AQW 43077/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 24/03/2026
Answered On Date: 15/04/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will amend the relevant legislation to increase the scope of neighbourhood notification of planning applications.

Answer:

While 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, I am committed to reviewing these notification requirements as part of a broader review of advertising and notifying the public about development which may impact them.

Importantly, planning authorities are not restricted to the statutory minimum for neighbour notification purposes and, taking account of the nature of a proposed development, its scale and context, planning authorities 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, whether or not they have received notification.