The Planning (Development Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

Regulations 2 and 3

SCHEDULE N.I. Major Development Thresholds

1.  In the Table below— N.I.

“airport” has the meaning assigned to it in Article 2(2) of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 M1

“area of works” includes any area occupied by apparatus, equipment, machinery, materials, plant, spoil heaps or other facilities or stores required for construction or installation;

“floor space” means floor space in a building or buildings;

Marginal Citations

M1 S.I. 1994/426 (N.I.1).

2.  The Table below sets out the classes of development belonging to the category of major development. N.I.

Description of Development	Major DevelopmentsThreshold or Criteria	Major Developments prescribed for the purpose of section 26(1) of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011
1.EIA development	Development of a description in paragraphs; 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 22, 23 and 24; mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.	Development of a description in paragraphs 1, 3, 22, 23 and 24 mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.
2. Energy Infrastructure Electricity generating stations	1. The construction of an electricity generating station where its capacity is or exceeds 5 megawatts. 2. All onshore development associated with the construction of an offshore electricity generating station.	1. The construction of an electricity generating station where its capacity is or exceeds 30 megawatts. 2. All onshore development associated with the construction of an offshore electricity generating station with a capacity which is or exceeds 30 megawatts.
Electrical power lines	The installation of an electrical power line where the voltage exceeds 33 kilovolts if the purpose of the line is the provision of a supply to more than one customer.	The installation of an electrical power line where the voltage: -is 110 kilovolts double circuit overhead line; or -is or exceeds 275 kilovolts, and a length of more than 15 kilometres.
Storage	1. Installations for the storage of petroleum, petrochemical, chemical products or natural gas where the storage capacity of the facility is expected to be 30,000 tonnes or more. 2. Installations for the underground geological storage of petroleum, natural gas, carbon dioxide or compressed air energy storage.	1. Installations for the storage of petroleum, petrochemical, chemical products or natural gas where the storage capacity of the facility is expected to be 200,000 tonnes or more. 2. Installations for the underground geological storage of petroleum, natural gas, carbon dioxide or compressed air energy storage.
Extraction	1. Any proposal relating to the extraction of unconventional hydrocarbons. 2. The extraction of petroleum and natural gas for commercial purposes where the amount extracted exceeds 250 tonnes per day in the case of petroleum and 250,000 cubic metres per day in the case of gas.	1. Any proposal relating to the extraction of unconventional hydrocarbons. 2. The extraction of petroleum and natural gas for commercial purposes where the amount extracted exceeds 500 tonnes per day in the case of petroleum and 500,000 cubic metres per day in the case of gas.
Pipelines	Pipelines with a diameter of more than 400 millimetres or more than 20 kilometres in length: -for the transport of gas, oil or chemicals, or -for the transport of carbon dioxide streams for the purposes of geological storage, including associated booster stations.	Pipelines with a diameter of more than 800 millimetres or more than 40 kilometres in length: -for the transport of gas, oil or chemicals, or -for the transport of carbon dioxide streams for the purposes of geological storage, including associated booster stations.
3. Transport infrastructure. Construction of new or replacement railways, airports, harbours and ports, waterways, transit ways.	The areas of work is or exceeds 1 kilometre in length or 1 hectare.	a) construction of lines for long-distance railway traffic and of airports with a basic runway length of 2,100 metres or more; b) inland waterways and ports for inland-waterway traffic which permit the passage of vessels of over 1,350 tonnes; or c) trading ports, piers for loading and unloading connected to land [F1 and] outside ports (excluding ferry piers) which can take vessels of over 1,350 tonnes.
4. Waste infrastructure. Construction of facilities for use for the purpose of waste management, disposal or treatment.
Waste Management Facilities	1. An installation for the disposal, treatment or recovery of hazardous waste with a capacity for an annual intake of or more than 25,000 tonnes. 2. Waste disposal installations for the incineration or chemical treatment (as defined in Annex I to Directive 2008/98/EC under heading D9 M2 ) of non-hazardous waste with a capacity exceeding 100 tonnes per day.	1. An installation for the disposal, treatment or recovery of hazardous waste with a capacity for an annual intake of or more than 100,000 tonnes. 2. Waste disposal installations for the incineration or chemical treatment (as defined in Annex I to Directive 2008/98/EC under heading D9) of non-hazardous waste with a capacity for an annual intake exceeding 100,000 tonnes.
Waste Water	Waste water treatment plants with a capacity exceeding 50,000 population equivalent as defined in Article 2 point (6) of Directive 91/271/EEC.	Waste water treatment plants with a capacity exceeding 150,000 population equivalent as defined in Article 2 point (6) of Directive 91/271/EEC M3 .
5. Minerals Extraction of minerals	The area of the site is or exceeds 2 hectares.	a) development involving quarries or open-cast mining where the surface of the site exceeds 25 hectares, or peat extraction where the surface of the site exceeds 150 hectares; or b) development involving underground mining where the surface of the site exceeds 2 hectares.
6. Housing. Construction of buildings structures or erections for use as residential accommodation; includes private schemes.	a) development that comprises 50 units or more; or b) the area of the site is or exceeds 2 hectares.
7. Retailing, Community, Recreation and Culture. (according to Parts A and D of the Schedule to the Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 M4 ). Including shops, financial, professional and other services, community and cultural uses, and assembly and leisure.	a) development that comprises 1,000 square metres or more gross floor space outside town centres; or b) the area of the site is or exceeds 1 hectare.
8. Business, Industry (Light and General), Storage and Distribution. (according to Part B of the Schedule to the Planning (Use Classes) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015	a) development that comprises 5,000 square metres or more gross floor space; or b) the area of the site is or exceeds 1 hectare.
9. All other development. Any development not falling wholly within any single class of development described in Parts 1 to 8 above.	a) development that comprises 5,000 square metres or more gross floor space; or b) the area of the site is or exceeds 1 hectare.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in Sch. Table para. 3(c) inserted (6.7.2015) by The Planning (Development Management) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015/273), regs. 1, 2

Marginal Citations

M2 O.J. No.L312, 22.11.08, p.3.

M3 O.J. No. L135, 30.5.91, p.40.

M4 S.R. 2015 No. 40.