support for their preferred option or approach;  The key issues that generated debate among respondents;  Policies that raised issues. A written record of members’ views was taken at this meeting including where any elected member had a differing view to that recommended in the report, this information was taken into account in formulating the draft Plan Strategy.

The POP Public Consultation Report (November 2017) was approved by the Council at the Local Development Plan Working Group on the 9 November 2017 before being published on the Council website: https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/business/planning/local-development-plan/preferred-options-paper

All those listed on our Community Involvement Register and all of those who had responded to the POP were notified of the publication of the POP Consultation Report on 3 January 2018.

(c) The SCI states: Subsequent to approval by Council, the POP Consultation Report will be published on the Council’s website.

Actions: Community Involvement

Paragraph 2.21 (page 9)

(a) The SCI states: We will hold a launch event and exhibition for invited persons to announce the publication of the Preferred Options Paper and its period for public consultation.

A launch event and exhibition to announce the publication of the POP for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for invited persons was held in The Braid Ballymena Town Hall, 1-29 Bridge Street, Ballymena, on the 14 June 2017. This event was attended by 49 people including elected members, council officials, representatives from adjoining Councils, representatives from some statutory consultees and stakeholders. The launch event comprised of an exhibition and presentation and all those in attendance where furnished with a copy of the document as well as with details of additional public engagement events scheduled over the consultation period, details on how to respond and the timeframe for responding.

A press release and photograph was issued on 14 June 2017 which highlighted the subject areas which the proposals and plans within the document covered. The press release encouraged residents, stakeholders and other interested parties to share their views over the 12 week consultation period. Details of where and how to access the POP were provided along with details of the public events and drop-ins.

Full details in relation to editorial and social media coverage of the POP is detailed in the Preferred Options Public Consultation Report, see DPS-506.

(b) The SCI states: We will issue a press release to generate publicity about the publication of the POP, highlighting the Council’s preferred options, and encouraging public response.

(c) The SCI states: We will issue a Public Notice to confirm:

I. Publication of the Preferred Options Paper and invite comment within the specified consultation period (a period of not less than 8 weeks or more than 12 weeks);

II. Details of public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in information sessions during the consultation period; and

III. Publication of the Sustainability Appraisal Interim Report and screening report for Equality Impact Assessment.

This public notice will be placed on the Council website and appear in the Ballymena Guardian, Ballymena Times, Carrick Times, Larne Times, and Newtownabbey Times.

A Public Notice was published in the specified papers from week commencing 5 June 2017 and notice of the publication of the POP was also posted on the Council website. The notice gave confirmation of the following:

 Publication of the “Local Development Plan 2030 – Preferred Options Paper” on 14 June 2017.  Invited comments within a 12 week consultation period closing on 6 September 2017.  Details of public and drop in events during the consultation period and the availability of planning staff during normal office hours as part of the public consultation.  Publication of the Sustainability Appraisal Interim Report (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment), a Sustainability Scoping Report and an Equality Impact Interim Screening Progress Report.

See Appendix 5.

(d) The SCI states: We will hold public engagement events and exhibitions with drop-in sessions at locations throughout the Borough where Planning officials will be available to assist with queries in regard to the LDP in general and this stage in particular.

Table 3 below provides details of the nine public engagement events held over the consultation period. These included six ‘public events’ held in the three main towns and three ‘drop-in’ sessions held in smaller settlements across the Borough.

At all these events pop-up posters relating to themes covered by different chapters of the POP were on display. In addition, display boards were set up to show maps and other material relevant to the POP. Development Plan staff were present at all events to answer questions and to provide hard copies of the POP documents. The six public events also included a presentation about the POP which covered its scope and purpose, its context within the overall plan process, a chapter by chapter review of the document, details of how to respond, and explanation of the ‘next steps’. In addition to this, for the duration of the consultation an exhibition stand remained in The Braid along with copies of the POP documents.

An engagement event was also held for planning agents on 27 June, at County Hall, Ballymena. This event had a similar format as the public events described above, but with additional emphasis placed upon the strategic nature of the POP and the importance of submitting representations to reflect this. This event was attended by 12 persons.

Public Events/Exhibitions

Thursday 22 June 2017

Thursday 29 June 2017 The Braid Ballymena Town Hall 1-29 Bridge Street Ballymena

Carrickfergus Town Hall 11 Antrim Street Carrickfergus Session 1: 2pm 10

Session 2: 7pm 10

Session 1: 2pm 13

Session 2: 7pm 13

Tuesday 25 July 2017 Larne Town Hall 1-9 Upper Cross Street Larne Session 1: 2pm 17

Session 2: 7pm 11

Wednesday 2 August 2017 Gobbins Visitor Centre Middle Road Islandmagee 7pm to 9pm 25

Drop-in sessions

Thursday 3 August 2017

Wednesday 9 August 2017

*Attendees includes Elected Representatives Portglenone Community Centre Gortgole Road Portglenone

Glenlough Community Centre Carnlough 7pm to 9pm 9

7pm to 9pm 12

(e) The SCI states: We will write to all Key Consultees and Elected Members providing them with a copy of the POP; invite them to attend the launch; request that they provide comments within the specified consultation period; and inform them of the public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions.

Invites to the launch of the POP were sent out to key consultees and elected members on 31 May 2017. Hard copies of the POP were provided on the day of the launch to all those in attendance along with a postcard setting out details of public events scheduled over the consultation period. Hard copies of the document were provided to any elected members who did not attend on the day.

A presentation was given on the day of the launch which provided details on how consultees and the public could engage and the timeframe within which any responses to the document should be made. It also provided details of the public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions.

Further to the launch of the POP a formal consultation letter was then sent to key consultees on 14 June 2017 (see Appendix 6). The consultation advised that the POP and its supporting documents had been published, provided an online link to the POP and its supporting documents as well as providing details of where copies could be obtained. The consultation also provided details of the public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions. The consultation provided dates within which representations could be made and provided the postal address for representations to be made.

(f) The SCI states: We will contact local community groups and under-represented (Section 75) groups advising them how to obtain a copy of the POP; inviting them to comment within the specified consultation period; inviting them to attend the public engagement events, exhibitions, and drop-in sessions; and offering the opportunity of a meeting with a planning official to record their views.

(g) The SCI states: We will notify all those included on the Community Involvement register of the publication of the POP and carry out the actions as detailed under (f) above.

(h) The SCI states: We will continue to make the evidence base supporting the POP available on the Council website and update this as necessary.

The Community Panel (which included community groups) and under represented (Section 75) groups were consulted on the 14 June 2017. Council advised that the POP had been published, provided an online link to the paper and its supporting documents as well as providing details of where hard copies could be obtained. The consultation provided details of the public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions and invited those who had been consulted to provide comments within the specified consultation timeframe. Council also offered the opportunity to meet with a planning official to record any views in person.

All those on the Community Involvement Register were advised that the POP had been published, provided an online link to it and its supporting documents as well as providing details of where hard copies could be obtained. The consultation provided details of the public engagement events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions and invited those who had been consulted to provide comments within the specified consultation timeframe. Council also offered the opportunity to meet with a planning official to record any views in person.

As noted under point (f) above of ‘developing the evidence base to the commencement of the plan’ a suite of 14 Position Papers were published on Council’s website. Any subsequent updates to these documents have also been published on the website and continue to remain available along with the original publications. The POP and its Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report, Sustainability Interim Report and Equality Impact Interim Screening Progress Report remain available on the Council’s website.