Boundary Commission moves towards final recommendations

Last week the Boundary Commission published its revised proposals for the 18 Westminster (and therefore Assembly) constituencies.

All 18 would retain their current names bar Belfast South which would become ‘Belfast South and Mid Down’ reflecting its extension into the more rural areas of Drumbo, Saintfield and Moneyreagh.

There will now be another public consultation until 15th December with final recommendations expected before the summer.

Final boundary changes are due to come into effect before November 2023.

Its revised proposals including links to representations from political parties and others can be found here.

The changes to wards can be examined in more detail using an Ordnance Survey interactive map available here.

 

Below is a summary of the proposed changes to the 18 constituencies as they are currently constituted :

 

Belfast East

– Split wards aligned to Belfast East : Cregagh, Hillfoot, Merok and Woodstock.

– Split ward of Garnerville allocated to North Down.

 

Belfast North

– Split wards aligned to Belfast North: Ballyhenry, Carnmoney Hill, Forth River and Hightown.

– Split wards aligned to other constituencies: Abbey (East Antrim), Burnthill, Carnmoney and Fairview (South Antrim) and Shankill and Woodvale (Belfast West)

 

Belfast South & Mid Down

– Gains Drumbo from Lagan Valley and Moneyreagh and Saintfield from Strangford.

– Split wards of Belvoir, Balckstaff, Carryduff East, Central and Knockbracken are fully aligned into the constituency.

– South Belfast split wards of Cregagh, Hillfoot, Merok and Woodstock fully aligned into East Belfast.

– South Belfast split ward of Falls fully aligned into West Belfast.

 

Belfast West

– Split wards of Derryaghy, Dunmurry, Falls, Shankill and Woodvale fully aligned into West Belfast.

– West Belfast split wards aligned into other areas: Blackstaff, Central (within Belfast South), Forth River (within Belfast North) and Stonyford (within South Antrim).

 

East Antrim

– Gains Glenravel ward from North Antrim.

– Split wards of Abbey, Glenwhirry, Jordanstown and Slemish fully aligned into East Antrim.

– East Antrim split wards aligned into other areas: Torr Head and Rathlin (North Antrim) Ballyduff (South Antrim) and Carnmoney Hill (Belfast North).

 

East Derry

– Gains Eglinton from Foyle.

– Split ward of Claudy fully aligned into East Derry.

 

Fermanagh & South Tyrone

– Gains Blackwatertown ward from Newry and Armagh

–  The ward of Killyman which are currently split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned within Mid Ulster

–  The ward of Killymeal which are currently split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned to FST.

– Loughgall is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann instead of FST and Newry & Armagh.

– Ballygawley which is split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned within Fermanagh & South Tyrone.

 

Foyle

– Loses Eglinton to East Derry

– Split ward of Claudy aligns to East Derry and Slievekirk to West Tyrone.

 

Lagan Valley

– Gains Aghagallon & Magheralin from Upper Bann.

–  Loses Drumbo to South Belfast & Mid Down

– Split wards aligned to other adjacent constituencies Belvoir (Belfast South), Dunmurry, Derryaghy (Belfast West), Stonyford (South Antrim), Ballyward, Gransha (South Down)

–  Split wards of Ballinderry and Dromara were fully aligned within Lagan Valley

 

Mid Ulster

–  The ward of Killyman which are currently split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned within Mid Ulster

–  The ward of Killymeal which are currently split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned to FST.

– Loses Pomeroy to West Tyrone.

– Ballygawley which is split between Mid Ulster and Fermanagh & South Tyrone is aligned within Fermanagh & South Tyrone.

– Loughgall is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann instead of FST and Newry & Armagh.

– The Birches is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann rather than FST & Upper Bann.

 

Newry & Armagh

– Loses Blackwatertown ward to FST.

– Split ward of Loughgall goes to Mid Ulster and Upper Bann.

– Split wards of Abbey, Damolly and St Patrick’s fully aligned to Newry & Armagh.

– Split wards of Derryleckagh, Loughbrickland, Mayobridge aligned to South Down

– Split ward of Mahon aligned to Upper Bann

 

North Antrim

– Loses Glenravel ward to East Antrim

– Split wards of Glenwhirry and Slemish align to East Antrim.

– Split ward of Torr Head and Rathlin aligns to North Antrim.

 

North Down

– Split wards of Ballygrainey and Garnerville aligned within North Down.

– Split ward of Glen aligned to Strangford.

 

South Antrim

– Split wards aligned to South Antrim :Ballyduff, Burnthill, Carnmoney, Fairview and Stonyford.

– Split wards aligned to other areas : Jordanstown (East Antrim), Ballyhenry, Carnmoney Hill and Hightown (Belfast North)

 

South Down

– Split wards to other constituencies : Abbey, Damolly, St Patrick’s (Newry & Armagh), Dromara (Lagan Valley), Crossgar & Killyleagh and Derryboy (Strangford).

– Loses Drumaness and Strangford wards to Strangford constituency

– Quoile is split between South Down and Strangford.

– Split wards aligned within South Down : Derryleckagh, Gransha, Loughbrickland and Mayobridge.

 

Strangford

– Gains Drumaness and Strangford wards from South Down

– Loses Moneyreagh and Saintfield to Belfast South

– Quoile is split between South Down and Strangford.

– Split wards aligned within Strangford: Crossgar and Killyleagh, Derryboy and Glen.

– Split wards aligned within other adjacent constituencies: Knockbracken, Carryduff East (Belfast South), Ballygrainey (North Down)

 

Upper Bann

– Loses Aghagallon and Magheralin to Lagan Valley.

– Split wards of Mahon aligned to Upper Bann

– Split wards aligned within other constituencies: Ballinderry (Lagan Valley) and Loughbrickland (South Down).

– Loughgall is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann instead of FST and Newry & Armagh.

– The Birches is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann rather than FST & Upper Bann.

 

West Tyrone

– Gains Pomeroy from Mid Ulster.

– Split ward of Slievekirk aligns to West Tyrone.