The figures reveal that the number of planning applications being submitted in Northern Ireland for domestic alterations and extensions is still falling, down by 37% in urban areas and by 31% in rural areas on the same time last year. A significant fall has also been observed for housing developments (down 45%).
This is part of an overall decline in planning applications being received and may partially reflect the ongoing economic uncertainty. In the period July – September 2011/12, just over 3,200 applications were received, which is well under half the level of four years ago when over 7,500 applications were received.
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Planning performance, in terms of application processing times for Major, Intermediate, and Minor applications for the second quarter in 2011/12 were all lower than the levels achieved for the corresponding quarter last year.
Similarly, year-to-date performance is much lower when compared with the first half of 2010/11.
In the first half of 2011/12, just under 70% of intermediate applications were decided or withdrawn within the target period compared with 80% in the first half of 2010/11.
In the first half of 2011/12, 64% of minor applications were decided or withdrawn within the target period compared with 85% in the first half of 2010/11.
92% of applications were validated within six days in the first half of 2011/12 compared with 89% in the first half of 2010/12 and 97% of applications were validated within 10 days in the first half of 2011/12 compared with 95% in the first half of 2010/11.
79% of decisions were issued within two weeks of last Council consultation in the first half of 2011/12 compared with 88% in the first half of 2010/11 and 88% of decisions were issued within four weeks of last Council consultation in the first half of 2011/12 compared with 95% in the first half of 2010/11.
(CD/GK)
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