Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has issued a new planning policy to safeguard historically significant places for future generations.

In many instances, the cost of maintaining or renovating these places frequently exceeds their value to the owner or their market value following renovation. Funding for the conservation of these important places is difficult to secure from traditional sources and many are left to deteriorate and, ultimately, are lost forever.

'Enabling Development' sets out when developers may get planning permission, contrary to published planning policy, the justification being that it provides a vital source of funding to help restore a heritage asset, such as a historic building, in the public interest.

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The planning policy allows for enabling developments that are contrary to planning policy, it nevertheless contains safeguards to ensure the approved development will not harm the heritage value of the significant place or its setting.

Mr Durkan said: "Northern Ireland is blessed with a wealth of significant places but many are under threat because of the inherent difficulty in securing funding for their conservation.

"Enabling Development can make good this funding shortfall or 'conservation deficit' and help ensure that these important places are preserved in the public interest.

"Schemes may take the form of a small residential development or other commercial proposal in the grounds of an endangered historic building, where the funds generated are used to finance the conservation of the building, securing its future for generations to come."

(CD/JP)