For many years members in NI have found the planning system facing delays and not moving with changes in technology. Slow completion times around applications and a crumbling inconsistent application process has been a frustration for many.
Whilst not a golden ticket, a new Planning Portal will be launched in autumn 2022 for 10 of the 11 Councils in Northern Ireland.
What will this new portal mean for FMB members in NI?
This is the largest joint IT project between central and local government to date in Northern Ireland and will, the Department of Infrastructure claims, see benefits for all users and drive planning online in this digital age.
Key benefits include:
- Ability to submit planning applications and comments online as well as requests for Tree Preservation Orders, Regional Property Certificates and to report breaches of planning control (enforcement complaints)
- Linked front and back-office allowing for improved efficiency by streamlining administrative processes
- Improved validation and workflows to better manage workloads
- Improved consultee interface
- Better user experience from an intuitive modern interface, making it easier for users to engage with the planning process
The development and configuration of the new system is substantively complete. Once testing is complete, the project will progress to a transitional phase which will see the switchover from the current system to the new.
Transitional Arrangements
For the current transitional arrangements, it would be useful to consult this page on the Northern Irish government’s website:
The current public access website will continue to be available to the public to view applications during the switchover but it will no longer accept online comments. Instead, customers can submit their comments to the Councils or Department via e-mail or by post. Contact details are available via this page on the NI government website.
Share your experiences
FMB NI will continue to monitor this new process as it beds in and will be grateful for any members’ experiences which can be feed back to the Department. You can let us know at: [email protected].
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