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Northern Ireland Office;Planning Service

Answer

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications are currently the subject of public inquiries; what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the resources of the planning section of the Department of the Environment to deal with these public inquiries; what delays there currently are in the determination of these planning applications; and if she will make a statement. [65676] Mr. Paul Murphy: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its chief executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from T. W. Stewart to Mr. John D. Taylor dated 20 January 1999: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question, about the number of planning applications currently the subject of Public Inquiries. There are 32 applications currently the subject of Public Inquiries under the scope of Article 31 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. These are at various stages of consideration. For example, four applications are awaiting the opening of inquiry proceedings to be held by the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC); two applications are currently awaiting the recommendation and report of the PAC following public inquiry, while 26 are at various stages of consideration by the Department following the receipt of the PAC report and recommendation. One additional Public Inquiry has been postponed at the applicant's request. As regards the resourcing of the Planning Service to deal with these Public Inquiries, resources are allocated in line with the targets set out in its Corporate and Business Plans 1998/99-2000/2001, which are reviewed annually. While there are no delays directly attributable to resource difficulties, nevertheless, certain decision notices have been delayed, largely because of policy considerations. For example, two decisions in relation to major applications for waste disposal have been deferred by the Minister, pending the outcome of the consultation exercise on the Department's Waste Management Strategy. Decisions on a number of other major housing applications are awaiting legal agreements with the applicants on the implementation of the Department's Quality Initiative. There is also an added time factor in drawing up and agreeing appropriate conditions to be attached to the specific planning applications. I can assure you, however, that the Planning Service continually strives to expedite all decisions, but particularly those on major applications. I do hope this is helpful.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

323 c490-1W; 65676

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Administrative delays Finance Northern Ireland Planning permission Planning Public inquiries Planning Appeals Commission Northern Ireland