The party said Part 16 of the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015 needs to be removed.
Green Party leader Steven Agnew said: "It is an unfair and undemocratic piece of legislation which denies citizens and communities the right to participate in decisions which directly affect them.
-- Advertisement --
"Permitted development is for temporary and non-contentious structures. I would like to know why 2000m of concrete and a drill is not considered contentious.
"We believe this planning rule is in contravention of the Aarhus Convention which secures citizens rights to environmental information and to participate in environmental decision making.
"It allows for officials and oil / mining companies to take clandestine decisions on drilling behind closed doors. Only in Northern Ireland do we have regulations which exclude the public from such decisions.
"The secretive nature of the decision making process under Part 16 causes community mistrust of elected decision makers and councils, undermining an open and transparent approach to decision making promised as part of Local Government Reform."
(CD/LM)
