Planning

SERVICE UPDATE 

Planning Service continues to operate most services as normal with staff continuing to work from home and the provision of a reduced number of back office staff providing a range of functions to keep the service operational. Site visits have also recommenced for open air urban and rural sites and dynamic risk assessments are carried out to undertake more complex sites.  Some Planning Committee Member site visits have recommenced following dynamic and approved Health & Safety risk assessments.

Planning staff continue to receive new applications and are progressing existing applications in the normal manner, issuing decisions and using technology to engage with customers where necessary.  New applications and revised drawings or any additional information can also be dropped off at the Reception of Strand Road Council Offices. However, the Department is unable to offer external meetings in person but we continue to engage with customers through virtual meetings and phone calls.

Virtual Planning Committee meetings continue to be held as agreed by Elected Members of Derry City & Strabane District Council in response to Government guidelines and in the interests of providing services safely across the Council area.  A Virtual Planning Committee was held on Wednesday 3^rd March 2021 and a further Special Planning Committee was held virtually on Wednesday 24^th March 2021 at 2.00pm.  The date of the Planning Committee in April has been changed due to the Easter Public Holidays and will now be held virtually on Monday 12^th April 2021 at 2.00pm to facilitate participants wishing to contribute to the Committee.  The scheduled list of applications for discussion at Planning Committees are published on the Planning Section of our website one week prior to Committee meetings.  All Planning Committee meetings were livestreamed and can be viewed online on the Council’s YouTube Channel .  Further information regarding the operation of Virtual Planning Committee Meetings can also be found on our website : ‘Addendum to the Operation of the Planning Committee Protocol . Virtual Committee Meetings’.   If you wish to request Speaking Rights at Committee Meetings, you can contact our office directly at: [email protected] or the main office at 📞028 71 253253 and ask to speak to a member of the Planning Service.

The Planning Enforcement Service continues to progress and deal with complaints as far as possible with restrictions on some site visits.  However, rural and urban open air sites are now being inspected along with emergency and priority cases being progressed and under regular review.

Local Development Plan consultations for Representations and Counter Representations were  submitted up to 22^nd January 2021 and are now closed.  All Representations and Counter Representations are now available for inspection via the following link: Reps & Counter Reps to the LDP Draft Plan Strategy.  They are available for inspection during normal office opening hours, strictly by appointment only due to COVID 19 restrictions, at the Council’s two main offices at 98 Strand Road, Derry, BT48 7NN and 47 Derry Road, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, BT82 8DY.  If you do require to inspect the Reps or Counter Reps in hard copy, please write to us or submit an email to the [email protected] or telephone the LDP Team during normal office hours on 028 71 253253. Arrangements will be made for an appointment.

As the Planning Office is currently closed to public access, anyone requesting planning information about application forms, planning fees and current planning applications are encouraged to visit the following link: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/finding-planning-application or https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/regional-property-certificates for Regional Property Certificates.  You can also contact the service directly at [email protected] or the main office at 📞028 71 253253 and ask to speak to a member of the Planning Service.