Refused North planning applications to be reviewed by summer 2009

A review of more than 2,000 refused planning applications for rural homes in the North is set to be completed by next summer, Stormont’s Environment minister said today.

The 2,180 applicants turned down under the controversial PPS 14 guidelines are being re-examined under the terms of the minister’s revised PPS 21 policy.

While not all of the plans previously recommended for refusal will now be given the green light, planners will be in a position to reverse their decision on a proportion of them, Sammy Wilson told the Assembly.

The DUP minister said it was hoped the review would be substantively completed by June 2006.

The old PPS 14 policy, which was introduced by Direct Rule ministers in 2006, was heavily criticised by farmers and other would-be home builders in countryside for restricting development.

Mr Wilson said the revised guidelines were more balanced and would enable more properties to go up without triggering a building free for all.

“This policy offers a number of development opportunities which did not exist in draft PPS14 which will benefit non-farming rural dwellers as well as farmers,” he said.

“But it will not permit a building free-for-all in our countryside.

“Draft PPS 21 will assist the rural economy but not at the expense of our rich natural assets or of our built or natural environment.

“In developing this policy we have kept what is good and useful in draft PPS14. We have cast aside the overly restrictive policies imposed by direct rule ministers and we have introduced new, more imaginative measures that are right for Northern Ireland.”

The Planning Service will now review all the failed applications lodged under PPS 14.

The 2180 recommended for refusal are spread across the service as follows:

:: Omagh Division – 770

:: Northern Division – 250

:: Craigavon Division – 650

:: Ballymena Division – 350

:: Downpatrick Division – 145

:: Belfast Division – 16

The review of the applications are set to be completed by June next year.

PPS 21 is now set to go out for public consultation before the policy is finalised early next year.

It will apply across all of the North with the exception of specially protected landscapes areas such as the high Mournes and Slieve Gullion.

“Planning Service is now holding in abeyance over 2,000 planning applications which would have been refused under draft PPS14,” said Mr Wilson.

“These can now be reassessed under the new policy.

“Some applications – but by no means all – are likely to be recommended for approval. Reassessment will take some months to complete.

“There has been much speculation in the press about what is in this document.

“I urge people to read it for themselves and to make up their own minds about it.

“It is still in draft – that is because we want to hear what people think of the policy before we finalise it.

“In January and February, we will be holding information days across Northern Ireland so that people can find out more about it. I encourage everyone with an interest to let us know their views in the consultation which closes on March 31.”

While PPS 21 retains a presumption against granting permission for new builds, it does widen criteria on which an application will be accepted.

One area of relaxation comes in social housing, with PPS 21 increasing from eight to 14 the number of homes allowed to be built on greenbelt sites, as long as they are linked to existing developments.

In terms of other residential builds, applicants will only be given the go-ahead if they are replacing an existing dwelling, converting a pre-standing non-domestic property, such as a school building or church, or if the development is associated with an approved agricultural diversification enterprise.

Farmers who do wish to build new homes on their land will however be limited to one every ten years. They will also have to prove the farm is fully operational.

SDLP Environment Spokesperson Tommy Gallagher said it was still unclear whether the new policy could deliver basic fairness.

“PPS 21 will bring disappointment for many of the 2,000 people whose applications to build in rural areas have been deferred for up to three years under PPS14,” said the Fermanagh and South Tyrone representatives.

“The planning system has been riddled with unfairness and inconsistencies which resulted in local people being denied planning permission and yet developers in some cases were able to obtain approvals for speculative builds.

“While the commitment to rural sustainability is welcome, the real test of this new policy will be whether the minister and the planners are able to remove such unfairness and shut down loopholes for speculators.”

Mr Wilson was tasked to draw up a new strategy after the existing PPS 14 was deemed unlawful by the High Court in October 2007.

The judicial review found that it had been taken forward by the wrong governmental department – Regional Development as opposed to Environment.