Planning system in Northern Ireland is 'failing to deliver'
Getty Images/ fotoVoyagerNorthern Ireland's planning system is failing to deliver for the economy, communities and the environment, according to an Audit Office report.
It looked at how the system has operated since 2015, when most planning functions were transferred from central government to local councils.
The report, published on Tuesday, found important planning applications are still taking too long to process.
Its authors said it posed a "cultural and practical challenge".
Auditor general Kieran Donnelly and local government auditor Colette Kane said: "The planning system in Northern Ireland is not currently operating as one system.
"Rather, there is a series of organisations that are not interacting well and not delivering an effective service.
"Addressing the issues identified in this report will be both a cultural and a practical challenge, demanding strong leadership."
The report found:
- Almost three quarters of "Regionally Significant and Major" applications processed between 2017-18 and 2019-20 weren't completed within the statutory target of 30 weeks
- More than half (56%) had taken more than one year to process
- 19% had taken more than three years
The report acknowledged the system is under significant pressure with about 12,500 applications processed each year since 2015 and it said decisions had become increasingly complex requiring more specialist knowledge.
Despite that, planning fees, the main source of income for the planning system, have not been adjusted with inflation.
The report said this means the planning system is increasingly financially unsustainable.
It also found progress on Local Development Plans (LDPs) by councils has been slow.
LDPs are intended to provide a 15-year framework for development in each council area.
Seven years since the transfer of planning powers to councils, none are complete.