Newry proves the toughest for planning applications

MID Ulster Council approved 98% of all planning applications received in the last 12 months, it has emerged.

Derry City and Strabane District Council approved more than 97% — the second highest percentage of all 11 council areas in Northern Ireland.

Across Northern Ireland, the average was 94%.

The hardest place in Northern Ireland to get an application granted last year was in Newry, Mourne and Down, which agreed 88% of the applications it received.

Planning statistics for 2017/18 were released yesterday by the Department of Infrastructure.

They show there were 12,933 planning applications received in 2017/18 — a drop of nearly 1% over the previous financial year.

That comprised 12,770 local, 161 major and two regionally significant development applications.

In total, 12,314 planning applications were decided, a decrease of 5% over the previous year.

That is less than half the peak level of 30,161 decisions recorded in 2005/06, before the economic downturn.

The number of planning applications decided has remained fairly stable since 2012/13.

The average processing time for major applications was just over 50 weeks across all councils.

That is down significantly from the 69 weeks reported for the previous year, but still well over the statutory processing time target of 30 weeks.

Only one council, Mid and East Antrim, met the processing time target during 2017/18.