Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Duration of outline planning permission

62.—(1) In this section and in section 61 “outline planning permission” means planning permission granted in accordance with the provisions of a development order, conditional on the subsequent approval by the council or, as the case may be, the Department of the particulars of the proposed development (in this section referred to as “reserved matters”).

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this section, where outline planning permission is granted for development consisting of or including the carrying out of building or other operations it must be granted subject to conditions to the following effect—

(a) that in the case of any reserved matter application for approval must be made within 3 years of the date of the grant of outline planning permission; and

(b) that the development to which the permission relates must be begun by whichever is the later of the following dates—

(i) the expiration of 5 years from the date of the grant of outline planning permission; or

(ii) the expiration of 2 years from the final approval of the reserved matters or, in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last such matter to be approved.

(3) If outline planning permission is granted without the conditions required by subsection (2), it shall be deemed to have been granted subject to those conditions.

(4) The authority concerned with the terms of an outline planning permission may, in applying subsection (2), substitute for the periods of 3 years, 5 years or 2 years referred to in that subsection, such other periods respectively (whether longer or shorter) as it considers appropriate.

(5) It may, in applying subsection (2), specify separate periods under subsection (2)(a) in relation to separate parts of the development to which the planning permission relates; and if it does so, the condition required by subsection (2)(b) shall then be framed correspondingly by reference to those parts, instead of by reference to the development as a whole.

(6) In considering whether to exercise its powers under subsections (4) and (5), the authority must have regard to the provisions of the local development plan and to any other material consideration.