After nearly a decade of growth in the Northern Ireland tourism industry, certain sectors of the market are starting to feel the squeeze and there is little doubt that 2011 will prove another tough year. The timely launch of Draft Policy Statement 16 - Tourism provides the ideal opportunity to address some of the challenges facing the industry by providing clear and up to date planning policy for tourism development in settlements and in the countryside.

Policy objectives are to:

• Facilitate sustainable tourism development in an environmentally sensitive manner;
• Safeguard tourism assets from inappropriate development;
• Utilise and develop the tourism potential of settlements by facilitating tourism development of an appropriate nature, location and scale;
• Sustain a vibrant rural community by supporting tourism development of an appropriate nature, location and scale in rural areas; and
• Ensure a high standard of quality and design for all tourism development.

Headline points

• Removes the tourist needs test, which is currently applied to tourist accommodation applications in the countryside at present;
• Introduces the sequential test for all new tourism development in the countryside;
• Sets out the circumstances in which hotels, self-catering units and holiday parks are permitted in the countryside;
• Permits tourist amenity development in the countryside that are not suited to an urban or village location, such as visitor centres;
• Provides for minor extensions to existing static holiday or caravan parks in the countryside and for new small-scale touring sites;

The draft policies

Safeguarding of tourism assets

As before this draft policy statement seeks to safeguard all tourism assets in Northern Ireland.

Tourism development in settlement limits

This policy statement continues to support tourism development within settlement limits.

Tourism development in the countryside

For the first time the department has spelt out its commitment to facilitating opportunities for economic development in the countryside. The needs test which currently existing for tourist accommodation in the countryside is removed and replaced by a new sequential test whereby applicant must demonstrate there is no suitable site within the settlement limit or other nearby settlements. The policy also notes that development proposals on the fringe of settlement limits will be preferable to one in the open countryside remote from a settlement limit.

Tourist amenity developments

The policy permits tourist amenity development in the countryside where there is a functional need for a countryside location or where it is demonstrated that there is no opportunity within nearby settlements.

For proposals of regional importance or significant in terms of size, the department will seek evidence which demonstrates substantial benefit to regional tourism as well as sustainability benefits to the locality. Such applications must be supported by new tourism benefit and sustainable benefit statements.

Hotel developments

Under this new planning policy planning permission will be granted for new hotels in the countryside where there is a firm proposal (business case) to redevelop an existing rural building or a new build proposal outside a village or smaller rural settlements.

Where the principal for a new hotel outside a village or smaller rural settlement is established the planning authority will apply a sequential location test.

Self catering accommodation

This policy provides for clusters of built units providing self catering tourist accommodation in the countryside at locations where there is a commitment to tourist development in the form of an existing or approved amenity and / or a hotel.

Static holiday parks and touring caravan sites in the countryside

This policy states that planning permission will only be permitted for a new static caravan park or a large scale extension on sites identified for such use in a development plan. The policy does however provide for small scale extension of holiday parks where this can be achieved without damage to the visual quality of its setting in the landscape and the integrity of environmentally sensitive sites.

In terms of new touring caravan sites planning permission will only be permitted for a new small scale touring caravan site (generally less than 1ha). A larger site will be permitted where it has no significantly greater impact on the surrounding countryside and where the focusing of such a development is likely to deliver tourism and broader environmental benefits.

Criteria for Tourism Development

Includes design criteria that will be used to assess all applications for tourism development to ensure sustainable, safe and high quality tourism schemes.

Consultation timeframe

The consultation period for this document opened on 23rd November 2010 and will end on 25th March 2011.

How can we help?

Please contact us if you would like more information on the wider impactions of the draft guidance or for help making representations to the department within the consultation period which runs until 25th March 2011.

Click here to contact our Belfast office