Northern Ireland council exceeds last year’s top planning performance success

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has once again ranked as one of the top planning authorities across all Northern Ireland Councils.

Figures produced by the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) show that the Council has processed 20 major applications during the last year, with an average processing time of 21.1 weeks. This outstanding performance has placed Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council as first across all 11 Councils.

Only three Councils managed to achieve the 30-week target with the remainder of Councils averaging 46.5 weeks.

The Council’s leading planning performance was reinforced as it was ranked second in processing Local Planning Applications, with an average turnaround time of 13 weeks. This is under the 15-week target and greatly exceeds the average turnaround time of 20.8 weeks across all other Councils.

In addition to these successes, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is the only Council in Northern Ireland which surpassed the Statutory Enforcement target of concluding 70% of enforcement cases within 39 weeks of receipt of complaint. The Council managed to conclude 90% of these cases within the target date, again, ranking it first amongst the 11 Councils.

Chairperson of the Planning Committee, councillor Jeannie Archibald-Brown praised the planning team for their dedication which has influenced a string of major investments in the Borough: “The figures produced by DfI are testament to the hard work and efficiency of our Planning Team and Committee.”

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Neill Kelly, added: “I commend the invaluable work of the Council’s Planning team and Committee who have helped to secure a multi-million-pound investment pipeline for the borough, creating significant job opportunities, and delivering an economic boost for the area.”

Some of the notable major planning applications approved this year include:

£143million Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health (27 weeks)

£23million investment for Sysco Ireland Distribution Centre Nutts Corner (19 weeks)

£10million investment for new Sports Village at University of Ulster Jordanstown (21 weeks)

£8million investment for Monkstown Boxing Club (25 weeks)

£6million investment for Montgomery Development Ltd (23 weeks)

£5.5million investment for Premier Inn Hotel at Belfast international Airport (22 weeks)

Expansion of Antrim Primary School (23 weeks)

Expansion of Fairview Primary School (23 weeks)