Planning

On 1st April 2015 the majority of the planning functions delivered by the Department for Infrastructure transferred to local Councils.

Under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011  a new hierarchy of development has been introduced which categories planning applications as local, major or regionally significant and the types of applications that fall within these categories is set out in the Schedule to The Planning (Development Management) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. 

Department for Infrastructure Planning Functions

Under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 the Department retains responsibility for the following planning functions:

• Receiving and determination of Regionally Significant and ‘called-in’ applications
• Regional Planning Policy
• Planning Legislation
• Oversight and guidance for councils
• Performance Management

Council Planning Functions

Under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 the Council has responsibility for the following planning functions:

• Receiving and making decisions on the majority of planning applications including consents categorised as local or major applications
• Making Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)
• Protecting and preserving built heritage
• Investigating alleged breaches of planning control and determining what enforcement action should be taken
• Developing a local development plan which sets out how land in the Borough should be used and developed