Section 1 - Defining the activity subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016
1A. Name of Public Authority
Belfast City Council
1B. Please provide a short title, which describes the activity being undertaken by the Public Authority that is subject to the Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016.
Draft Planning Application Validation Checklist
1C. Please indicate which category the activity specified in Section 1B above relates to.
Developing a policy.
1D. Please provide the official title (if any) of the Policy, Strategy, Plan for Public Service document or initiative relating to the category indicated in Section 1C above.
Draft Planning Application Validation Checklist
1E. Please provide details of the aims and/or objectives of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service.
On 1 October 2024, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) made legislation which enables a council to publish a Validation Checklist, the Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024. The purpose of a Validation Checklist is to extend the minimum level of information for a planning application to be legally valid to improve the quality of planning applications on submission. This will enable the Planning Service to process applications in a more efficient and effective manner, and in turn improve performance against statutory KPIs.
The aim of the Validation Checklist is to address ‘poor quality’ or ‘incomplete” applications entering the planning system. A Validation Checklist provides guidance about the level and type of information required to be submitted with a planning application, in order to provide a degree of certainty and clarity to assist applicants. The requirements should be proportionate to the nature and scale of the development proposal.
It is envisaged that the Validation Checklist process will:
- address delays in the processing of applications for planning permission, by front-loading applications with all the evidence and information deemed necessary to determine the applications;
- lead to improved statutory consultee response times;
- reduce the need to re-consult statutory consultees;
- improve the time taken to reach decisions; and
- result in better quality decisions and outcomes.
