Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Directions etc. as to method of dealing with applications

56.—(1) Provision may be made by a development order for regulating the manner in which applications for planning permission to develop land are to be dealt with by councils and the Department, and in particular—

(a) for enabling the Department to give directions restricting the grant of planning permission by a council, either indefinitely or during such period as may be specified in the directions, in respect of any such development, or in respect of development of any such class, as may be so specified;

(b) for enabling the Department to give directions to a council requiring it, in respect of any such development, or in respect of development of any such class, as may be specified in the directions—

(i) to consider, where the council is minded to grant planning permission, imposing a condition specified in, or of a nature indicated in, the directions; and

(ii) (unless the directions are withdrawn) not to grant planning permission without first satisfying the Department that such consideration has been given and that such a condition either will be imposed or need not be imposed;

(c) for requiring that, before planning permission for any development is granted or refused, councils must consult with such authorities or persons as may be specified by the order;

(d) for requiring the Department before granting or refusing planning permission for any development to consult with the council for the district in which the land is situated and with such other authorities or persons as may be specified by the order;

(e) for requiring a council or, as the case may be, the Department to give to any applicant for planning permission, within such time as may be specified by the order, such notice as may be so specified as to the manner in which the applicant’s application has been dealt with;

(f) for requiring a council or, as the case may be, the Department to give any applicant for any consent, agreement or approval required by a condition imposed on a grant of planning permission notice of its decision on the application, within such time as may be specified by the order;

(g) for requiring a council to give to the Department, and to such other persons as may be specified by or under the order, such information as may be so specified with respect to applications for planning permission made to the council, including information as to the manner in which any such application has been dealt with.

(2) Provision may be made by a development order—

(a) for determining the persons to whom applications under this Act are to be sent; and

(b) for requiring persons to whom such applications are sent to send copies to other interested persons.