FOI 17-23: Lagan Valley Regional Park Area of outstanding Natural Beauty

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FOI 17-23

20 June 2023

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”)

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 6 June 2023 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA 2000). In your request, you asked:

“I am writing to submit a formal request for information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act regarding the designation of land for planning purposes within the period of 1997 to 2002.

Specifically, I am seeking information pertaining to a particular parcel of land situated within the Lagan Valley Regional Park, which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

I kindly request the following information:

1. Zoning Information:

a. The precise date on which the aforementioned land was officially zoned for development purposes within the specified time frame (2000-2005).

b. The specific zoning category assigned to the land (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, etc.).

2. Meeting Attendance:

a. The names of the individuals or representatives present at the meeting(s) during which the decision to zone the land was made.

b. Their respective affiliations or roles within the decision-making process (e.g., elected officials, planning department staff, members of the public, etc.).

3.Justification for Zoning:

a. The reasons and considerations that led to the decision to zone the land despite its location within the Lagan Valley Regional Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

b. Any documented evidence, reports, or studies that were used to support the decision to zone the land in question.

4. Additional Information:

a. Any additional information, documents, or correspondence related to the zoning of the specified land during the specified time frame that may be relevant to this request.”

 

The Assembly Commission does not hold the information you request.

Members of the Assembly may have asked Assembly Questions of Ministers about this subject, and may have received answers that refer to this information. All Assembly questions, and the answers received, are published on the Assembly’s website in a searchable database.

Reference may also have been made to this subject in other types of Assembly business.  For example, reference may have been made in motions, adjournment debates, Ministerial statements, matters of the day or urgent oral questions.  Items of Assembly business are published on the Assembly Commission website in a searchable database. Information on items of Assembly business, and where relevant a link to the Official Report (Hansard) of these proceedings, can be accessed by searching Plenary business on the Assembly website.

In order to provide advice and assistance under section 16 of the FOIA, you may also wish to make an FOI request to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council via foi@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

 

You have the right to request a formal review by the Assembly Commission and if you wish to do so, please write to me at the above address. If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF which will undertake an independent review.

The Assembly Commission may publish details of your FOI request and its official response within the organisational disclosure log. The request will be completely anonymised and you will not be identified in any way. This is to meet the requirements as laid out by in the agreed publication scheme with the Information Commissioners’ Office.

Yours sincerely

INFORMATION STANDARDS