The Planning(Northern Ireland) Order 1991

Adoption of development schemes

86.—(1) The Department shall not adopt a development scheme under paragraph (2) or (3) until it has published in two successive weeks in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality to which the scheme relates a notice—

(a) describing the area to which the scheme relates and referring to the preparation of the scheme;

(b) specifying the place at which copies of the scheme may be inspected at reasonable times;

(c) stating the time (not being less than 28 days from the last of the publications of the notice) during which objections to the scheme may be sent to the Department.

(2) If—

(a) no objections are made to a development scheme; or

(b) all objections to a development scheme are withdrawn; the Department may by order adopt the scheme with or without amendment.

(3) If objections made to a development scheme are not withdrawn the Department shall, unless it considers them to be solely of a frivolous or vexatious nature,—

(a) cause a public local inquiry to be held by the planning appeals commission; and

(b) consider any objections not withdrawn and the report of that commission;

and may thereafter by order adopt the scheme with or without amendments.

(4) The Department may at any time prepare proposals for amending an adopted development scheme in so far as it relates to the manner in which the area of the development scheme is to be laid out and the land therein used.

(5) The Department may by order adopt any proposals prepared under paragraph (4) with or without amendment and may amend the development scheme accordingly.