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Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timescale is for the review of Belfast retail planningstrategy; who is to conduct it; and what its terms of reference are. [93928]Angela Smith: As part of the preparation of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan the Department of the Environment has appointedconsultants to assess the potential need for additional retail floor space within the Plan Area up to 2015. The terms of referencealso require the consultants to advise on where any additional floorspace should be located, and if it should be phased, how itshould be phased and why it should be phased.The Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan covers Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down Council Areas.The Retail Study will inform the policies to be included in the Draft Plan, which is programmed to be published in September 2003.The findings of the Study will be published with the Draft Plan and all policies and proposals will be open to objection. Unresolvedobjections will be considered at a Public Inquiry.The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) acknowledges the vital role that retailing plays in the development of Northern Ireland. Inparticular it emphasises the need to create a thriving Metropolitan Area centred on a revitalised Belfast, through the enhancementof the role of the city, by supporting and strengthening the city centre as the leading regional shopping centre and maintaining thecity centre as the primary retail and office location in the region. The RDS also advocates the development of the complementaryrole of the suburban districts of Castlereagh and Newtownabbey, and the development of the city of Lisburn, and the towns of Bangorand Carrickfergus and strengthening the multi-functional role of their town centres.In recognition of this, the Department for Regional Development is currently preparing a new planning policy statement on Retailingand Town Centres (PPS5) to replace the current retail planning policy statement, which was first published by the Department of theEnvironment in June 1996. The purpose of this new policy is to assist the implementation of the Regional Development Strategy. Inaddition, it will provide strategic planning guidance to assist the Department of the Environment in the preparation of developmentplans and the determination of planning applications. Roger Tym and Partners were commissioned by the Department for RegionalDevelopment to carry out evidence-based retail research to guide the Department in the preparation of the new retail planning policystatement. The final draft report of the retail consultancy is due to be issued within the next few days. The new draft planningpolicy statement is scheduled to be issued for full public consultation during the next few months. |