Rural areas are home to approximately 36% of the population of Northern Ireland and make up over 80% of Northern Ireland’s land mass. The Department for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has developed Rural NI: Our New Approach 2026-2041, through a co-design approach with three rural policy working groups. The proposed vision is: People and Government working together to shape a thriving, sustainable and inclusive rural Northern Ireland. This vision is supported by an overarching aim: To understand, champion and support rural Northern Ireland. To help turn this vision and aim into action, the policy is guided by three core objectives: 

• To improve the scope, relevance, accessibility and timeliness of rural research, statistics and other evidence and their use across government. 

• To inform, influence and support strategic government policy from a rural perspective. 

• To promote and support innovative, collaborative government action on rural challenges and opportunities.

The RTPI NI responded to the consultation as follows.

1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed vision for rural NI: Our New Approach 2026-2041?

Strongly Agree. The proposed vision is strong - it clearly sets out a well-balanced direction for rural Northern Ireland. RTPI NI welcomes the recognition that a collaborative approach is essential.

2. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed aim for Rural NI: Our New Approach 2026-2041?

Agree. A well-resourced planning system is key to the understanding, championing and supporting of rural communities. Please see RTPI research on Rural Planning in the 2020s on our website.

3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed objectives of Rural NI: Our New Approach 2026-2041?

Strongly Agree. Better data and insight from a rural perspective is key to underpinning informed decisions and ensuring that rural needs are properly understood and reflected in wider government policy.

4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the guiding principles of Rural NI: Our New Approach 2026-2041?

Agree. A focus on collaboration, community-led approaches and evidence-based decisions is good. But too many principles trying to cover everything risks overlap. Might fewer, overarching priorities be better?

5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed Rural Champions Model as a way to ensure rural voices are heard in government decision-making?

Agree. A Rural Champion provides clear ownership/accountability, representing rural issues across departments. Stakeholder forums and local partnerships create structured ways for communities to feed into decision-making at both regional and local levels.

6. To what extent do you agree or disagree that a Rural Collaboration Fund will support joint working across government to develop solutions for cross-cutting rural issues and new opportunities?

Neutral. If the planning system (which is plan-led and proactive in engaging local communities) is well resourced it will deliver on cross-cutting rural issues such as energy, transport, housing, infrastructure and climate change.

7. How important or unimportant is it for local councils and the Northern Ireland Executive to work more closely together on rural issues?

Very important. Local councils are best placed to identify local needs. However, working with the Executive could mean that technical expertise in niche areas is more accessible and data sharing is possible to inform digital engagement or decision making.

8. To what extent would you agree or disagree that the introduction of the DAERA Enabling Rural Fund would help unlock extra investment for rural communities?

Neutral. In principle, it would unlock extra investment, but sometimes funding criteria can be too prescriptive and therefore councils are unable to focus on where real needs lie. More resourcing burdens might be put on local councils to apply for funding.

9. How important or unimportant do you think it is to carry out a Rural Baseline Study with repeated studies at regular intervals to track changes and plan for the future?

Important. A clear and consistent evidence base is essential for targeted interventions and long-term planning. But these studies must not disrupt long-term schemes running across multiple reporting periods - stability in ongoing programmes must be maintained.

10. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the creation of a Rural Research and Evidence Model?

Agree. Any model needs to have clear ownership for maintenance, updates and quality control - a model is only ever as useful as the quality of its data inputs.

11. How important or unimportant do you think it is to develop a rural typology for Northern Ireland?

Important. Rural areas are not all the same. They can face very different challenges depending on e.g. access to goods and services, public transport links, infrastructure provision, population size, digital connectedness, employment opportunities.

12. Do you agree or disagree that long-term investment in voluntary and community groups will help ensure diverse rural voices are heard?

Agree. No further comments

13. Are you aware of the Rural Needs Act Northern Ireland) 2016?

Yes

14. Do you agree or disagree that the Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 has made a positive different to rural communities?

Neutral. It is hard to see the real difference that the Rural Needs Act has made - the perception is often that it is a tick-box exercise.

15. Do you agree or disagree that a review of the effectiveness of the Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 should be carried out?

Agree. No further comment.

16. What do you believe should be the top priorities for this proposed policy?

Climate change: agroecological approaches, reduce fossil fuel dependency, retrofit homes for energy efficiency. 

Location of development to reduce car trips, improve access to goods/services, reduce social isolation, promote economic resilience.

17. Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions of the Rural Needs Impact Assessment (RNIA)?

Agree. No further comments.

18. Do you agree or disagree with the findings of the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)?

Agree. No further comments.