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News

Consultation on Planning Changes Started

The new Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots MLA, has launched his consultation proposals for major changes to the planning system. The proposed changes have an impact on many aspects of planning including:

- community consultation on planning applications;

- people's rights to be heard at inquiries;

- rights of appeal by objectors; and

- developer contributions.

Consultation events are being held by the Planning Service during September 2009. "Before then", said Colm Bradley, Director of Community Places, "we will be providing advice and support to our members and other community groups so that they can all present their views with as much effect as possible".

8 July 2009

Minister Launches Community Places' New Website

Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots MLA, today launched this new website and Guide to the Planning System.  Speaking at the launch at the BBC Blackstaff House, the Minister said:

"The new website provides advice and information on planning issues for community groups and individuals who may otherwise not access the planning system. I am delighted to launch the new site today and welcome the work of Community Places in supporting local communities and their involvement in the planning process."

Access to a range of guides and factsheets on planning issues is freely available on the website as is an Information Pack on Community Planning. See the different menu items to the left of this page. The new Guide to the Planning System also launched by the Minister explains how to apply for planning permission or object to a planning application and how applications are assessed. Community Places Director Colm Bradley said "we are delighted the Minister was able to launch the new website and guide today and are grateful for the ongoing support of this Department. We now look forward to receiving online requests for advice and information and to working with local communities and individuals in greatest need of the support we provide". 

2 July 2009

Island Policy for Rathlin

We are delighted to congratulate Rathlin Development and Community Association now that its dedication and efforts in lobbying for a policy specific to the island have finally paid off. For many years islanders have spent a lot of time and energy working to ensure the provision of basic services, which most people on the mainland take for granted.  Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy announced the Executive's endorsement of a central government policy for Rathlin Island during a visit to the island on 10 June 2009 when he opened the Association's new Community Resource Centre.

Mr Murphy said: “Today marks a new way forward for the community here on Rathlin. As the only off-shore inhabited island in the North of Ireland, we have developed in partnership with the islanders, a central government policy which recognises and sets out to address the unique challenges experienced by island life. This new policy protects the island's heritage and way of life yet promotes its viability and sustainability now and for the future. 

This policy will now allow the Executive to proactively respond to the needs of the islanders on issues around public transport and roads infrastructure, health and social care, education and schooling, agriculture, community development, tourism and economic development."

19 June 2009

Community Planning - Help Available

Our Supporting Communities in Community Planning Project is providing information and capacity building on Community Planning, the new RPA structures and on developing Local Community Plans which focus on community issues and provide models for the future.

If you want to know more about how we can work with your community, please contact Annie Clarke on 028 9023 9444 or by email at annie@communityplaces.info

18 June 2009

New Community Plan for Scrabo

We have completed the first Local Community Plan in the region since the RPA changes were first announced. The Plan is for the Scrabo Estate in Newtownards and provides a model for the introduction of Community Planning across the new Council area covering Ards and North Down.

Working closely with the Ards Community Network we facilitated a series of planning workshops for the Scrabo Residents' Association, Ards Borough Council, NIHE, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Investing for Health, PSNI and DSD Areas at Risk Programme. Through these workshops the partners agreed and prioritised issues for short and medium term action. Many of these are well under way through two working groups set up by all the partners. The Plan was officially launched on Monday, 9 March 2009.

10 June 2009

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