Press Releases

9 September, 1997
MINISTER ANNOUNCES MERGER OF PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Environment Minister Lord Dubs announced today that he was merging the Department of the Environment's work on a planning strategy for the Belfast City Region and the preparation of a regional strategic framework for the whole of Northern Ireland.

The Minister explained that he was responding to concerns that it would be more sensible to reach decisions on the future development of the Belfast City Region within the context of an overall strategy for the development of the whole of Northern Ireland.

Lord Dubs said: "I am now arranging for these two exercises to be merged. The aim will be to publish draft proposals in May 1998 and then to finalise the strategy by the end of 1998".

The Minister also announced that a major conference would be held on 27 November to advance the debate on the development of an appropriate planning strategy for Northern Ireland.

Invitations to the conference will shortly be issued to representatives of political parties, the 26 District Councils, the business community, the trade unions and the voluntary and community sectors.

The Minister indicated that the Department of the Environment would produce, in advance of this key conference, a paper which will include initial thinking about the main drivers for change in terms of regional development and some preliminary ideas about regional development options, including the emerging thoughts about how best to accommodate further development in the Belfast City Region.

Notes to Editors

The Belfast City Region study was launched in January 1996 with the publication of the discussion document "Towards and Beyond the Millennium".

The work on the Regional Strategic Framework was initiated in June 1997 with the publication of the document "Shaping our Future".

The work is being carried out by a team led by Dennis Glass, Director of the DOE's Regional Planning Division. A team of experts of international standing, chaired by Sir George Quigley, is advising the team.