The Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

Time periods for decisions

20.—(1) Where an application is made to the council under Articles 3, 5 or 11 the council shall within the period specified in paragraph (2) give the applicant notice of its decision or determination or referral of the application to the Department under section 29 of the 2011 Act.

(2) The period specified in this paragraph is—

(a) in the case of an application for planning permission for development within the category of major development, a period of 16 weeks beginning with the date when the application was received by the council;

(b) in any other case, 8 weeks beginning with the date when the application was received by the council; or

(c) except where the applicant has already given notice of appeal to the planning appeals commission under sections 58 (appeals) and 60 (appeal against failure to take planning decision) of the 2011 Act, such extended period as may be agreed in writing between the applicant and the council.

(3) For the purposes of this Article, the date when the application was received shall be taken to be the date when each of the following events has occurred—

(a) the application in writing has been lodged with the council;

(b) any certificates or documents required by the 2011 Act have been lodged with the council; and

(c) any fee required to be paid in respect of the application has been paid to the council.

(4) Where a request has been made to the Secretary of State for a certificate in respect of section 235(1) (national security) of the 2011 Act or the Department of Justice in respect of section 235(4) of the 2011 Act, the period specified in paragraph (2) of this Article shall begin on the date that the council is notified of that decision.