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The Department of the Environment's planning functions operate from Causeway Exchange in Belfast and from 8 local Area Planning Offices across Northern Ireland.
Planning Group is led by the Acting Chief Planner, Mary MacIntyre OBE and is comprised of 3 divisions. They are:
Planning Group is responsible for the delivery of operational planning functions, the development and delivery of planning policy and legislation, the reform and transfer of some planning functions that will transfer from central to local government.
About Planning Group
In addition to the operational functions of Development Management (including enforcement), Development Planning, Conservation and Tree Preservation Orders, Planning Group is responsible for taking forward much of the work required to prepare for the transfer of many operational planning responsibilities to the new 11 Councils, retention of the remaining planning functions within central government and the establishment of new working arrangements between central and local government on planning matters.
The Group is also responsible for the development of planning policy, guidance and advice, together with the legislation required to accelerate a number of reforms to the planning system in advance of the transfer of planning powers to the local councils.
Planning Divisions
Local Planning Division (LPD) has operational responsibility for the planning functions that will transfer to Councils post local government reform. This includes Development Management (including enforcement), Development Planning, Conservation and Tree Preservation Orders.
Local Planning Division has 8 local Area Planning Offices located in Belfast, Ballymena, Coleraine, Craigavon, Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Lodonderry/Derry and Omagh. Contact details for each office and a breakdown of the local government districts covered by each can be viewed via the following link:
The Director of Local Planning Division is Fiona McCandless who is based in Orchard House, Londonderry/Derry.
The Strategic Planning Division is committed to supporting the future economic development needs of Northern Ireland to ensure that the benefits of economic investment and job creation are realised.
It is responsible for processing planning applications from across the province for large scale investment proposals, including Article 31 applications. It also provides advice and guidance on design policy and practice.
In addition, the Division has developed a particular expertise and handles specialist planning proposals which could potentially have significant effects on the environment and everyday living. Such proposals include renewable energy, energy from waste, waste disposal, recycling, landfill, minerals extraction and major infrastructure proposals such as cross border gas pipelines, large scale electricity connectors and power stations. The Division is also responsible for waste and minerals enforcement.
The acting Director of Strategic Planning Division is Simon Kirk who is based in Causeway Exchange, Belfast
The overall purpose of the Planning Policy Division is to develop planning legislation and policy in line with Ministerial direction. In addition, the Division is responsible for taking forward the Planning Reform and Transfer Project and the review of Planning Fees & Funding which will see a reformed, efficient, fit for purpose and sustainable planning system transferring to local councils in 2015. The Compliance, Improvement and Review Team (CIRT) – formerly Planning Service Audit Team – also sits within the remit of the Planning Policy Division.
Key areas of work the Planning Policy Division is responsible for are:
- Undertaking a comprehensive and fundamental review of planning policy in order to produce a single Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) that will encompass and replace the existing policy statements in time for the transfer of planning powers to Councils. This will reflect the expectations of the planning system following devolvement of planning powers to local councils creating a two-tier planning system.
- Drafting Supplementary Guidance, Best Practice Guidance, Development Control Advice Notes and other planning guidance as appropriate.
- Bringing forward the Planning Bill and subordinate legislation needed to accelerate a number of reforms to the planning system in advance of the transfer of planning powers to councils. This will allow for the faster processing of planning applications; enhanced community involvement; fairer and faster appeals and simpler and tougher enforcement, as well as a strengthened Departmental sustainable development duty.
- Developing the subordinate legislation flowing from the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 which provides for the transfer of the reformed planning system to local councils in 2015;
- Bringing forward subordinate legislation to ensure compliance with EU requirements, to address Court of Appeals decisions, to introduce changes to Householder and Non Domestic Permitted Development Rights, to accompany the commencement of ROMPs (Review of Old Mineral Permissions) and any other changes required due to Ministerial direction.
- Managing the Planning Reform & Transfer Project which has been set up to bring forward the measures needed to ensure that the reformed planning system transfers to local government in line with Executive and Ministerial direction.
- Managing the Review of Planning Fees and Funding which is undertaking a detailed analysis of operating costs with a view to restructuring the planning fee and funding system in preparation for the transfer of planning functions to local councils.
- Auditing and reviewing DOE Planning policies, practices and procedures as well as preliminary investigations into allegations of irregularity / impropriety.
The Director of Planning Policy Division is Angus Kerr who is based in Causeway Exchange, Belfast.
