Planning move welcomed

But, warns the Chamber, the Planning Service must tackle its under-performance and increase the speed with which it considers planning applications. Failure to do so could threaten investment in City of Culture 2013.

Tens of millions of pounds of investment have been promised for City of Culture, with more schemes currently being worked up by developers. Yet these plans could come to nothing if proposals get tied-up in the slow process for considering and approving planning applications.

“Derry City Council has shown leadership in taking practical steps to improve the performance of the Planning Service locally,” says Londonderry Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sinead McLaughlin.

“Yet it is a shame that it has come to this.

“We have a construction sector that is on its knees – and the last thing it needs is a planning system that holds up those schemes that are actually coming forward despite the recession. Ministers must realize that improving the performance of the Planning Service is essential and urgently needed if we are to improve our economy and benefit from recovery.

“Cutting the staff in the Planning Service – when it already takes far too long to get even simple planning applications approved – was the wrong approach. There is simply too much demand for overworked planning officers to cope with. That is why Londonderry Chamber of Commerce is so pleased that Derry City Council is taking on skilled planning officers to provide practical assistance to the Planning Service in meeting the needs of local business and other planning applicants. But it shouldn’t have had to come to this.”