People across Armagh and the wider Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough are being asked to help shape how their communities grow, develop and change over the next decade.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has published its Local Development Plan 2035 Draft Plan Strategy, the first stage in preparing a new planning framework for the borough. The document sets out a long-term vision for sustainable growth, investment and development through to 2035.

The strategy was officially launched at The Palace in Armagh on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Council officers, elected members and representatives from statutory agencies attended the launch, which marked what the council described as an important milestone in preparing its first Local Development Plan.

Eight-week consultation

The public consultation will begin on Tuesday 13 October and run for eight weeks until 5pm on Tuesday 8 December 2026. The council is encouraging residents, businesses, community organisations and other people with an interest in the borough’s future to read the Draft Plan Strategy and submit their views.

The plan is intended to guide future decisions about where people live, where businesses invest and how communities access services. It will also provide a framework for protecting the borough’s natural and built environment.

The council says the strategy is designed to support inward investment, foster innovation and encourage skills-based employment. It also aims to enhance connectivity and help create climate-resilient, sustainable and high-quality places where people can live, work, invest and visit.

Lord Mayor Councillor Mary O’Dowd said the publication represented a significant stage in the process.

“I’m delighted that we have reached this key stage in the preparation of our borough’s first Local Development Plan.”

She said the strategy offered an opportunity to create a locally focused planning framework aligned with the council’s Community Plan and Corporate Plan. Councillor O’Dowd also said the decisions made through the plan would influence where people lived, where businesses invested, how services were accessed and how the natural and built environment was protected.

She described the consultation as an opportunity for local people to influence how the borough grows and develops. The council’s Lord Mayor encouraged residents, businesses, community organisations and other stakeholders to take part so their views could be reflected in the long-term plan.

Two-stage planning process

The Draft Plan Strategy is the first part of a two-stage plan-making process. The Local Policies Plan will form the second stage. Together, the two documents will constitute the council’s new Local Development Plan and provide the basis for determining future planning applications and other planning decisions across the borough.

Alderman Stephen Moutray, chair of the council’s Planning and Regulatory Services Committee, said the Draft Plan Strategy provided an opportunity to build on the borough’s strengths while planning positively for future growth.

Its stated aims include supporting investment and job creation, enhancing towns and villages and protecting the environmental and built assets that make the borough distinctive. The council says achieving that vision will require a balance between environmental, economic and social priorities.

Alderman Moutray said future planning decisions should deliver sustainable outcomes that protect the natural and built environment, support economic growth and improve the wellbeing of communities. He also encouraged people to take part in the consultation.

“Please get involved in the consultation as your views will play an important role in helping to shape the places where we live, work and invest for generations to come.”

Public sessions in Armagh and across the borough

Planning officers will attend public engagement sessions over the coming weeks. They will provide information, answer questions, listen to views and offer guidance on how people can respond to the consultation.

The Armagh session will be held at The Palace on Tuesday 20 October. People can attend during either of two sessions, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm or from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Other engagement events are scheduled at venues across the borough:

  • Tuesday 13 October: Tommy Makem Arts & Community Centre, Keady, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Thursday 15 October: Gosford Forest Park meeting room, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
  • Tuesday 27 October: Portadown Town Hall, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Tuesday 3 November: Brownlow Community Hub, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Tuesday 10 November: Lurgan Town Hall, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Tuesday 17 November: Dromore Town Hall, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Tuesday 24 November: Banbridge Old Town Hall, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Tuesday 1 December: Rathfriland Community Centre, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

How to view the documents and respond

The Draft Plan Strategy and its supporting documents are available online. Feedback can be submitted during the consultation period through the council’s consultation hub at armaghbanbridgecraigavon.citizenspace.com.

People who prefer to view printed material in person can access hard copies of the Draft Plan Strategy and supporting documents from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. The documents will be available at Banbridge Civic Building, Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre and The Palace in Armagh.

The consultation is focused on the overall aspirations and strategic direction of the Draft Plan Strategy. Feedback received during the eight-week period will form part of the continuing process before the later Local Policies Plan stage completes the council’s new Local Development Plan.