Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“Relevant Background Information

 

Update on the Regional Development Strategy/Regional Transportation Strategy Review

 

      The review of the Regional Development Strategy (RDS) was announced by the Minister for Regional Development in June 2008. Following the Department of Regional Development (DRD) stakeholder workshops in December, the Council submitted an initial written response which was approved by the Development Committee in February 2009.

 

      The Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland 2002-2012 was published in July 2002 outlining the strategic transportation investment priorities, potential funding sources and affordability of planned initiatives over the 10 year plan period. The Regional Transportation Strategy supports the RDS by defining the transportation vision for the Province and included a commitment to carry out a review.

 

      Sprucefield Public Inquiry

 

      In August 2008, Sprucefield Centre Ltd submitted a revised application for a significant retail development (including John Lewis Partnership) at Sprucefield. The proposed scheme will comprise a John Lewis Department Store of 22,300 m² (covering four floors), 19 individual retail units with a total area of 22,500 m² (no more than four of the units to be less than 250 m² and the majority more than 500 m²), and 7 food units totalling 1,580 m².

 

      Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce attended the Special Development Committee meeting in February 2009 to express their concerns in relation to the current Sprucefield Centre application for further retail development. The Committee agreed to maintain the previously adopted position and submit an objection to the proposed development, including a recommendation that the proposed development be subject to a public inquiry.

 

      The Council submitted an objection to the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) reiterating the previously articulated position that the application would be considered contrary to both the current (RDS) and the proposed planning policies (BMAP) by virtue of the adverse implications for the existing retail centres and the future regeneration of Belfast and other adjoining centres.

 

      The Department of Environment has requested the Planning Appeals Commission to conduct an Article 31 public inquiry for the purpose of considering the implications arising from the Sprucefield Centre Ltd application.  The inquiry date has been set for Monday, 30th November 2009 at Park House, Great Victoria Street. 

 

      The BelfastMasterplan Review

 

      The Council commissioned a masterplan for Belfast in 2003 to provide a framework for the development of Belfast for the period to 2020. The BelfastMasterplan was published in April 2004 and provided a strategic development framework for Belfast based on consideration of the economic, social and environmental issues in the City.

 

      The adopted BelfastMasterplan provides the Council with a strategic vision for the future regeneration and growth of the City. The Masterplan also provides the basis for Council engagement in the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan, the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan, strategic development sites such as Titanic Quarter and the various regeneration strategies published by the Department for Social Development. The analysis also supported Council regeneration initiatives such as ‘Renewing the Routes’.

 

      Transport Policy Review

 

      The Council’s revised Transport Policy was considered by the Development Committee in May 2009 and it was agreed that, following ratification of the draft policy, it would be formalised into a public document.  During consideration of the Policy findings at the June 2009 Council meeting further clarification was sought on the specific issue of the proposed EWAY proposal for the Comber Greenway and the implications for the proposed Transport Policy.

 

Key Issues

 

      Regional Development Strategy/Regional Transportation Strategy

 

      The public consultation on the review of the Regional Development Strategy was expected to commence in Spring 2009, this has now been postponed. The Department for Regional Development recently announced that the public consultation will take place in Autumn 2009 and include a series of public workshops across the region.  In the interim DRD has invited children and young people to submit a piece of artwork to represent their views on what Northern Ireland will look like by 2035. The Regional Transportation Strategy also included a commitment to carry out a review and the Minister for Regional Development announced in April 2009 that this review will be carried out in Autumn 2009.

 

      Sprucefield Public Inquiry

 

      In advance of the public inquiry, the Council is required to submit a statement of case to the PAC by Friday 18th September 2009. The evidence is to be structured under the following topic headings:

 

-     Economic benefits, severability and alternatives

-     Impact on existing retail centres

-     Impact on travel patterns, the road network and road safety

-     Design, landscaping and visual impact

-     Impact on the natural and built environment

-     Impact on broadcasting and telecommunications

-     Any other issues

 

      The PAC will exchange the statements of case in the following week and the Council will have an opportunity to make comment on the other parties’ cases. This rebuttal statement must be submitted to the PAC by Friday, 23rd October 2009.

 

      The inquiry will commence at 10am on Monday, 30th November 2009 and the Council has responded to the PAC confirming that it will submit a statement of case and participate in the public inquiry. The approach to preparation and participation in the public inquiry will be to utilise internal resources supported by Dr Tony Quinn, the retail planning expert previously commissioned by the Council to provide specialist evidence. The legal representation will also be provided through the use of internal Council resources. 

 

      BelfastMasterplan

 

      In the period since the formulation of the Masterplan in 2003/04 there has been considerable change to the economic, social and environmental context for the development of Belfast and the wider region. In addition, the proposed Review of Public Administration and the transfer of responsibilities, including local land use planning and regeneration functions, have altered the administrative context. 

 

      The five years since adoption have also seen the development of a number of new strategies, including the City Centre Masterplans and the Strategic Regeneration Frameworks, which the Department for Social Development commissioned for each of the five Partnership Board areas.  This changing context and the emerging strategies for areas of the City have highlighted the need for the Council to have a coherent and up to date vision for the future development of Belfast.

 

      The review of the current Belfast Masterplan offers the opportunity to revisit the strategic vision for the City. This review and updated strategic position would facilitate continued Council engagement with strategies such as the proposed Strategic Regeneration Frameworks and assist in influencing regeneration/development initiatives planned for the City.

 

      The current Departmental budgets include provision for the procurement of the Masterplan review.  To initiate the project it is suggested that the Committee approves an allocation of £70,000 towards the review and associated stakeholder consultation.

 

      Transport Policy Review

 

      The text of the agreed Transport Policy has been condensed to form the basis for a formal Policy document and a copy is available on Modern.gov.

 

      Following the June 2009 Council, a meeting was convened to provide clarification in respect of the implications of the proposed Policy in relation to the issues raised. Committee may wish to note that, whilst the Transport Policy does not specifically address the alignment of the EWAY route, the strategic approach which seeks the ‘introduction of a sustainable transport corridor plans’ takes account of the need to prioritise access to sustainable modes of travel, such as public transport, walking and cycling, in advance of the provision of new highway capacity.

 

      Members may also wish to note that in May 2008, the Council responded to the publication of the Rapid Transit Network – Belfast Metropolitan Area – Strategic Business Case and referred specifically to the issues relating to the Comber Greenway stating that: 

 

‘The Council have received representations in relation to the potential conflict between the EWAY proposal and the Comber Greenway.  Whilst the walkway and cycleway were introduced as temporary resources along the protected alignment they have become well utilised. The Council would request the development of the route seeks to ensure the minimisation of impacts on the existing environment to integrate the provision or retention of the existing facilities’.

 

Resource Implications

 

      Financial

 

      The provision of specialist retail planning assistance for the Sprucefield public inquiry has been estimated to cost £8,000. The review of the Belfast Masterplan will exceed the limit on procurement by quotation and will be subject of a competitive tender process with a budget approval of £70,000 recommended. The current Departmental budgets include provisions for both the participation in the Sprucefield Inquiry and the procurement of the Masterplan Review. 

 

Recommendations

 

      Members are requested to:

 

1.      Note that public consultation will not take place on the RDS until Autumn 2009 along with public consultation on the review of the RTS;

 

2.      Note the proposed approach to participation in the Sprucefield public inquiry and approve the allocation of up to £8,000 from existing budgets towards the cost of specialist advice;

 

3.      Approve the proposed review of the BelfastMasterplan and the procurement of specialist support through a competitive tender process at a cost of up to £70,000; and

 

4.      Note the Council’s position on the Comber Greenway.

 

Decision Tracking

 

1.   Preparation for Public Inquiry and participation to be reported back to committee.

      Timeline: November 2009   Reporting Officer: Shirley McCay

 

2.   Results of the proposed procurement process for the Masterplan review to be reported back to committee.

      Timeline September 2009   Reporting Officer: Shirley McCay

 

3.   Formal Transport Policy document to be published.

      Timeline October 2009  Reporting Officer: Shirley McCay”

 

            During discussion in the matter, Members made the undernoted comments regarding the proposed review of the Belfast Masterplan referred to within the report:

 

(i)      it might not be appropriate to undertake the review given that the boundary changes which would come into effect following the Review of Public Administration had not yet been clarified and the economic downturn was continuing;

 

(ii)     even if it were considered appropriate for the review to proceed it might not be necessary to employ outside consultants given the internal expertise which existed within the Council; and

 

(iii)    no mention had been made within the review of cycling, which was a significant mode of transport within the City.

 

            In reply, the Director indicated that it might be possible for the review to be undertaken at a cost less than the £70,000 set out in the report.  She accepted that there was in-house expertise to undertake such a review but pointed out that it would be necessary to relieve these staff of their current duties in order to permit them to concentrate on such work and, given the existing workload within the Department it was not considered to be a feasible option.  She indicated that the Masterplan, which had been first produced in 2004, had helped to shape the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan and had been due for review in 2007. In addition, the Council’s own Arterial Routes and Renewing the Routes initiatives, which had been a considerable success, owed much to the original Belfast Masterplan.  The Director advised the Committee that the proposed review would allow the Council to put forward its own proposals for the future development of the City and that she would seek to ensure that the review incorporated the cycle routes in the City.

 

            Following further discussion, it was

 

Moved by Councillor Rodgers,

Seconded by Councillor Rodway,

 

      That, given the uncertainty about changes to the City’s boundary and the continuing economic downturn, no review be undertaken of the Belfast Masterplan at this time.

 

            On a vote by show of hands seven Members voted for the proposal and four against and it was accordingly declared carried.

 

            Following further discussion, the Committee:

 

(i)    noted that the public consultation on the Regional Development Strategy would not take place until the Autumn to enable it to be held at the same time as the public consultation on the review of the Regional Transportation Strategy;

 

(ii)    noted the proposed approach to the Council’s participation in the Sprucefield Public Inquiry and agreed that a sum of £8,000 from existing budgets be allocated towards the costs of employing the specialist advice which would be needed; and

 

(iii)   noted the Council’s position on the Comber Greenway.