Independent Inspectors Project - Background
Under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (the 2011 Act), when an independent examination of a local development plan, or a public local inquiry or hearing into a regionally significant or called in application, is required by the Department for Infrastructure (the Department), this must be carried out either by the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) or by a person appointed by the Department.
These workstreams are commonly referred to as “Hear and Report” functions.
To date the Department has only ever appointed the PAC to carry out this work.
On 4 March 2025, the Minister of Finance confirmed that the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) had successfully secured £3 million in ring-fenced funding for its Transforming Planning proposal through the interim Public Sector Transformation Board. This funding is part of a broader £235 million transformation package provided by the UK Government to support public sector reform in Northern Ireland. For further information click here.
The Transforming Planning initiative specifically aims to:
- address resource challenges within the PAC, which had been causing delays in planning inquiries and examinations.
- appoint Independent Inspectors under the provisions of the 2011 Act, offering an alternative route to progress “Hear and Report” work more efficiently; and
- improve confidence in the planning system among the public and investors by ensuring timely and effective planning processes.
This move marks a significant step in improving the planning system in the North and supports the Department’s and local councils’ broader objectives with respect to the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning system. For further information relating to planning improvement click here.
The main objective of this independent inspector project is to:
- put in place robust arrangements to enable the Department to exercise its powers under the 2011 Act to appoint persons as an additional option to the PAC, with the view to supporting the timely progression of regionally significant developments, called-in planning applications and local development plans examinations through more flexible and efficient “Hear and Report” processes.
The successful delivery of work associated with this project will:
- demonstrate that the Department has successfully exercised its powers under the 2011 Act for the first time, to appoint individuals to undertake “Hear and Report” workstreams, effectively progressing regionally significant developments, called-in planning applications and local development plan examinations.
- establish robust governance arrangements that provide a clear mechanism for appointing persons other than the PAC to carry out “Hear and Report” work in relation to local development plans, called in planning applications and regionally significant developments.
- ensure that the Department has robust procedures for the appointment of individuals in accordance with the 2011 Act and that comprehensive guidance is available to support their work on local development plans, called in planning applications and regionally significant developments.
- provide for a more efficient and flexible planning system in so far as it relates to workstreams associated with “Hear and Report” work.
- generate positive publicity for the planning system in the North, highlighting the Department’s commitment to delivering a new and innovative model for part of its service.
- bring benefits to the wider government objectives in relation to the development of the economy, society and environmental protection.
For further information on the work of the Department click here