The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

PART 3 Preferred options paper

Preparation of the preferred options paper

9.—(1) Before a council complies with regulation 11, it must, for the purpose of generating alternative strategies and options, engage the consultation bodies.

(2) In preparing the preferred options paper the council must take into account any representation received from the consultation bodies.

Availability of the preferred options paper

10.  Before a council prepares a development plan document it must—

(a) make the following documents available for inspection during normal office hours at the places referred to in paragraph (b)—

(i) a copy of the preferred options paper,

(ii) such supporting documents as in the opinion of the council are relevant to that paper,

(iii) a document containing a statement indicating the period specified by the council under regulation 11(2) as the period within which representations on the preferred options paper may be made,

(iv) notice of the address to which representations are to be sent.

(b) the places referred to in paragraph (a) are—

(i) the council’s principal offices, and

(ii) such other places within the council district as the council considers appropriate;

(c) send to the consultation bodies the information set out at paragraph (a);

(d) give notice by local advertisement of the following—

(i) the title of the local development plan,

(ii) a statement of the fact that the preferred options paper is available for inspection and the places and times at which it can be inspected,

(iii) a brief description of the content and purpose of the preferred options paper, and

(iv) details of how further information on the preferred options paper may be obtained; and

(e) publish on its website—

(i) the preferred options paper,

(ii) such supporting documents as in the opinion of the council are relevant to the preferred options paper, and

(iii) the document mentioned in paragraph (a)(iii) and notice mentioned in paragraph (a)(iv).

Public consultation on the preferred options paper

11.—(1) Any person may make representations about a council’s preferred options paper.

(2) Any such representations must be—

(a) made within a period which the council specifies, and

(b) sent to the address specified pursuant to regulation 10(a)(iv).

(3) The period referred to in paragraph (2)(a) must be a period of not less than 8 weeks or more than 12 weeks starting on the day on which the council complies with regulation 10(a).

(4) A council must take account of any representations made in accordance with paragraph (2) before it prepares a development plan document.