Debate contribution: Planning System: Fundamental Appraisal

Debate contribution by Mr Stephen Dunne on 12 February 2024.

MLA: Mr Stephen Dunne
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 12 February 2024
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Planning System: Fundamental Appraisal
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4218207

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the matter, and, indeed, I thank my colleagues for tabling the motion today. It is great to see the cross-party support that is developing as the debate goes on. Planning is such a crucial aspect of our economy, and an effective planning system is vital to instil confidence in the market for investment and economic prosperity. We need to see real change and transformation to develop our infrastructure through greater connectivity, investment in services and, indeed, a stable energy sector. There is no doubt that the current system is too slow, and, often, statistics for local applications, such as house extensions, can mask the real problem, which is that larger applications and major projects can face delays for many years. A recent NI Audit Office report concluded that our planning system is not working efficiently and, in many aspects, is failing to deliver for our economy, communities or the environment; indeed, many other representative bodies share similar concerns and have carried out detailed reports on this important subject. While we recognise the work of the Department's planning improvement programme to address some of the concerns, I believe that there is much more to do to improve our planning system and make it fit for purpose in 2024. There is disparity across Northern Ireland in processing times for planning applications, and that is often frustrating for applicants and objectors — it is important to say that too — who look across at other council areas and see similar planning applications being progressed much more quickly. It is alarming that none of our 11 councils met the statutory target for making decisions on major applications during 2022. The average processing time for major applications is supposed to be 30 weeks, but, across all our councils, the average time taken during 2022 was over 57 weeks. Indeed, in Ards and North Down Borough Council, the average time was 104 weeks across its three major applications. We have 11 councils, 11 different systems and 11 different local development plans that are all at different stages of implementation. I know that a number of councils have not yet adopted their local development plans despite councils being solely responsible for planning for almost nine years. While it is important that planning processes are agile to reflect the varied needs across Northern Ireland, there should be greater consistency in our planning system and across our councils. The Department should consider greater oversight of council performances and monitoring. Statutory consultation delays can lead to real frustration among applicants and investors and, in some cases, can be the difference between a project going ahead or having to be withdrawn due to time issues and ever-rising costs. We see that now more than ever, given the costs of inflation, construction and so on. Consultees play an important role in providing specialist views and advice in their respective areas of competency. The current 21-day target for consultee responses is just that: a target. If a statutory consultee exceeds the 21-day target to respond, there is no recourse or sanction. Stronger deadlines for statutory consultees are a must if we are to see real change and streamlining in our planning system. The Planning Appeals Commission is also in need of attention to address the backlog, which has, for a number of years, been blamed on COVID. In the first five months of 2023 alone, the PAC completed only 3% of appeals within its target timelines. We need an improved, more efficient planning system in order to really stimulate economic growth. We need to give investors that much-needed confidence. We also need to give our home-grown businesses confidence that they can carry out that expansion to their business or build that new factory, should they so desire. There needs to be stronger engagement across industry. That includes businesses, business organisations, architects and, indeed, planning consultants. Planning reform needs to have strong and consistent input from architects and consultants, as they are at the coalface of the Northern Ireland planning system day and daily. Our towns, villages and city centres are also changing, with hybrid working, the ever-increasing rise of online shopping and out-of-town retail centres bringing new challenges to our country. It is imperative that our planning system is agile and reflects the changing landscapes and needs across society in 2024. We need to see a greater level of town and city centre living going forward, particularly to meet the significant housing challenges that are faced across Northern Ireland from our capital city through to every rural corner of our great country. I am happy to support the motion, and I thank my colleagues for tabling it.

781 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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