Council issues most major planning applications of all NI Councils

The news was confirmed in official statistics published by the Department for Infrastructure, which showed that the Planning Department was one of only two in Northern Ireland to exceed the statutory target.

In Causeway Coast and Glens, major applications were processed within an average of 25.5 weeks, far surpassing the Northern Ireland average of 51.3 weeks.

Alongside this, the Council achieved the statutory target for processing of enforcement cases to conclusion within 39 weeks, while performance continues to improve in the processing of local category planning applications.

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Ivor Wallace, said: “Major applications are processed significantly faster in Causeway Coast and Glens, compared to any other Council in Northern Ireland, which is a major achievement and a clear indication that our Borough is an attractive place to invest and do business.

“This is welcome news for any investor to this Borough, and I am very encouraged by this latest update which places us in a strong position as we look ahead to the rest of the year.”

Councillor Oliver McMullan, Chair of the Planning Committee, added: “I would like to thank our Planners and the Planning Committee for their hard work in ensuring timely decisions are issued on major applications as these are critical to our Borough’s continued growth and prosperity.

“Our Council receives the largest number of applications for commercial and agricultural uses and the fourth highest number of residential applications, which confirms our position as a key place to work, live and invest.”

The Northern Ireland Planning Statistics First Quarter 2022/23 Statistical Bulletin is available to view at https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-planning-statistics-april-june-2022

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is ranked at number 6 out of the 11 Councils for processing local category planning applications.

The NI average for processing local category of applications is 16.6 weeks while in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council the average processing time is 17.9 weeks, which represents an improvement on previous figures.

The approval rate for local planning applications sits at 96% for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council compared to the NI average of 95.1%.