Annual Employment & Industry Monitor Report 2024-2025

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1.0 Introduction

The Employment & Industry Monitor Report [the EI Monitor] has been prepared in support of the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Local Development Plan (LDP) 2032. The first stage of the LDP is the Plan Strategy (PS) which, following independent examination by the Planning Appeals Commission in 2022, was adopted by the Council in September 2023. The PS contains strategic and operational planning policies which, in the case of economic development primarily directs proposals to locate on the most suitable sites, including the thirty sites designated as zoned employment land across the Council area.

The sources of information used in the EI Monitor are considered to be the most up to date at the time of publication to inform its conclusions.

1.1 Background

The PS has taken account of regional strategic policy, Department development plans, the Council’s Community Plan and its other non-statutory frameworks or strategies. Further, and in specific relation to employment land provision, a series of evidence gathering papers were published that took stock of the employment zonings transposed from Department development plans, including remaining land availability, land quality and their locations in the Council area. Further evidence gathered detail on the quantity of employment land uptake, or loss over previous years, future forecasting, and likely scenarios of economic activity over the lifetime of the LDP to 2032.

The following strategic policies in the PS are relevant to the thirty sites designated as zoned employment land across the Council;

Strategic Policy 01: Sustainable Development (page 36);
Strategic Policy 04: Supporting Sustainable Economic Growth (page 37);
Strategic Policy 11: Economic Development in Settlements, (page 70); and,
Strategic Policy 12: Economic Development in the Countryside (page 82).

1.2 Legislative and Policy Context

Legislative Context

In accordance with the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (Section 21)and the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, following adoption of the Council’s Plan Strategy and Local Policies Plan, the Council is required to publish an annual monitoring report and keep under review its LDP which, for the purposes of this EI Monitor is by the following prescribed actions of the LDP Regulations;

The annual monitoring report must cover the twelve-month period commencing on 1st April in each year and ending on 31st March in the following year (Regulation 25(1)(a));
the report must be published within 6 months following the end of the monitoring period (Regulation 25(1)(b)); and,
the report must specify the supply of land for economic development purposes in the council’s district (Regulation 25(2)(c)).

An important element of the annual monitoring report is to provide such information as necessary for the Council to;

carry out a review of its local development plan every five years and no later than five years from the date that the local policies plan was first adopted or approved (Regulation 26(1)(a)).

The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) 2035

The RDS provides the overarching strategic planning framework to facilitate and guide the public and private sectors. It is a legislative requirement that the Council must ‘take account’ of the RDS in the preparation of its LDP.

The RDS highlights key driving forces for the economy such as population growth and movement, demographic change, an increasing number of households, transportation needs, economic changes, climate change and the spatial implications of divisions that still exist in our society. It seeks to inform and guide the whole community in the drive to create a dynamic, prosperous and progressive Northern Ireland in the third millennium.

The RDS influences the future distribution of development throughout the Region with two levels of guidance; Regional Guidance (RG) to be applied to all of Northern Ireland and Spatial Framework Guidance (SFG) that applies to defined sub regions.

Regional Guidance (RG) 1: Ensure adequate supply of land to facilitate sustainable economic growth; to ensure that Northern Ireland is well placed to accommodate growth in jobs and businesses. Such lands should be accessible and located to make best use of available services. As such the locational aspect of zoned sites is focused on larger urban centres in the Council area, taking advantage of the regional transport network.

To achieve RG1 requirements the Council needed to assess the quality and viability of sites zoned within its LDP for economic development. The evidence papers were the starting point to meet RG1 and this EI Monitor continues this, being the mechanism to evaluate the take-up or loss of employment land to inform and, if necessary to aid modification in accordance with the legislative requirement of keeping the LDP under review. The EI Monitor is also a tool to inform those with interests in planning and investment decisions and required actions to facilitate spatial and sustainable economic growth.

Spatial Framework Guidance (SFG) 1: Promote urban economic development at key locations throughout the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA) and ensure sufficient land is available for jobs; this guidance seeks to identify and protect key locations for economic growth and, if policy compliant directing mixed use development towards sites which will enhance local regeneration initiatives. The zoned employment sites in the Council area accord with SFG1 requirements.

Spatial Framework Guidance (SFG) 4: Manage the movement of people and goods within the BMUA; this guidance seeks to manage travel demand, improve public transport, integrate Land Use and Transportation and manage the efficient movement of freight. These combined elements reinforce the guidance of SFG1 and as such the zoned employment sites provided throughout the Council area are at key locations to aid sustainability of movement.

The Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS)

Paragraph 6.82 of the SPPS sets out the regional strategic objectives for economic development, industry and commerce, as follows:

Promote sustainable economic development in an environmentally sensitive manner;
Tackle disadvantage and facilitate job creation by ensuring the provision of a generous supply of land suitable for economic development and a choice and range in terms of quality;
Sustain a vibrant rural community by supporting rural economic development of an appropriate nature and scale;
Support the re-use of previously developed economic development sites and buildings where they meet the needs of particular economic sectors;
Promote mixed-use development and improve integration between transport, economic development and other land uses, including housing; and,
Ensure a high standard of quality and design for new economic development.

1.3 Department Development Plans

The Plan Strategy derives its Employment Land baseline from thirty zoned employment sites identified in and subsequently carried forward from the former Department for the Environment’s draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (dBMAP) 2015, when planning powers passed to Council under transitional arrangements in April 2015. Whilst this was an emerging Development Plan it is considered to have been the most up-to-date evidential baseline.

The baseline identified there were approximately 583 hectares contained in employment zonings of this Council district, of which approximately 287 hectares had already been developed. Of the remaining 296 hectares, approximately 60 hectares are located in the proposed Strategic Mixed Use Site (SMU01) West Lisburn/Blaris with the remainder of that zoning (approximately 60 hectares) re-designated for Class C1 dwelling house development.

Taking this re-designation into account, approximately 236 hectares of undeveloped employment land existed throughout the remainder of the Council area, of which approximately 221 hectares were considered to be developable.

Part 1, Pages 75 to 80 and Table 5 of the PS provides detail of these figures.

1.4 Council’s Corporate Plan, Community Plan and other Frameworks/Strategies

The EI Monitor also acts as an aid to measure the effectiveness of the Council’s Interim Corporate Plan 2021/2024, the theme of which is ‘ Working together to deliver better lives for all’. A key outcome of that Corporate Plan relates to economic success where ‘ We benefit from a growing and vibrant economy’ (Strategic Theme 2).

The EI Monitor has direct linkages with the Council’s Community Plan which contains a similar theme, the outcome of which is that ‘ Everyone benefits from a vibrant economy’ (Theme 2 the Economy).

Other Council departments have strategies to which the EI Monitor is a key aid, most specifically the Economic Development Unit that seeks to promote the district by supporting existing industries and attracting new industrial investments through its Business Growth Programmes and the Belfast Region City Deal.

1.5 Purpose of the LDP and EI Monitor

The purpose of the LDP is to spatially interpret how the Council area has developed to the present day and, through its strategic policy framework how it will direct and guide where future development proposals are considered beneficial to the Council and the wider regional context.

Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review identifies that the thirty sites designated as zoned employment land are spatially distributed throughout the Council area, primarily in its largest urban settlements as these contain the greatest concentration of the working population.

These key employment areas, in addition to the Strategic Mixed-Use locations at West Lisburn/Blaris (SMU01) and Purdysburn/Knockbracken (SMU02), are identified at the following locations:

A. Lisburn City – Knockmore

B. Lisburn Greater Urban Area – Derriaghy

C. Dundonald

D. Carryduff

E. Newtownbreda

These areas are strategically well placed to transport networks for ease of regional and national connectivity.

The purpose of the EI Monitor is to provide an assessment of the zoned employment sites by quantifying how they have developed over the 2024/25 reporting period and how they are being utilised. It also forecasts possible growth in the zoned employment sites by providing a list of extant planning permissions that may come to fruition in coming years.

In addition to keeping the effectiveness of employment strategies and policies of the LDP under review, the EI Monitor, in conjunction with Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review and the Housing and Employment Topic Paper are

sources of information which may be useful to other key stakeholders, including neighbouring councils in terms of having regard to other relevant plans, policies and strategies.

1.6 Methodology

The EI Monitor builds upon previous findings of Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review (October 2019) and the Housing and Employment Topic Paper (January 2021).

The findings of the EI Monitor are primarily sourced from desk-based analysis of data held by, or available to the Council. Data sources include;

histories of Building Regulation Completion Certificates in any of the zoned employment sites issued by Council’s Building Control department in the period 2024/25. These confirm developments have been completed;
histories of planning permissions granted in any of the zoned employment sites either during the period 2024/25, or prior to that period which remain extant, or ‘live’ and therefore capable of implementation; and,
available Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Geospatial Information, such as Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) Spatial NI data, used to identify new development on the zoned employment sites.

Whilst all of these sources of information are an aid to effective monitoring, field work has been undertaken to confirm land uptake within the zoned employment sites.

Currently, acceptable uses on employment and mixed use zonings, except where otherwise specified in individual zonings (based on the Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015), include:

Class B1: Business (b) as a call centre
Class B1: Business (c) for research and development
Class B2: Light Industrial
Class B3: General Industrial
Class B4: Storage or Distribution

In addition the PS allows further flexibility for Class B1 (a) Business (offices, call centres and R&D) within zoned employment sites where no suitable alternative exists in a designated city or town centre or in other locations identified in the LDP such as a district or local centre or business park; or elsewhere within the settlement limits of cities or towns (see Operational Policy ED1 Economic Development in Cities and Towns, Part 2, Page 43).

2.0 Completed Development on Zoned Employment Land

Table 1 below details development carried out to erect new buildings or alter existing buildings within any of the zoned employment sites during this monitoring period. This data has been obtained from Building Control completions and observations made during field work. Where applicable building control completions have been matched to corresponding planning approvals. It should be noted however that not all Building Control completions require planning permission, some may be deemed permitted development in accordance with the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015.

Table 1 describes the developments completed, the relevant use class for each completion; location by employment zoning; and the amount of land and/or floorspace created, if such data is available. Table 1A summarises the developed hectares and floorspace by use class and it can be seen that Class B development on employment zonings in this monitoring period equates to 2.5 hectares of land and the creation of 3597 square metres of new floorspace.

It is worth comparing this quantum of development with the findings contained in Section 5 of Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review (October 2019). Table 4.3 on Page 33 of that Review summarises completed development for industry and employment uses over the years 2015 – 2019 and found that on zoned sites completions ranged between 0.00 ha and 1.26 ha per annum. The 2.5 hectares of completions recorded in this reporting year exceeds that data range and exceeds the volume recording in the previous reporting year 2023-2024 (1.59 ha). This illustrates that zoned employment sites continue to function and offer the opportunities for which they have been designated in the LDP.

There has been one Sui Generis completion (LA05/2024/0269/F) and one partial Sui Generis completion (LA05/2023/0275/F) in this reporting period equating to a loss of approximately 0.73 hectares of Class B land/floorspace.

Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review (October 2019) notes at Section 5, Paragraph 4.33 (Page 35) that in the years 2015 to 2019 there was an average loss of 0.5 hectares to Sui Generis uses per annum. In this monitoring period the loss of 0.73 hectares to Sui Generis is higher by comparison.

In accordance with the findings of Technical Supplement 3 and the Housing and Employment Topic Paper the employment zonings have also been colour coded to signify whether they are Good (Green), Average (Yellow) or Poor (Orange) site.

It is worth noting from Table 1 that all completions, whether Class B or otherwise, are evenly balanced between zones that are either Good or Average sites for their employment suitability. This confirms that the best located employment zonings are seeing completions and are attracting potential future development proposals. However, it is of note that non-Class B completions also compete for these best located employment zonings and as such are a threat to the purpose of zoning lands for employment use. This is a matter that requires continual monitoring to ensure sufficient land, in the most appropriate locations, remains to attract future Class B development.

Table 1: Completed Developments on Zoned Employment Land

Site Reference	Location	Description of works	Use Class	Planning (LA) and Building Control (FP) Reference Numbers	Land Uptake Hectares (ha) and Floorspace (sqm)
LC09	30m NW of 4 Ferguson Drive, Lisburn	Industrial unit & offices	B1(a), B2	LA05/2023/0127/F	0.42 ha B1(a) 160 sqm B2 677 sqm
	1 Ferguson Drive, Lisburn	Storage shed	B4	LA05/2023/0606/F	0.04 ha 315 sqm
	1 Ferguson Drive, Lisburn	Rear extension to existing tool store	B2	LA05/2024/0043/F	0.008 ha 131 sqm
	K3 Decora Blind Systems, Ferguson Road, Lisburn	2 mobile units for canteen and toilet facilities	Sui Generis	LA05/2024/0269/F	0.03 ha 85 sqm
LN07	175 metres NE of 20B Glenavy Road, Moira	Agricultural vehicle servicing workshop, sales depot, wash bay, associated yard, access and ancillary site works	B1(a), B4, Sui Generis	LA05/2023/0275/F	0.73 ha (approx.) B1(a) 86 sqm B4 228 sqm Sui Generis 812 sqm
LC15	Coca Cola	Demolition of 2 warehouses (1429 sqm), erection of new warehouse and associated alterations to hardstanding	B4	LA05/2023/0802/F	0.95 ha 1985 sqm gain
ML06	Derriaghy Industrial Estate	Secure storage container	B4	LA05/2023/0878/F	0.46 ha 15 sqm

Table 1A: Use Class Totals by Completions on Industrial/Employment Zoned Land

Use Class	New Build (Hectares)	New Build Floorspace (Square Metres)	Extensions Floorspace (Square Metres)	Total Floorspace (Square Metres)
Class B (business)	2.5	3466	131	3597
Sui Generis	0.73	897	0	897
Total	3.23	4363	131	4494

2.1 Development outside Zoned Employment Land

Table 2 below details development carried out to erect new buildings or alter existing buildings to Class B uses on land outside any of the zoned employment sites during this monitoring period. This information has been obtained from Planning and Building Control data and observations made during field work.

Table 2 provides the location, description of development, the relevant Class B use associated with the completion; Building Control and Planning reference numbers; and the amount of land and/or floorspace created, where data is available. This data does not include information on Class B1(a) Offices within defined centres as these are considered through Office Capacity Studies to accompany the LDP.

The amount of Class B development outside employment zonings in this monitoring period equates to 5.18 hectares of land and the provision of 7530 square metres (0.29 hectares) of floorspace.

It is worth comparing this figure with the findings contained in Section 5 of Technical Supplement 3, Employment Land Review (October 2019). Table 4.3, Page 33, of that review summarises completed development for industry and employment uses over the years 2015 – 2019 and found that outside zoned employment sites completions ranged between 0.9 ha and 3.76 ha per annum. Completions on non-zoned sites in this monitoring period are elevated by comparison.

Table 2 records there have been ten new developments or extensions to existing premises for Class B uses, eight of which are in rural locations, beyond urban settlements.

Table 2: Completed Developments outside Zoned Employment Land

Location	Description of works	Use Class	Planning (LA) and Building Control (FP) Reference Numbers	Land Uptake Hectares (ha) and Floorspace (sqm)
Aghnatrisk Business Complex, Aghnatrisk Road, Culcavy	Storage and Distribution warehouse	B4	LA05/2024/0415/F	0.79 4975 sqm
3 Ballygowan Road, Hillsborough	Industrial unit (specialist vehicle repair and maintenance), washbay, parking, landscaping, access and ancillary site works	B2, B4	LA05/2023/0488/F	0.5 ha B2 574 sqm B4 309 sqm 0.24 ha Unspecified 945 sqm
18 Aughnatrisk Road, Hillsborough	Conversion of barn into offices (associated with existing industrial yard and haulage business) and driver amenity area (part retrospective)	B1(a), B4, Sui Generis	LA05/2022/1136/F	0.18 ha B1(a) 148 sqm B4 83 sqm 0.09 ha Sui Generis 291 sqm
3 Glenavy Road Moira	Offices & Yard	B1(a) Sui Generis	LA05/2024/0213/CLEUD	0.05 ha B1(a) 72 sqm 0.007 ha Sui Generis 425 sqm
356 Comber Road, Lisburn	Vehicle repair and servicing workshop, paint shop, garage, open storage	B1(a), B2, Sui Generis	LA05/2024/0265/CLEUD	0.8 ha B1(a) 80 sqm B2 300 sqm (0.03 ha) Sui Generis 7620 sqm
56 Moneyreagh Road Moneyreagh	Retention of extension to rear of workshop, retention of extended curtilage to provide additional car parking and display areas for sale and repair of motor vehicles	B2, B4	LA05/2022/0734/F	0.36 ha B2 78 sqm B4 42 sqm
13a Cross Lane, Lisburn	Two portable buildings ancillary to established commercial yard (retrospective)	B1(a)	LA05/2023/0018/F	1.9 ha 49 sqm
125a Lisburn Road Ballynahinch	Storage Unit for soil	B4	LA05/2022/0570/F	0.3 ha 494msq
28d Comber Road Clontonakelly Carryduff	Replacement storage building	B4	LA05/2020/1062/F	0.2 ha B4 126 sqm (additional)
111 Moneyreagh Road, Moneyreagh	Vehicle valet shed for use in association with established business	B2	LA05/2023/0744/F	0.1 ha B2 200 sqm

2.2 Zoned Employment Land – Extant Planning Approvals

Tables 3 and 3A below detail extant planning approvals monitored during this period for proposals to erect new buildings, alter existing buildings and the amount of floorspace to be created within the employment zonings.

This data has been extrapolated from the Planning Portal, supplemented by field work confirming none have been completed. This information provides a snapshot of what potential development may occur on zoned employment lands in forthcoming years; the amount of land essentially ‘reserved’ for these proposals; and, what uses may be envisaged, be they Class B or otherwise.

Table 3 details each permission, their location in the relevant zoned site (site reference number and name); a description of proposed development; the use class upon which the permission has been approved; planning reference number; and the amount of land and/or floorspace to be created were the development completed.

There are thirty-three extant planning permissions across twelve of the zoned employment sites. Of these the majority, twenty-five permissions, seek new buildings or extensions to existing buildings for Class B uses with two permissions also seeking a Class C element. Seven of the other permissions seek Sui Generis use, one of which is combined with an A1 use, while only permission seeks a class D2 use.

Some Class C uses noted in last year’s monitoring report remain extant such as the development of the Knockmore Mill site within zoning LC13, Flush Park Industrial Estate. This permission will see residential development on the majority of the site. Moreover, two of the previous permissions at MCH05 Millmount/Comber Road for the development of Class C residential units remain extant in this reporting year, (LA05/2016/0985/F and LA05/2017/1153/F). Across the majority of this zoning approximately 7.4 hectares of Class C use remains extant in conjunction with 1.7 hectares of Class B to provide 2736 square metres of floorspace. In this reporting year, a further application (LA05/2023/0161/F) granted approval to increase the Class B use to 2.44 hectares. These applications are for the same part of the site and whilst building works on the overall site were observed in 2025 to have commenced, Class B development has not been constructed as of this reporting year. As both these applications remain extant they are accounted for on Table 3 but for the purpose of calculating site area totals the latter has been accounted for as it is in substitute for the earlier approval.

If all of the Class B permissions were to come to fruition they represent an additional 29 hectares of land uptake in employment zonings and the creation of an additional 54,873 square metres of floorspace (See Table 3A below). 10.37 hectares would be lost to Class C residential use which, along with lands lost to other non-Class B uses is a matter for continued monitoring in future review years.

One extant planning permission seeks Class D (community) use at MCH06, Carrowreagh as a community garden.

The remaining seven extant planning permissions, on five zoned employment sites, seek development of lands or change of use of buildings to a variety of Sui Generis uses. These account for approximately 18.06 hectares within zoned employment sites. While this figure is high compared to other monitoring periods because approval of the link road through zoning SMU01 (17.6 ha) was granted by the Department in October 2023, it is consistent with the figure observed in the 2023/2024 monitoring period given these permissions remain extant.

In accordance with the findings of Technical Supplement 3 and the Housing and Employment Topic Paper the employment zonings have been colour coded to signify whether they are a Good (Green), Average (Yellow) or Poor (Orange) site. See Part 3 below for further detail on this matter.

There are several points worth noting on the location of these extant planning permissions, which is apparent from the colour coding on Table 3. These permissions are evenly spread between zonings that have been considered either Good or Average sites. SMU01, West Lisburn/Blaris is the exception.

As set out in Part 3 below, SMU01 is classified as a Poor site only by the fact that the Knockmore Link Road remains to be constructed. When built, this road will open up the potential of SMU01 and will change its classification to that of a Good site.

Also, and importantly the extant permissions that propose Sui Generis/A1 uses are located on employment zonings considered as Good or Average sites. Non-Class B uses that affect employment zonings across the Council district is a matter for continued monitoring in forthcoming reports.

Table 3: Extant Planning Permissions on Employment Zoned Land

Site Reference	Location	Description of works	Use Class	Planning Reference	Potential Uptake Hectares (ha) and Floorspace (sqm)
SMU01 (LC05)	67 Blaris Road	Land for display and sale of motor vehicles	Sui Generis	LA05/2019/1079/F	0.15 ha
	West Lisburn	3 car parking spaces, new asphalt surfaced access with bus loop and halt	Sui Generis	LA05/2022/0518/F	0.12 ha
	Ballinderry/ Knockmore Lisburn	Industrial unit, ancillary office, sprinkler pumphouse, 2 pumphouses, substation and external plant	B1(a), B2, B4	LA05/2024/0038/F	4.47 ha B1(a) 240 sqm B2 5057 sqm B4 4830 sqm
LC09	Blaris Industrial Estate	Extension to cold storage building	B4	LA05/2020/1045/F LA05/2024/0368/F	1.3 ha 1530 sqm
LC10	Blaris Industrial Estate Enterprise Crescent	Demolition of existing light industrial unit, erection of 4 no. light industrial units	B2	LA05/2021/0819/F	0.02 ha 836 sqm
		Small scale buildings associated with Biomass Plant	B4	LA05/2021/0935/F	0.38 ha
		Demolition of existing offices and construction of new offices	B1(a)	LA05/2023/0464/F	28.5 sqm (gross reduction over existing)
		Storage & Distribution warehouse with covered canopies for loading	B4	LA05/2022/1181/F	0.36 ha 1364 sqm
LC11	Flush Park Industrial Estate	Demolition of existing buildings, development of residential (91 no. units), 6 no. Class B2 industrial units service yard; 3 no. flexible workspaces 2 no. take away coffee pod units and infrastructure	B2, C1	LA05/2022/0830/F	0.6 ha B2 3.0 ha C1 1398 sqm B2 2632 sqm C1
LC13	Lissue Industrial Estate	9 no. light industrial units	B2	LA05/2017/0255/F LA05/2022/0502/CLEUD	0.99 ha 1671 sqm
LC14	Lissue Industrial Estate City Business Park, Derriaghy	Workshop and storage building	B2, B4	LA05/2023/0697/F	0.95 ha 1051 sqm B2 1051 sqm B4 28 sqm unspecified
		Extension to existing external storage yard	B4	LA05/2024/0090/F	0.24 ha 2400 sqm
		Petrol filling station, retail unit, car parking and site works	Sui Generis & A1	LA05/2018/1032/F	0.31 ha . 419 sqm
MCH05	Millmount/ Comber Road	7 no. detached dwellings	C1	LA05/2016/0985/F	0.87 ha 528 sqm
		Mixed use, housing (119 units) and 18 no. industrial units	C1, B1b, B1c and B2	LA05/2017/1153/F	6.5 ha Class C (approx) 65000 sqm 1.7 ha Class B (approx) 2736 sqm Class B floorspace
		9no. industrial units, access improvements, car and cycle parking, landscaping and ancillary site works (alterations to planning permission LA05/2017/1153)	B1(b), B1(c), B2, B3, B4	LA05/2023/0161/F	2.44 ha 4674 sqm
MCH06	Upper Newtownards Rd/Carrowreagh	Construction of proposed storage/distribution unit with ancillary office accommodation and associated car parking	B1a & B4	LA05/2019/0592/F	0.06 ha 188 sqm
		Change of use from open space to a community garden.	D2	LA05/2019/1176/F	0.03 ha 300 sqm
		Change of use from B1(c) to general industrial B3	B3	LA05/2023/1000/F	4.3 ha 12307 sqm
		Warehousing/light industrial/showroom & ancillary offices	B1(a), B2, B4	LA05/2022/0763/F	0.3 ha 60 sqm Class B1(a) 178 sqm Class B2 238 sqm Class B4
		Back up electricity compound	Sui Generis	LA05/2020/0962/F	0.03 ha 287 sqm
		Switch room and control room	Sui Generis	LA05/2021/1282/F	0.01 ha 48 sqm
	Carryduff Business Park	Extension to factory for storage space	B4	LA05/2024/0069/F	0.34 ha 159 sqm
		Back up electricity compound including components of plant and machinery, enclosed by 1.8m palisade fence	Sui Generis	LA05/2020/0962/F	0.03 ha 287 sqm
		20 no industrial units	B1 and B2	LA05/2016/1239/F LA05/2022/0362/LDP	7.15 ha 8000 Sqm
		Asphalt batching plant, perimeter fence, security gates, access, ancillary site works	B2	LA05/2022/0686/F	0.99 ha
LN07	Glenavy Road, Moira	Industrial unit, associated storage yard, landscaping and ancillary site works	B4	LA05/2023/0252/F	1.49 ha 5563 sqm
		Extension to provide 1 no. additional industrial unit	B2, B3	LA05/2023/0220/F	0.8 ha 288 sqm
		Extension to distillery to provide additional store facility	B4	LA05/2023/0655/F	0.11 ha 148 sqm

Table 3A: Use Class Totals by Extant Planning Permissions on Industrial/Employment Zoned Land

Use Class	New Build (Hectares)	New Build Floorspace (Square Metres)	Extensions Floorspace (Square Metres)	Total Floorspace/Use (Square Metres)
Class B (business)	21.9	39135	4525	43660
Class C (residential)	10.37	68160	0	68160
Class D (community)	0.03	300	0	300
Sui Generis	18.22	20,300	0	20,300
Total	50.52	127,895	4525	132,420

3.0 Quantum of Developed/Undeveloped Zoned Employment Land

Table 4 below is a summary of the thirty employment zonings recording those completions set out in Table 1 and noting the extant permissions shown in Table 3. As a result of the completions in this reporting year Table 4 provides a revised tally of remaining lands capable of development within the zonings.

This EI Monitor, particularly the Table 4 tallies, is an ongoing ‘health check’ of employment lands which build upon and should be read in conjunction with the previous assessments of these zonings contained in Appendix 4 of Technical Supplement 3 Employment Land Review, October 2019 and Appendix 2 of Housing and Employment Topic Paper, January 2021

Those assessments were based on a scoring matrix that classified each site as being either Good, Average or Poor, when considered against the criteria as set out in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Site Assessment Criteria

Criteria	Key Considerations
Access	Road access Public transport access Pedestrian/cycle access
Site context	Proximity to residential area/community facilities Buildings quality and condition (if applicable) Brownfield/greenfield status (undeveloped area only) Adjoining uses Proximity to infrastructure
Environment	Landscape and environmental designations TPOs Topography Contamination Flood risk
Market strength	Levels of market demand (where known)

These assessments established scorings for each zoning and determined by way of colour coding that 14 of them were considered Good (Green) sites, 10 were Average (Yellow) sites and 6 were Poor (Orange) sites. This colour coding is replicated in Table 4.

Good

LC09, LC11, LC12, LC13, LC15, ML06, MCH12, CF05, CF07, CF08, CF09, CF10, CF11, LN07

Average

SMU02 (MCH13), LC06, LC10, LC14, MCH05, MCH06, MCH07, MCH08, CF06, CR01

Poor

SMU01 (LC05), LC08, DA05, LC07, ML05, GY05

West Lisburn/Blaris

It is important to note that LC05, the proposed Strategic Mixed Used Site (SMU) 01 West Lisburn/Blaris in the PS, whilst presently scored as Poor, is dependent on the construction of the Knockmore Link Road to realise its potential.

Technical Supplement 3 refers to this (Section 5, Appendix 4, Page 72 – 73) however, the Housing and Employment Topic Paper is more robust in its narrative on LC05 (Section 4, Pages 55 – 67). It considers a number of points which resulted in the poor scoring but re-emphasises that Technical Supplement 3 highlighted the Knockmore Link Road as being ‘critical to unlocking the site and for its delivery’ and that the site, when the road is constructed ‘could become a “prime location” for access to the M1 and A3’. As such the Knockmore Link Road when constructed and operational will elevate the status of SMU01 to that of a ‘Good’ site. See Table 4.1, Page 57 of the Housing and Employment Topic Paper for further detail.

Table 4: Zoned Employment Lands

Zoning	Activity up to and including current year (24/25)	Developed Area 2024/25	Developed Area	Developable Area
SMU01 (LC05) West Lisburn/Blaris	3 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		0.35	52.14
SMU02 (MCH13) Knockbracken Healthcare Park	3 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		41.53	44.01
LC08 Barbour Threads			5.53	2.83
DA05 Rathfriland Road			0.00	3.28
LC06 Knockmore/Lissue Road			0.00	3.09
LC07 Lissue Road			0.00	10.86
LC09 Ballinderry/Knockmore Road	4 implemented planning permissions (Table 1) 1 extant planning permission (Table 3)	0.49	26.84	15
LC10 Blaris Industrial Estate	5 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		25.29	0.00
LC11 Enterprise Crescent	1 extant planning permission (Table 3)		13.19	0.00
LC12 Ballinderry Road			7.43	0.00
LC13 Flush Park Industrial Estate	1 extant planning permission (Table 3)		4.91	3.55
LC14 Lissue Industrial Estate	3 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		50.31	2.51
LC15 Coca Cola, Lissue Road	1 implemented planning permission (Table 1)	0.95	18.3	0.00
ML05 Seymour Hill Industrial Estate			6.07	3.81
ML06 Derriaghy Industrial Estate	1 extant planning permission (Table 3)		39.77	4.77
MCH05 Millmount/ Comber Road	3 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		0.68	8.56
MCH06 Upper Newtownards Road/ Carrowreagh	6 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		11.56	23.08
MCH07 Newtownbreda Factory Estate, Cedarhurst Road			2.00	0.00
MCH08 Cedarhill Industrial Estate, Beechill Road			1.705	0.315
MCH12 Forster Green, Saintfield Road			2.34	0.20
CF05 Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff			0.44	9.04
CF06 Comber Road, Carryduff			0.27	5.28
CF07 Cyril Johnston & Co, Carryduff			2.19	0.00
CF08 Carryduff Business Park	5 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		5.06	0.00
CF09 Saintfield Road, Carryduff			3.33	0.47
CF10 Eastbank Road Carryduff			0.79	1.10
CF11 Edgar Industrial Estate, Carryduff			6.05	0.76
GY05 Gobrana Road, Glenavy			0.00	6.27
LN07 Glenavy Road, Moira	1 implemented planning permission (Table 1) 3 extant planning permissions (Table 3)	0.7	14.59	9.4
CR01 Maryland Industrial Estate, Crossnacreevy	2 extant planning permissions (Table 3)		5.58	0.00
	Totals For Employment Monitoring Report (24/25)	1.65	296.1	210.1

4.0 Conclusions

It is clear from the above analysis that there remains sufficient allocated employment land within the area to meet the overall needs for the remaining period of the Local Development Plan to 2032.

The Plan Strategy recognises the range and distribution of supply at five key locations:

A. Lisburn – Knockmore

B. Lisburn Greater Urban Area – Derriaghy

C. Dundonald

D. Carryduff

E. Newtownbreda

Some sites (including lands at West Lisburn/Blaris) are proposed in the Plan Strategy to accommodate mixed use development.

The findings of Technical Supplement 3: Employment Land Review and the Topic Paper: Housing and Employment provide the rationale for retaining future Class B land are succinctly detailed in Part One, Page 71 of the PS as follows;

Overall, the Employment Land Review identified that there remains 220 hectares of developable land for economic uses within industrial zoned sites. The Employment Land Review sought to qualify future employment land requirements over the plan period by consideration of 5 scenarios, derived from both UK economic forecasts and past completion trends on employment sites in the district. None of the scenarios can be given certainty as their subsequent outcomes are merely forecasts.

Scenario 5: Past Completions is considered the most appropriate as it builds upon the quantifiable completion figures of previous years and is therefore the most likely forecast outcome for the council area. Scenario 5 forecasts a need for 44.85 ha of developable land need over the plan period. This equates to approximately 2,250 new Class B jobs on the basis of 50 jobs per hectare of new build. This figure aligns very closely with Scenario 3: Past Employment Trends that records 2,230 Class B employment jobs in the period 1993 to 2017.’

Retaining an oversupply of 211 hectares (rounded down revised figure of this EI Monitor) against a scenario need of 44.85 hectares, based on past completions is justified at this stage of the plan making process given the comparable level of completed development on employment sites to those recorded in Technical Supplement 3 for the previous four years. In addition, if all extant planning permissions shown on Table 3 were to be developed (57.16 hectares – Table 3A) the retained oversupply would reduce further to 153.6 hectares (rounded down figure).

It is however emphasised that a further Employment Land Review will be carried out at the Local Policies Plan Stage and could address any market changes such as more demand for mixed use, owing to the changed nature of modern industry. The review of each zoned employment site will therefore be an ongoing and essential component of the LPP.