(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order amends the Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (the 2015 Order), to enable local council planning authorities to prepare and publish planning application validation checklists.
Article 5A is inserted to enable councils to specify by direction validation particulars or verifying evidence that is required by the council to accompany an application for planning permission or for approval of reserved matters.
Article 12A is inserted requiring councils to issue a notice (notice of non-compliance with direction) to an applicant where an application does not comply with the specified information requirements in the direction.
Article 12B is inserted and sets out four grounds for appealing against a notice of non-compliance with direction. Appeals are to be to the Planning Appeals Commission.
This Order includes three technical amendments to the 2015 Order, namely amending the interpretation of ‘outline planning permission’ in Article 2 to align with the definition of ‘outline planning permission’ at section 62 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011; and amending Articles 13 and 15 to allow statutory consultees 30 days to consider planning applications that are accompanied by an Environmental Statement. The latter technical amendments would align the 2015 Order with the timeframes currently required by the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017.
The Explanatory Memorandum is available alongside the instrument on the Government’s legislation website: www.legislation.gov.uk