To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to outline reasons for delays in considering contentious planning applications.

The member will be aware that local councils are responsible for processing over 99% of planning applications, this includes local and major planning applications.

Planning can be controversial and complex and each planning application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with Section 45 of the 2011 Act, regard is to be had to the local development plan so far as material to the application, and to any other material planning considerations including objections and concerns from third parties and statutory consultees; it is right and important issues raised by them are carefully reviewed and considered.

Within my Department we encourage applicants to engage in Pre Application Discussions (PAD) and we use our legislation powers to expand the consultation and notification around Pre Application Community Consultation (PACC) procedures to ensure issues, which may be contentious, are identified in advance of applications, on appropriate sites, being submitted. Recommendations on applications are made as expeditiously as possible and through review of environmental information, applicants are advised of deficiencies at the earliest opportunity to avoid subsequent delays.

There are a number of reasons why the processing time of an application can vary, and sometimes, it is linked to the quality of the submission. The recent changes to the Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (NI) 2015, to introduce statutory validation checklists for councils, are designed to improve planning performance with better quality applications entering the system, resulting in shorter processing times, more efficient consultee responses and quicker planning decisions.

I am committed to ensuring that our planning system operates in an efficient and effective way. The Planning Improvement Programme is progressing, working closely with local government and partners, to improve current processes and the performance and delivery of the system. This wide-ranging improvement programme has already delivered important changes, including fee uplifts; consultations on policy and procedures and the development of legislation, all of which will continue to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our planning system.

I want to build on the positive work that has been taken forward to date and have asked my officials to arrange a series of meetings with Councils with a specific focus on improving performance; identifying challenges; recognising success and promoting key learning across the system.

Planning is a collective issue, and all stakeholders must play their part in delivering the necessary changes and improvements, including local councils who have responsibility for a significant number of planning functions.

Within my Department, steps have already been taken to increase staffing, mitigate and address performance of consultees. I am pleased during 2023/24 the proportion of statutory consultations responded to on-time (within 21 calendar days or longer agreed timeframe) was 74%, this rate improved from the 72% recorded on time in 2022/23.

But there is more to do. To help achieve this much needed improvement, the whole system and key parties to delivering the process must be properly funded and resourced in terms of capacity and capability. I am delighted the ‘Transforming Planning’ bid to the Interim Public Sector Transformation Board has made it to Stage 2 of the process. This bid includes proposals to support and enhance the role of my Department’s Statutory Consultees and to appoint persons to undertake hear and report work that the PAC has been unable to progress. I am hopeful that this bid will ultimately be successful.