Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Chairman (Councillor Hartley) and Councillor W. Browne.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 18th September, it had deferred consideration of a report in relation to the Council’s response to the Department of the Environment’s consultation on the Reform of the Planning System in Northern Ireland to enable a special meeting, to the which the Members of the Development and the Town Planning Committees would be invited to be held for that purpose.  The Committee had agreed also that Party Group briefings take place before the special meetings for those who so requested them.

            The Director of Improvement outlined the process which had been undertaken by officers in order to develop the Council’s response to the consultation document.  He stated that, subsequent to the Committee’s decision of 18th September, officers had discussed the response further with representatives of the Alliance, Democratic Unionist and Social Democratic and Labour Party Groupings to ascertain their concerns and any additional comments which they would wish to see included.  He explained that, whilst a number of issues had been raised, it would be matter for the Committee to determine whether comments thereon should be incorporated into the Council’s proposed response.  Accordingly, he re?submitted the undernoted report and proposed Council response to the Planning Reform consultation:

“Relevant Background Information

      Committee will recall that in July 2009, DoE, published ‘Reform of the Planning System in Northern Ireland’ consultation paper which set out proposals to reform the planning system in Northern Ireland. In addition to the full consultation document Planning Service produced and executive summary outlining the main elements of the consultation.

      The closing date for consultation responses to the Planning Reform consultation is 2nd October 2009.  The purpose of this report is to seek Committee approval for a formal Council response. A draft response addressing the specific queries raised in the consultation document and broader issues arising from the proposals is appended to this report for consideration by Committee (Appendix 1).

Key Issues

      The reform proposals have been developed by Planning Service as the mechanisms to establish a new planning system whereby responsibility for the majority of planning functions will transfer to new councils as part of the Review of Public Administration (RPA). The transfer of the planning functions is an important element of basic RPA objectives which seek to create ‘strong, dynamic and responsive local government’.

      The implementation of the reform proposals will see the establishment of a new planning system through the introduction of new processes and changes in the general approach to development. The draft response has been developed to support the broader objectives established as part of the Councils ongoing engagement in the Review of Public Administration.

      The specific principles underlying the appended draft response are: 

·         full transfer of the suite of local planning functions to enable the Council to effectively develop and implement the new statutory responsibility in a coordinated and effective manner;

·         clarity of roles and responsibilities through the development of a streamlined planning led system with the clear emphasis  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1b