AQW 22106/22-27

Mr Andrew McMurray
Alliance Party
South Down

Tabled Date: 06/02/2025
Answered On Date: 19/02/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will consider amending planning legislation to ensure that all residents affected by a development proposal involving a tall structure are notified.

Answer:

I am satisfied that current legislative requirements for notifying neighbours of planning applications as set out in the Planning Act (NI) 2011, and The Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (NI) 2015 are adequate to deal with all types of application, including those proposing tall structures.

In making a planning application there is an onus on the applicant to identify the relevant addresses for neighbour notification purposes. The relevant planning authority in dealing with the application should take all reasonable steps to verify the accuracy of these addresses against the parameters of the scheme and may make any necessary amendments.

Applicants are however not confined just to the established parameters for neighbour notification purposes. In taking account of the nature of the proposed development, its scale and context, applicants can broaden notification to include other occupiers of properties likely to be impacted by a proposed development.

Importantly, anyone can make a representation in relation to a planning application, and do not necessarily have to be neighbour notified.