Boundary Commission publish their 2023 Review of Parliamentary Consitutencies

The Northern Ireland Boundary Commission recently published their final report on the 2023 review of Parliamentary Constituencies.

The proposed map can be seen below. An interactive map is also available here.

A number of changes are proposed across the 12 constituencies in Northern Ireland.

Belfast East

• The following split wards were aligned within Belfast East to meet the statuatory electorate range: Cregagh, Hillfoot, Merok and Woodstock. The split ward of Garnerville was allocated to North Down, in order to address the statutory range in that constituency.

Belfast North

• The following split wards were aligned within Belfast North (in which they were already partially located): Ballyhenry, Carnmoney Hill, Forth River and Hightown.
• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies (in which they were also already partially located): Burnthill, Carnmoney and Fairview (within South Antrim) and Shankill and Woodvale (within Belfast West).
• Abbey is left as a split ward between Belfast North and East Antrim.

Belfast South and Mid Down (updated name, previously Belfast South)

• Name to be updated from Belfast South, to Belfast South and Mid Down.
• The following wards which were split between Belfast East and Belfast South were aligned within Belfast East: Cregagh, Hillfoot, Merok and Woodstock.
• The ward of Falls, which is split between Belfast South and Belfast West was aligned within Belfast West, in order to help satisfy the statutory electorate range in that constituency.
• The following split wards were aligned within Belfast South (in which they were also already partially located): Belvoir, Blackstaff, Carryduff East, Central, and Knockbracken.
• The whole ward of Drumbo was transferred from Lagan Valley to Belfast South.
• The wards of Moneyreagh and Saintfield were transferrred from Strangford to Belfast South.

Belfast West

• The following split wards were aligned within Belfast West (in which they were already partially located): Derryaghy, Dunmurry, Falls, Shankill and Woodvale.
• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacentconstituencies (in which they were also already partially located): Blackstaff, Central (within Belfast South), Forth River (within Belfast North) and Stonyford (within South Antrim).

East Antrim

• The following wards which are split between East Antrim and other adjacent constituencies were aligned as follows, considering the need to satisfy the statutory electorate range in each constituency, and a balancing of factors: Torr Head and Rathlin (within North Antrim, in particular considering Rathlin Island’s access to the port of Ballycastle), Ballyduff (within South Antrim) and Carnmoney Hill (within Belfast North).
• The following split wards were aligned within East Antrim (in which they are already partially located): Glenwhirry, Jordanstown and Slemish.
• The whole ward of Glenravel was transferred from North Antrim to East Antrim constituency.
• Abbey is left as a split ward between Belfast North and East Antrim.

East Londonderry

• The ward of Eglinton was transferred from Foyle (which is within-range) to East Londonderry.
• The split-ward of Claudy was aligned within East Londonderry to help satisfy the statutory electoral range in East Londonderry.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone

• The whole ward of Blackwatertown was transferred from Newry and Armagh into Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.
• The split ward of Ballygawley was also aligned within Fermanagh and South Tyrone (in which they are already partially located).
• The split ward Killymeal was aligned within the adjacent constiutency of Mid Ulster.
• The Birches, which is currently split between Upper Bann and Fermanagh and South Tyrone, was aligned within Upper Bann.

Foyle

• The ward of Claudy which is currently split between Foyle and East Londonderry was aligned within under-range East Londonderry.
• The whole ward of Eglinton was transferred from Foyle to East Londonderry constituency.
• The ward of Slievekirk which is currently split between Foyle and West Tyrone was aligned within West Tyrone.

Lagan Valley

• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies (within which they are already partially located): Belvoir (within Belfast South), Dunmurry, Derryaghy (within Belfast West), Stonyford (within South Antrim) and Ballyward (within South Down).
• In order to help satisfy the statutory electorate range, the whole ward of Drumbo was transferred from Lagan Valley into Belfast South.
• The split wards of Ballinderry and Dromara were aligned within Lagan Valley (in which they are already partially located).
• The whole wards of Aghagallon and Magheralin were transferred from Upper Bann into Lagan Valley constituency.

Mid Ulster

• The ward of Killyman which is currently split between the constituency of Mid Ulster and the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, were aligned within Mid Ulster, together with the following whole wards which were transferred from Fermanagh and South Tyrone to Mid Ulster: Ballysaggart, Killymeal, Moygashel and Mullaghmore.
• In order to satisfy the statutory electorate range in West Tyrone constituency, and considering special geographical considerations (such as mountain ranges) and the shape of constituencies, the whole ward of Donaghmore was transferred from Mid Ulster to West Tyrone constituency.
• The ward of Ballygawley which is split between the constituency of Mid Ulster and the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, was aligned within Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
• The split wards, Loughgall and The Birches, are split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann.

Newry and Armagh

• The following split wards were aligned within Newry and Armagh (within which they were already partially located): Abbey, Damolly, and St. Patrick’s.
• The whole ward of Blackwatertown was transferred from Newry and Armagh into Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.
• The following split wards were aligned within South Down: Derryleckagh, Loughbrickland, Mayobridge. Considering in particular the location of built-up areas around Portadown, the ward of Mahon (which is currently split between Newry and Armagh, and Upper Bann) was aligned within Upper Bann.

North Antrim

• The split ward of Torr Head and Rathlin was aligned within North Antrim (in which it is already partially located).
• The wards of Glenwhirry and Slemish which are split between North Antrim and East Antrim were aligned within under-range East Antrim. In addition, to help satisfy the statutory electorate range, the whole ward of Glenravel was transferred from North Antrim to East Antrim constituency.

North Down

• The split wards of Ballygrainey and Garnerville were aligned within North Down (in which they were already partially located), and the split ward of Glen was aligned within the adjacent constituency of Strangford (in which it was already partially located).
• The wards of Carrowdore and Loughries, which are currently split between North Down and Strangford constituencies, were left split along the existing constituency boundary. These wards occupy a unique position in that they are split wards which span the entire width of the Ards Peninsula. In considering a balancing of factors, a number of factors taken into consideration (namely existing constituency boundaries and special geographical considerations, in particular that of access) were more prominent than another (namely existing ward boundaries) in this particular locality. It was considered that this exception to the approach of aligning split wards wholly within one constituency was warranted in this case.

South Antrim

• The following split wards were aligned within South Antrim (in which they are already partially located): Ballyduff, Burnthill, Carnmoney, Fairview and Stonyford. In addition, the following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies (in which they are already partially located): Jordanstown (within East Antrim), Ballyhenry, Carnmoney Hill and Hightown (within Belfast North).

South Down

• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies (in which they are already partially located): Abbey, Damolly, St. Patrick’s (within Newry and Armagh), Dromara (within Lagan Valley), Crossgar and Killyleagh, and Derryboy (within Strangford).
• The whole ward of Quoile is split between Strangford and Quoile, and South Down.
• The whole ward of Strangford is split between Strangford and South Down.
• The following split wards were aligned within South Down (in which they are already partially located): Derryleckagh, Loughbrickland and Mayobridge.
• The split ward of Ballyward, which was aligned within South Down, is split between South Down, and Strangford and Quoile.
• The wards of Ballynahinch, Drumaness, and Kilmore are transferred from South Down to Strangford and Quoile.

Strangford

• Having considered a balancing of factors (in particular built-up areas, and access within the constituency), the following split wards were aligned within Strangford: Crossgar and Killyleagh, Derryboy and Glen.
• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies: Knockbracken, Carryduff East (within Belfast South) and Ballygrainey (within North Down).
• The split ward of Ballyward was split between South Down, and Strangford and Quoile.
• The whole ward of Saintfield was transferred from Strangford to Belfast South constituency.
• The whole ward of Strangford is split between Strangford and South Down.
• The wards of Cathedral, Knocknashinna and Lecale are transferred from Strangford and Quoile to South Down.
• The wards of Ballynahinch, Drumaness and Kilmore are transferred from South Down to Strangford and Quoile.
• The whole ward of Quoile is split between Strangford and Quoile, and South Down.

Upper Bann

• The following split wards were aligned within other adjacent constituencies (within which they were already partially located): Ballinderry (within Lagan Valley) and Loughbrickland (within South Down, which can look to under-range Strangford to shed electorate). In addition, the whole wards of Aghagallon and Magheralin were transferred from Upper Bann into the adjacent constituency of Lagan Valley.
• The following split wards were aligned within Upper Bann (in which they are already partially located): Mahon.
• The split ward of Loughgall is split between Mid Ulster and Upper Bann.

West Tyrone

• The whole ward of Pomeroy is transferred from Mid Ulster to West Tyrone constituency, and the ward of Slievekirk which is currently split between Foyle and West Tyrone was aligned within West Tyrone.

You can view the Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies on the Boundary Commission’s website.

We have tried our best to summarise the changes published by the Boundary Commission. There may be some mistakes, and if you do notice any, please do contact us to let us know.