Planning

SERVICE UPDATE 

FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER 2020

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.

Planning staff are receiving new applications and 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 now 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.

Planning Committee meetings recommenced following social distancing guidance on Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd July 2020 and subsequently on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd September 2020.  Both meetings were livestreamed and can be viewed online on the Council’s YouTube Channel. Virtual Planning Committee Meetings were held on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October 2020 at 2.00pm. 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, Virtual Planning Committees will continue until further notice.  Further  information regarding 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. Schedules for all upcoming Committee Meetings continue to be advertised on the Planning Section of our website.

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.

The re-consultation on the LDP Draft Plan Strategy stage will run  for a period of eight weeks from 11 September to 06 November. All documents are available online or for inspection by appointment only at the Council offices on Strand Road, Derry, or Derry Road, Strabane. Information is also available at all Council leisure centres and at all public libraries within the Council area. For more information and to book an appointment click HERE.

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 planning portal: https://www.planningni.gov.uk  or 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.

 

Derry City and Strabane District Council will be undertaking a period of re-consultation on the draft Plan Strategy (dPS) of the Local Development Plan 2032 (LDP). The re-consultation will run for a period of 8 weeks from 11^th September to 6^th November 2020.

The Council’s LDP draft Plan Strategy was already published in December 2019, followed by a consultation period which ended in January 2020. However, a procedural error has been identified so this further consultation period is now being undertaken. All those who previously submitted a representation will be written to separately. Any additional or revised representations may now be submitted during this re-consultation period. Further details can be found HERE.