Key points from the Northern Ireland Planning Statistics: Third Quarter 2018/19 Statistical Bulletin published today.
There were 3,204 planning applications received during October to December 2018 (Q3), up by 9% on the previous quarter, but down by 2% on the same period a year earlier. This comprised 3,158 local and 46 major applications.
During the third quarter of 2018/19, 2,988 planning applications were decided, a decrease of almost 3% over both the quarter and the year.
In the first nine months of 2018/19 it took councils, on average, 15 weeks to process local applications to decision or withdrawal; the same as the figure reported for the equivalent period last year. Four of the 11 councils were within the 15 week target after three quarters of 2018/19.
The average processing time for major applications during the first nine months of 2018/19 was almost 58 weeks across all councils; up from just over 50 weeks reported for the same period the previous year. This was almost double the statutory processing time target of 30 weeks. The majority of councils did not process a large number of major applications during the first three quarters of 2018/19. Nonetheless, four councils were within the 30 week target at the end of this period.
In the first nine months of 2018/19 over four-fifths (82%) of enforcement cases were concluded within 39 weeks. This is 12 percentage points above the statutory target and is five percentage points higher than the figure reported for the same period a year earlier (77%). After three quarters of 2018/19, nine of the 11 councils are on track to meet the target, with highs of 93% concluded within 39 weeks in Antrim and Newtownabbey, and 88% in Mid and East Antrim.
