In this article, the RTPI’s Northern Ireland Policy Officer, Joanna Drennan, argues that the NI Executive and Government departments should pursue a place–based approach rather than a sectoral one. Policies relating to climate action and adaptation should be integrated into land use policies and development decisions, and behaviour change of all individuals in society towards sustainable choices is encouraged through the creation of environments that encourage low carbon lifestyles. The Department for Infrastructure’ recent Active Travel Delivery Plan is an example of how policy needs to be more holistic and place–based in Northern Ireland.
At the end of February 2025, consultation closed on the Department for Infrastructure’s Active Travel Delivery Plan (ATDP). The ATDP sets out “how the Department for Infrastructure will prioritise and deliver high–quality active travel infrastructure for shorter everyday journeys within urban and rural settlements over the next 10 years and beyond”. The Plan proposes potential active travel routes, prioritising connections to local schools, to public transport and to town centres in 42 settlements across Northern Ireland (not including Belfast). Whilst these connections are important, there are some notable omissions, such as connections to blue and green infrastructure including play spaces and parks, which has long been proven to promote mental and physical health and wellbeing. For instance, having high access to green space in childhood can reduce the risk of developing mental health diseases later in life by up to 55%, a study by Aarhus University in 2019 found. However, at its core, the approach in the ATDP seems somewhat flawed.
Research published by the RTPI in 2021 on Net Zero Transport emphasized a place–based approach which prioritises measures to reduce the overall need to travel, followed by those which shift trips to active, public and shared transport, and finally those which switch vehicles to cleaner fuels. By following this hierarchy, decarbonisation acts as a catalyst for reducing car dependency and creating healthier, safer and more equitable communities. Residual travel demand should be shifted away from private vehicles to active, public and shared forms of transport, at a scale which significantly exceeds current practice. Integrated transport networks should be accompanied by access and parking restrictions which will create liveable streets and ensure that sustainable modes are the attractive option.
With regards to the ATDP, surely the objective is not to be shifting people off public transport to use active travel, so much as shifting car drivers and passengers from using the private car to using the sustainable options of public transport, walking and cycling? In our climate, we need to be encouraging people to take the bus instead of the car when the weather is inclement and they do not wish to walk or cycle. Public transport and community transport are also incredibly important modes for elderly people and those with mobility difficulties. Therefore, any traffic management measures and moving of bus stops (as mentioned in the ATDP), should ensure that public transport modes do not become less attractive with bus stops away from desire lines or longer journey times due to one–way systems.
In our consultation response, RTPI NI argued that a better approach in the ATDP would be to plan active travel holistically along with public transport provision, and areas with a low level of public transport accessibility prioritised for active travel infrastructure. In addition, growth areas shown in emerging Local Development Plan strategies should be taken into consideration and not just existing development, so that the ATDP is future proofed. This would be a perfect opportunity to start to align land use and transport planning, with a place–based approach rather than a sectoral one.
With this in mind, the planning system in Northern Ireland should prioritise development that enables growth whilst achieving a substantial reduction in travel demand as a whole. This should focus on maximising the potential for local living by ensuring that most people can access a wide range of services, facilities and public spaces by walking and cycling. Increased home working, digital service delivery, and new forms of flexible work and community spaces will play a key role, alongside investment in place.
Achieving this requires a decisive break with the conventional approach of meeting predicted changes in travel demand with new road capacity, or implementing active travel routes which are not joined up. The scale of this challenge requires a truly integrated approach that unites transport and land use planning to deliver place–based visions which meet ambitious targets for trip reduction, modal shift and carbon reduction, alongside other economic, social and environmental objectives. Achieving these place–based visions requires a policy framework that puts the reduction of carbon at the heart of decision making, and enables the planning, funding and delivery of the necessary interventions to create genuinely sustainable communities.
Planning policy provides a strong mechanism and guide to managing development with a place–based approach, ensuring that the local context is considered and opportunities are utilised to ensure maximum benefits for climate mitigation. Therefore local planning services need to be suitably resourced, technical and financial support provided to planners to address any barriers to delivery, investment in data sharing prioritised for digital collaboration and engagement, and the professional decision–making of planning officers respected as they seek to make holistic place–based decisions that are equitable and climate conscious.
Joanna Drennan is a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. She has been the Northern Ireland Policy Officer for the RTPI since 2020. The RTPI is the largest professional institute for planners in Europe, with over 600 members in Northern Ireland. It seeks to advance the science and art of planning, working for the common good and wellbeing of current and future generations.
