Statistical Press Release
Report Subject
Report Subject
Improvements Made in Planning Application Processing Times
4 July 2013
The Northern Ireland Planning Development Management Statistics - 2012/13
Annual Statistical Bulletin, published today, reveals improvements in performance
across all of the main categories of planning application.
Over the most recent year, the average processing times for Major, Intermediate
and Minor categories of planning application reduced by 4, 2 and 3 weeks
respectively compared to 2011/12.
In addition, the first year Programme for
Government target to process 60% of Large Scale Investment Applications within 6
months was also met with 72% of all such applications being processed within this
timescale. Departmental targets were also met for processing Intermediate and
Minor applications but, despite the improved performance recorded for Major
applications, the average processing time at 27 weeks was still 4 weeks in excess
of their 23 week target.
These performance levels were achieved against a backdrop of further falls in
application numbers with an 11% reduction in applications received last year
compared to 2011/12, partly reflecting the depressed economic climate. It is
notable that the less than 12 thousand applications received in 2012/13 represents
only around one-third of the peak volume of around 36 thousand received in
2004/05.
The overall approval rate for decisions has remained the same as last year (93%).
The key points to note in the bulletin are:
1. Applications received
In 2012/13, DOE Planning received 11,943 planning applications.
This is a
decrease of 11% compared with 2011/12, and is around one-third of the peak
volume of 35,453 recorded in 2004/05.
Applications for full planning permission make up 78% of applications received
and have dropped from 10,661 full applications in 2011/12 to 9,283 in 2012/13
(down by 13%). Applications for residential development have also continued to
fall, down by almost one fifth (18%) from 7,610 in 2011/12 to 6,278 in 2012/13.
2. Applications decided
DOE Planning issued decisions on 13,205 applications in 2012/13, down by 7%
on the 14,208 decided in 2011/12, and 55% below the peak volume of 29,419
decisions issued in 2005/06.
The number of decisions issued for full planning permission was 10,353. This
makes up over three quarters (78%) of planning applications against which a
decision was issued.
3. Applications approved
Overall, 93% of decisions issued for planning applications 2012/13 were
approved, the same as last year.
4. Applications received for residential development
The majority of applications received by the Department are still for residential
development (6,278), accounting for over half (53%) of all applications received in
2012/13.
The number of residential applications received for urban and rural areas both fell
for 2012/13 (17% and 18%, respectively). Rural applications made up three fifths
(60%) of all residential applications.
5. Applications decided for residential development
In urban areas, the number of decisions fell by 18%, from 3,525 to 2,894;
compared with rural areas where the number of decisions fell by 20% from 5,409
to 4,317.
6. Renewable energy applications
Renewable energy applications include wind turbines, wind farms, solar panels,
biomass burners, hydroelectric schemes etc. Just over three quarters (76%) of
renewable energy applications received in 2012/13 were for single wind turbines
(606 out of 801 renewable energy applications).
The number of decisions issued against renewable energy applications increased
by a very significant 90%, from 401 in 2011/12 to 762 in 2012/13. Almost nine in
ten (89%) of renewable energy applications were approved.
7. Enforcement Statistics
In 2012/13, there were 2,768 enforcement cases opened and 3,335 enforcement
cases closed, representing activity increases of 8% and 14% respectively on last
year.
The main reason for an enforcement case being closed was because, following
investigation, it was deemed that no breach had actually occurred (1,030, or
31% of closed cases).
8. Results for Key Performance Targets
DOE Planning have a key commitment under the Programme for Government to
ensure that 90% of large scale investment (LSI) planning decisions are made
within 6 months and applications with job creation potential are given additional
weight. However, this target is to be phased in over a 3 year period with 60%
representing the interim target for 2012/13. During 2012/13, there were 25 LSI
applications where a decision was either reached, or it was possible for a
decision to have been reached, within the 6 month processing target. Of these,
18, or 72%, were processed within 6 months; meaning that the 2012/13 PfG
target of 60% has been met.
There are three separate annual targets depending on application type. These
have been revised for this year. The annual processing target for Major planning
applications (predominantly housing developments, commercial and retail
development) is to process to decision or withdrawal in an average of 23 weeks.
In 2012/13, the average processing time for major applications was 27 weeks,
lower than the 31 weeks achieved in 2011/12.
The
annual
processing
target
for
Intermediate
planning
applications
(predominantly single houses) is to process to decision or withdrawal in an
average of 20 weeks. In 2012/13, the average processing time for intermediate
applications was 19 weeks compared with 21 weeks in 2011/12.
The annual processing target for Minor planning applications (predominantly
alterations and extensions to houses) is to process to decision or withdrawal in an
average of 14 weeks.
In 2012/13, the average processing time for minor
applications was 12 weeks compared with 15 weeks in 2011/12.
Results for operational targets
There are two annual targets for the validation of a planning application. The first
is to validate 85% of applications within 6 days and the second is to validate 95%
of applications within 10 days. In 2012/13, 94% of planning applications were
validated within 6 days and 98% were validated within 10 days.
There are a further two annual targets for the time taken to issue a decision after
last Council consultation. The first is to issue 85% of decisions within 2 weeks
and the second is to issue 95% of decisions within 4 weeks. In 2012/13, 86% of
decisions were issued within 2 weeks of last Council consultation and 93% were
issued within 4 weeks of last Council consultation.
There are two key annual targets for enforcement activity. The first is for 95% of
high priority cases to be discussed and certified within 2 working weeks.
In
2012/13, 61% of high priority cases were discussed and certified within 2 weeks.
The second is to process to a conclusion 70% of enforcement cases within 39
weeks. In 2012/13 67% of enforcement cases were brought to a conclusion
within this time period.
Notes for Editors
1. This is the latest in a series of Annual Development Management Statistics
Bulletins.
2. There are ten performance targets covered in the report, covering Planning
performance in relation to the processing of planning applications and
enforcement activity. A number of new targets were introduced for the 2012/13
year. Note that the definition of large scale investment applications has been
reviewed and has now been extended to include not only headquarters
applications but all such applications also received in local offices and identified
as such by planning staff.
3. A new table (Table 8) was added to the publication in quarter 2. This provides
detail of enforcement activity for the period and is in response to an identified
user need.
4. Following a review of the type of application which should be reported on for the
purposes of this report, Certificates of Lawful Use or Development (CLUDs),
either proposed or existing, are no longer included. This is because applications
for such certificates are not actual planning applications. They have also been
removed from last year’s figures to preserve comparability.
5. Planning is organised into 5 area offices and a Headquarters, details of which are
available in appendix 4 of the bulletin.
6. The records of all applications from 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2013 were
transferred in May 2013 from a live database and inspected for consistency in
coding before figures were finalised for publication. These finalised annual
figures supersede the provisional quarterly figures issued in-year.
7. Electronic copies of the ‘Planning Service Development Management Statistical
Bulletin’ are available at:
www.planningni.gov.uk/common-eplanning-stats-publications.htm
Hard copies are available free of charge from:
Alexandra Pauley
Analytical Services Branch
Department of the Environment
Room 4-03
Clarence Court
Belfast BT2 8GB
Telephone: (028) 90540907
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.planningni.gov.uk
Further breakdowns of the figures presented in the bulletin are also available on
request.
8. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office 028 9025 6058 or
for out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager:
07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.