Local Development Plan 2030 Report on Covid-19 Response - March 2021

Local Development Plan 2030

Report on Covid-19 Response March 2021 www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/planning

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Introduction

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The pandemic has had profound impacts since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Northern Ireland in February 2020 followed by the introduction of the nationwide ‘Stay at Home order or ‘lockdown’ on 23 March 2020. Whilst the publication and consultation of the Council’s draft Plan Strategy (dPS) occurred prior to this it appears appropriate to consider the impacts of the pandemic and if the dPS can assist in recovery.

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The Chief Planner’s Update of May 2020 advised that “In light of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, councils should consider how best to progress their LDPs. This will vary depending on what stage an emerging LDP has reached. The Department would encourage councils to liaise with statutory consultees and continue any further technical work required to update or enhance the evidence base.”

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The Department for Infrastructure referenced the pandemic in their response to the Council’s consultation on the Schedule of Proposed Modifications to the Draft Plan Strategy, stating “While there remains some uncertainty in relation to the medium and long term implications, the immediate impacts upon the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors of our economy have been significant, and are well documented. Other impacts include a widespread increase in homeworking; greater use of telecommunications technology; a substantial reduction in commuter traffic and a corresponding increase in active travel, including walking and cycling.”

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The following review considers the ability of the dPS to address the immediate impacts arising from the COVID19 pandemic. Further consideration will be given at Local Policies Plan (LPP) stage to the longer term impacts as they become apparent.

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Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic The Welsh Government has identified in their recent publication “Building Better Places, The Planning System and Brighter Futures – Placemaking and COVID-19 Recovery” eight key issues to be considered post COVID19:  Staying local: creating neighbourhoods;  Active travel: exercise and rediscovered transport methods;  Revitalising our town centres;  Digital places - the lockdown lifeline;  Changing working practices: our future need for employment land;  Reawakening Wales’ tourism and cultural sectors;  Green infrastructure, health and well-being and ecological resilience; and  Improving air quality and soundscapes for better health and well-being.

These eight issues provide useful subject areas on which we can measure the effectiveness of our dPS in addressing the recovery from COVID-19.

Issues Arising

Effectiveness of draft Plan Strategy

Staying local: creating neighbourhoods:  As more time has been spent at home there is increased importance for well located, secure and affordable homes with appropriate space standards.  Increased demand for local services.  Increased demand for attractive outdoor public spaces to meet and exercise.

The dPS aims to help secure high quality design, layout and landscaping in all new residential developments across the Borough to deliver attractive, safe and sustainable neighbourhoods and create balanced communities through mixed tenure residential developments.

Active travel: exercise and rediscovered transport methods:  The pandemic has demonstrated even greater reliance on active travel to access local services and to enable consideration of households’ work/life balance.  Large reductions in commuter traffic

The dPS seeks to improve connectivity through promoting integration of transportation and land-use, whilst promoting more sustainable forms of transport such as walking, cycling and public transport.

Revitalising our town centres:  Larger convenience retailing and local retailing have been supported during the pandemic.  Town centres already facing challenges have been significantly affected by closure of hospitality and non-essential retail with the additional growth of online sales. There are likely to be higher vacancy rates with a need to facilitate a range of uses and activities.  Existing floor space within public buildings has been utilised in a different manner to facilitate social distancing.  Businesses have utilised outdoor space as a means to increase floor area.

The policies set out in the dPS clearly support the importance of the vitality and viability of our established town centres to meet the needs of citizens and visitors and to contribute to the economy The sequential approach to the identification of sites for retailing and main town centre uses will support town centres and minimise the impacts of out of centre retailing on town centres. Primary Retail cores will not be designated as this would limit the options for investment/uptake of vacant units in the core of the town centres to retail uses.

Further consideration will take place at LPP stage to assist in the designation of appropriate town centre boundaries that enable a variety of uses and flexible working spaces within town centres.

In light of the above no change to the Chapter 8.0 Building Sustainable Communities policies in the dPS are considered necessary.

In light of the above no change to the transport policies in the dPS are considered necessary.

In light of the above no change to the Retailing and Town Centres policies in the dPS are considered necessary.

Digital places - the lockdown lifeline:

The policies in the dPS seek to support the development of appropriate telecommunications infrastructure to meet the 3

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Significant growth of home working increased increased demand for and improvements to digital connectivity. No change to the telecommunications policy demand for digital connectivity.

Digital formats supported vital opportunities in the dPS is considered necessary. for social interaction during lockdown.

Changing working practices: our future need for employment land:  Changes in working practices including the significant growth of home working particularly in office based sectors.  Need for flexible work places to support remote working.  Negative impact on manufacturing sector.

Short term implications for the construction sector with knock on effects on the minerals industry, although it is difficult to establish if this will be long term, as house sales continue to be buoyant.

The dPS economic objectives seek to provide a sufficient supply and choice of sites for business and employment uses so as to assist in promoting sustainable economic growth and in particular meet the locational needs of particular sectors including new and emerging sectors.

The policies already allow flexibility in changing circumstances and further consideration will take place at LPP stage to assist in appropriate zonings in response to the changing economic climate.

In light of the above no change to Chapter 7.0 Sustainable Economic Growth policies are considered necessary.

The policies in the dPS seek to safeguard existing tourism Closure of facilities during lockdown and lack assets and support the development of appropriate tourism of travel have has had a significant negative development. Cultural development is encouraged in appropriate accessible locations. impact on the sector.

Reawakening tourism and cultural sectors: 

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Social distancing has to be factored into how In light of the above no change to the policies relating to tourism and culture in the dPS are considered necessary. these facilities operate.

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There is potential for increased staycations as restrictions ease.

Green infrastructure, health and wellbeing and The dPS seeks to protect, conserve, enhance and restore the ecological resilience: abundance, quality, diversity and distinctiveness of the  Biodiversity has had the opportunity to thrive Borough’s natural heritage. With policy protection for existing open space and policy support for greenways and with reduced traffic. appropriate sport and outdoor leisure facilities. In addition  Increased demand for green infrastructure to the dPS seeks to encourage more sustainable forms of support walking and cycling. transport including walking an cycling.  Ease of access to green spaces is essential.

In light of the above no change to the dPS policies are considered necessary.

Improving air quality and soundscapes for better The General Policy GP1 sufficiently considers the safety and health and wellbeing: safeguarding of Human health and wellbeing and no change  Reduced traffic and the temporary closure of to the dPS is considered necessary. some industrial uses has highlighted the impacts of air quality ad noise levels on health and wellbeing.

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Conclusion Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Economic Development team is taking the lead in the Borough’s immediate COVID Response Plan, with funding opportunities available to businesses and the community to address the immediate problems faced during the ongoing crisis. In addition, practical advice is also being provided on the ground to businesses struggling to deal with the additional layers of regulations that are added or removed on weekly or monthly basis. The Planning Department are supporting the Economic Development Team in this work, particularly in relation to the utilisation of additional outdoor spaces by retail and hospitality sectors.

Overall, the vision, strategic objectives and subject policies of the dPS, based on the five pillars of sustainable development will support a green COVID recovery. It is considered that the draft Plan Strategy remains relevant in light of the current pandemic and is sufficiently flexible to respond to changing circumstances and new challenges as we progress through the plan period. At the Local Policies Plan stage there are likely to be opportunities to introduce additional measures to support a green COVID recovery.

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Local Development Plan Team Silverwood Business Park 190 Raceview Road Ballymena BT42 4HZ Tel: 028 2563 3500 planning@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/planning

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