Chapter 1 - Purpose and Status
Public Consultation and Participation
During the preparation period, district councils, political
parties, elected representatives, business organisations,
public sector bodies and groups from the voluntary and community
sectors engaged in a comprehensive and constructive dialogue
about the content of the RDS (Appendix
3).
An exchange of views was also facilitated with all sectors
through a series of conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings.
Major conferences were held in November 1997, May 1998 and
December 1998.
The involvement of almost 500 voluntary and community groups
through a consultation exercise led by a facilitating consortium
comprising Queen's University Belfast, the Urban Institute,
Community Technical Aid, Rural Community Network, and the
University of Ulster, was particularly valuable in providing
'a public voice' on the wide range of regional development
issues.
The openness and transparency of the process was further
strengthened when, for the first time in Northern Ireland,
an independent Public Examination was conducted into major
aspects of Shaping Our Future – Draft Regional Strategic Framework
for Northern Ireland in the autumn of 1999.
The RDS is therefore an expression of the shared vision,
values and principles identified through the extensive consultation
process, which obtained the views of all sections of the community,
and the Public Examination.
The Report of the Public Examination Panel, published in
February 2000, endorsed the Draft Strategy, particularly its
Guiding Principles and the hub, corridor and gateway concept,
as providing a balanced and progressive approach to the development
of the Region.
 Equality
of Opportunity
In building consensus for a balanced approach to accommodating
growth over the next 25 years, the strategy is responding
to the views of the community that equality and equity should
be to the forefront of the long-term development of the Region.
The spatial elements of the RDS seek to achieve balances between
urban and rural communities and the east and west of the Region
to provide equality of opportunity for all.
The RDS also provides broad support for the policy of New
Targeting Social Need (New TSN) which aims to direct efforts
and available resources to those objectively assessed as being
in greatest social need. Consequently, the implementation
of the RDS will include appropriate indicators to assess impact
on accessibility to jobs, housing, transport, social amenities
and a quality environment for those living in socially disadvantaged
communities.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was also carried
out and this included an equity test to proof the RDS in relation
to equality of opportunity. Regional Planning Policy Statements
(RPPSs), to be prepared as part of the implementation process
for the RDS, will be subjected to equality impact assessments.
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