Poots Overhauls Northern Ireland's Planning System

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has launched proposals for the most sweeping reform of Northern Ireland's planning system for over 30 years.

The Minister said the proposed reforms were aimed at delivering a more effective and responsive planning system.

Mr Poots said: "I believe these proposals will help transform our mainly regulatory planning system into a more responsive one which helps to enable appropriate development and manage it in the public interest to achieve sustainable economic growth."

He said: "A reformed planning system should enable more timely decision-making in ways which are transparent, demonstrably fair and deliver better quality development decisions.

"No one should underestimate the scale of the reform programme, particularly when combined with the transfer of responsibility for the majority of planning functions to the new councils."


The reforms include:

• A new streamlined, fit for purpose and responsive local development plan system which would enable district councils, communities and developers to work together to prepare plans setting a clear and realistic vision of how places should change and what they will be like in the future.
• Performance agreements, pre-application community consultation and pre-determination council hearings to improve efficiency, provide greater certainty about timescales and enhance transparency and openness.
• An expansion of the list of statutory consultees to ensure relevant statutory bodies are consulted by the planning authorities. A statutory obligation will also be introduced on consultees to respond within a specified timeframe.
• A new regime of development management, changing the culture of the planning application process to ensure it is responsive to different types of proposals to help deliver development; improve efficiency in determining applications; and enhance community involvement at appropriate points in the process.
• Views are also being sought on whether it should be a criminal offence for someone to carry out development without planning permission.

The Minister added: "I believe that the publication of the consultation paper lays the foundation for transforming the current planning system and is a significant step on the journey to securing greater effectiveness and responsiveness for all users of the system.

"It is important that we all contribute to the debate on how we can ensure that we have a first class planning system which serves the needs of all the people of Northern Ireland."

(PR/JM)