Dept. Regional Development
Northern Ireland Department of Regional Development
The Department of Regional Development is responsible for regional strategic planning and development policy, transport strategy, maintenance of all public roads, public transport policy and performance, policy and support work for air and seaports, water and sewage services management, and the management of the department’s interest in Northern Ireland Water.
The strategic objective is to support the economy by planning development and managing safe and sustainable transport networks, setting legislative policy for harbor services, enhancing transport infrastructure links to airports and harbor gateways, contributing to the health and well-being of the community, and protecting the environment by providing high-quality water and sewage services.
The core groups in the department are as follows:
Transport NI was established on April 1, 2013, by merging Road Services, Transport Finance, and Group Division. It is responsible for public transport budgets, performance, managing accessible transport, and governance and sponsorship of Translink and NITHC.
Translink operates a fleet of 1,450 vehicles, 47 trains, and manages 210 miles of railway. It is also responsible for ensuring the public road network is managed and maintained.
The department is responsible for managing the shareholders’ interest in Northern Ireland Water and other corporate services. It is responsible for regional development of transport planning, public transport projects, transport legislation, and air and seaports. It is responsible for the regional development strategy and a new approach to regional transportation.
The Minister is responsible for policy and legislation regarding the State’s interest in government-owned Northern Ireland Water. The body itself is subject to oversight by the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, as well as environmental regulators.
The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company is a public company and the parent company of publicly-owned bus and rail companies in Northern Ireland.
The department provides financial assistance to Translink as part of the Executive’s investment in public transport, following the Transport Act 2011. The department is responsible for policy on ports and the legislative framework. There are five commercial ports, four public trust ports (Belfast, Derry, Warrenpoint, and Coleraine), and one privately-owned port in Larne. Public trust ports are autonomous, self-financing, statutory bodies operating on a commercial basis. The department appoints the trust port Chairs and members, including the Donaghadee Harbour Commissioners.
Belfast Harbour Commissioners are responsible for the maintenance, improvement, and management of the Port of Belfast, including accommodations and facilities. They operate under the Belfast Harbour Order (NI) 2002. Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners have summary functions in relation to Londonderry Harbour and operate under the Londonderry Harbour Order 2002.
Transport NI is a combination of two existing business units within the department: the Roads Service and the Public Transport, Finance, and Governance. Roads Service operates as a business unit, and new functions will be managed by the Public Transport Services Division of Transport NI.
The Department is obligated to formulate, in consultation with the other Northern Ireland departments, a regional development strategy for Northern Ireland. This strategy is for the long-term development of Northern Ireland.
The Department shall provide policy guidelines and advice in relation to its regional strategy and its implementation. It is tasked with developing proposals to implement the strategy. When exercising functions related to development in Northern Ireland, both the Northern Ireland Department and the UK Government Department are required to consider the regional development strategy.
The Department may undertake and commission surveys and studies as necessary for the purpose of its functions. This includes surveys related to the physical, social, and economic characteristics of an area; the size, composition, and distribution of the population; communications, transport systems, and traffic; and changes to any of the above likely to impact the long-term development of Northern Ireland or any part thereof.
The Department may, for its functions, consult with persons it deems appropriate and, if deemed appropriate, convene a public local inquiry.
The Minister for Regional Development may appoint advisory bodies and committees to assist the Department in carrying out its functions under the legislation.
The Enterprise Zones (NI) Order 1981 provides for the designation of enterprise zones. The Department may, with the intention of designating an area as an enterprise zone, prepare a scheme related to the development of that area. Before preparing the scheme, the Department is required to consult with the relevant district council.
After preparing the scheme, the Department is to take steps it deems necessary to adequately publicize the scheme. This includes ensuring that persons are made aware that if the Department issues an order designating the area, it will have the effect of granting planning permission in accordance with the scheme.
Persons who may wish to make representations to the Department regarding the grant of planning permission under the scheme should also be made aware of their entitlement to do so, and they should be given an adequate opportunity to make representations.
After the notification period expires or, if representations have been made, after considering them, the Department may adopt the scheme. The scheme may be adopted as is or modified to address any representations or matters arising from the representations.
As soon as possible after adopting a scheme, the Department must publish a notice confirming the adoption of the scheme and provide information on where it can be inspected. This notice must be published in the Belfast Gazette and two newspapers.
If a person is aggrieved by a scheme adopted by the Department and wishes to challenge its validity on the grounds that it exceeds the powers of the legislation or that procedural requirements have not been followed, they may apply to the High Court within one month. The High Court may issue appropriate orders if it finds that the scheme exceeds the Department’s powers and the interests of the applicant would be substantially prejudiced by non-compliance with the legislative requirements. The High Court may also instruct the Department not to issue an order designating the area until further steps are taken to comply with the legislation.
When the Department adopts a scheme, it may, with the consent of the Department of Finance, issue an order designating the area specified in the scheme as an enterprise zone. No such order may be issued for one month from the publication of the scheme or, if the scheme is challenged, until the matter is resolved.
The order shall specify the date on which the designation takes effect, the period for which it is valid, and define the boundaries of the zone through the use of a map or plan.
The Department must publish a notice confirming the designation of the area as an enterprise zone. This notice should include a statement that the order has been issued and will make the area an enterprise zone. It should also indicate that a copy of the scheme may be inspected without payment.
The Department’s authorized officers have the power to enter the land at reasonable times for the purpose of surveying in connection with the legislation.