Housing applications set for ‘unprecedented increase’

The number of new housing developments planned for the coming year is likely to see an “unprecedented increase”, the Department of Environment (DoE) has said.

Environment Minister Angela Smith said the increased volume of planning applications, up 13,000 from last year, had led to greater demands on the resources of the Planning Service.

The rush, the Minister said, has been caused by fears that new area plans will impose many more restrictions on housebuilding. Last year, more than 30,000 planning applications were made with the figure for this year likely to top 43,000.

Ms Smith said plans to tackle the increase in applications would involve the immediate freeing up of as many resources as possible in other areas of the Service to focus on the planning applications work.

“The aim is to reduce current pressures and get processing times and service back to acceptable levels. The 33,000 planning applications submitted last year represented a 20% increase over the previous 12 months, and this year’s projected 43,000 applications will mean a further 30% increase. Processing times have inevitably suffered as workloads have risen well in excess of forecast,” she said.

It is envisaged that the temporary re-allocation of applications work to staff in other areas of the Agency will initially be for a period of 6 months and will have a knock on effect on emerging area plans.

Other area plans such as the Ards and Down, and Magherafelt will be protected, as will the Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan and work on the Craigavon town centre boundary. Some projects under the umbrella of Modernising Planning Processes – a major three-year service improvement initiative will also be re-scheduled to free up resources.

(MB/GMCG)