Planning for sustainable development
Edition two of the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS), published in December 2025, sets out the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) regional planning policies for securing consistent development of land under the two-tier planning system.
Under the two-tier system, local authorities have responsibility for local plan-making, development management, and planning enforcement. DfI is responsible for regional planning policy, the determination of regionally significant and call-in applications, and planning legislation.
The SPPS identifies planning as key in achieving a vibrant economy. It sets strategic objectives to supply land suitable for economic development; support re-use of previously developed economic development sites; and promote mix-used developments and improve integration of land uses.
On renewable and low carbon energy, the SPPS sets an aim to maximise sustainable renewable and low carbon energy from various technologies. It sets strategic objectives to facilitate sustainable renewable and low carbon energy development, and secure the delivery of an appropriate mix of energy provision.
Additionally it sets aims to facilitate the integration of renewable and low carbon energy technology in new developments, and to facilitate the onshore development required to enable offshore renewable and low carbon energy proposals.
On transport, the SPPS sets an aim to improve integration with land-use planning and to facilitate safe and efficient access, movement, and parking. To achieve this, the SPPS sets a strategic objective to promote sustainable patterns of development. This is pinned as a way to reduce motorised transport and encourage active travel.
Additionally, it sets aims to ensure accessibility for all, promote the provision of adequate cycling facilities in new developments, and promote parking policies to tackle congestion and reduce reliance on the private car.
The SPPS also sets strategic objectives to protect routes required for new transport schemes, and restrict the number of new accesses and control the use of existing accesses onto protected routes.
Provisions in the SPPS must be taken into account in the preparation of local authorities’ local development plans. They are also material to all decisions on individual planning applications and appeals. DfI intends to undertake a review of the SPPS within five years.
The SPPS indicates that local authorities should consider a planning application’s impact on sustainable development when making a decision. It stipulates that developments that accord with an up-to-date development plan should be approved and proposed developments conflicting with an up-to-date plan should be refused.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA says: “The planning policy framework I am introducing is designed to help support the wider ambitions of the Executive by enabling appropriate development and associated infrastructure that can make a positive contribution towards reducing emissions and decarbonising energy use across the region in the long-term public interest.”
