Development Plan Practice Notes
Date published:
Development Plan Practice Notes are designed to guide planning officers and others engaged in the planning system through the key requirements for the preparation and adoption of a Local Development Plan (LDP) and deal primarily with procedures as well as good practice.
The practice notes stem from the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and any related subordinate legislation. The emphasis is very much on advice, but where explicit legislative requirements must be followed these are made clear.
The Department is in the process of updating the practice notes. The updated practice notes will be accessible below as they become available. Updated DPPNs have ‘Schedule of Changes’ attached at the back of each document for ease of reference.
Documents
- Development Plan Practice Note 01 - Introduction: Context for Local Development Plans (April 2015)
- Development Plan Practice Note 2 - Statement of Community Involvement - 11.11.2025
- Development Plan Practice Note 3 - Timetable - 11.11.2025
- Development Plan Practice Note 04 - Sustainability Appraisal incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment (April 2015)
- Development Plan Practice Note 5 - Preferred Options Paper - 11.11.2025
- Development Plan Practice Note 06 - Soundness (Version 2 / May 2017)
- Development Plan Practice Note 07 - The Plan Strategy (April 2015)
- Development Plan Practice Note 08 - The Local Policies Plan (April 2015)
- Development Plan Practice Note 09 - Submission and Handling of Representations (Version 2 / December 2016)
- Development Plan Practice Note 10 - Submitting Development Plan Documents for Independent Examination
- Development Plan Practice Note 11 - Receipt of Independent Examination Report and Adoption of a Development Plan Document (February 2023)