Infrastructure Minister has welcomed improvement in
processing times for planning applications during 2024/25.
Commenting on the latest statistics Minister Kimmins said:
“My Department has been working collectively over the
last two years with local government and other stakeholders to
deliver the Planning Improvement Programme with the aim of
enhancing and making a tangible difference to the planning system
in the North.
“Significant progress has been achieved so far and I now
welcome the improvement in processing times for
both local and major applications in 2024/25. It is particularly
pleasing to see a significant improvement in the average
processing times for major applications which
has seen its lowest annual processing time since the transfer of
planning powers in 2015 and a decrease of 6.9 weeks compared with
2023/24.
“That is why I have made
Plan To Improve one of my Department's seven Foundations
for a Better future, which are underpinning the work my
Department is doing today, to build a better tomorrow. With the
next phase of the Planning Improvement Programme underway we are
continuing our efforts to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the planning system in the North, given its
importance in protecting the environment, local communities and
the economy.
“Recently I also hosted a round table
event in Belfast entitled ‘Plan to Improve: Pathway to Progress'.
The event brought together a variety of organisations from across
business, education, public sector, environment, Councils, and
legal professions to encourage open and collaborative dialogue on
the planning system. The event discussed many of the key current
themes particularly relating to the performance and resilience of
the planning system for the future and my officials are now
considering the diverse perspectives, discussions, views, ideas
and key messages from the event to help inform and prioritise
future actions.
“The importance of working collectively to make
improvements cannot be underestimated and by engaging regularly,
sharing insight and expertise, both within the planning
profession and across various sectors, we can all shape the path
forward to deliver the best planning service possible for the
North.”
Notes to editors:
- The statistics are available at: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-planning-statistics-april-2024-march-2025.
