Introduction & context
A renewed focus on People, Place, Plan and Progress
The Strategic Community Planning Partnership (SCPP) brings together the statutory, community, voluntary, education, health and business sectors to improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of everyone who lives or works in Lisburn and Castlereagh.
Partners include:
- Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council
- South East Health & Social Care Trust
- Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
- NI Housing Executive
- Police Service Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service
- Education Authority
- Invest NI
- Public Health Agency
- Libraries NI
- Sport NI
- Translink
- Volunteer Now
It is supported by a wide network of local organisations and residents.
A new context for 2025–2030
This refreshed Action Plan builds on the 2017–2032 Community Plan but now aligns explicitly with the Health & Social Care Reset Plan and the design of Northern Ireland’s new Neighbourhood Model, which commits to delivering more support closer to home through collaboration between partners. By March 2026 this model will form a new structure for planning and delivering prevention, early help and community based services.
Why this matters locally
Though Lisburn and Castlereagh is often associated with strong economic performance and quality of life, many residents face significant inequalities. The Reset Plan and Neighbourhood approach highlight the same challenges: siloed working, increasing demand, and people waiting too long for coordinated support. The Community Action Plan therefore shifts focus to clearer joint working, earlier intervention and a more connected offer in neighbourhoods.
Our shared aim and how people, places and life stages interconnect
We want to ensure that local people, local places and local partnerships have what they need to thrive and that progress can be measured, shared and felt across every community.
Young people, older people, jobs, housing, education, community safety and health are not separate challenges - they are deeply interconnected parts of everyday life, and each shapes the others. The ethos of this plan recognises that wellbeing is created when these connections are understood and strengthened within neighbourhoods.
A young person’s future is shaped not only by school but by safe streets, supportive families, positive activities, good transport and access to mental health support. Older people’s independence depends as much on strong social networks, accessible housing and walkable places as it does on clinical care.
Employment and skills shape household income, which in turn affects physical and mental health, educational attainment and stability. Housing quality influences long-term conditions, family stress and childhood development. And across all ages, belonging, community connection and access to green space directly support resilience and emotional wellbeing.
The Neighbourhood ethos - bringing statutory organisations, GPs, MDTs, community and voluntary organisations, schools, colleges, employers, housing providers, the private sector and councils together around real places allows these issues to be tackled not in isolation but as a single system.
When a neighbourhood works well, people thrive at every life stage. Children learn better, families feel supported, older people stay active for longer and communities become safer, healthier and more connected.