An IoD Northern Ireland Initiative
Planning Reform
The IoD recently made a submission to the consultation on Planning Reform. Over 80 questions were posed in the consultation and our submission endorsed many of the planning proposals designed to streamline the process and speed up decision-making.
Less welcome, however, is the devolution of planning powers to the new ‘super-councils’ as proposed by the Review of Public Administration (RPA). The objective of the RPA was to replace multiple local bodies with more efficient regional organisations, as has been done in health and education. Splitting the planning function across the councils defeats that objective and will increase the overall cost of the planning function.
IoD’s submission also opposed the concept of third party appeals mainly because they would slow down the process and deter investment. Other proposed reforms will ensure that the views of all interested parties are adequately taken into account at an earlier stage of the planning application process.
A key weakness of the reform proposals, in our view, is the failure to address the perceptions that planners seek reasons to turn down applications rather than approve them and that insufficient weight is given to the economic benefits of an application.
We are continuing to work with the Planning Service and the Department of Environment to push for real change within the Planning Service to develop a service that will support sustainable economic growth.
Less welcome, however, is the devolution of planning powers to the new ‘super-councils’ as proposed by the Review of Public Administration (RPA). The objective of the RPA was to replace multiple local bodies with more efficient regional organisations, as has been done in health and education. Splitting the planning function across the councils defeats that objective and will increase the overall cost of the planning function.
IoD’s submission also opposed the concept of third party appeals mainly because they would slow down the process and deter investment. Other proposed reforms will ensure that the views of all interested parties are adequately taken into account at an earlier stage of the planning application process.
A key weakness of the reform proposals, in our view, is the failure to address the perceptions that planners seek reasons to turn down applications rather than approve them and that insufficient weight is given to the economic benefits of an application.
We are continuing to work with the Planning Service and the Department of Environment to push for real change within the Planning Service to develop a service that will support sustainable economic growth.
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