Northern Ireland Planning Service - complete joke.

[Cold tea]

At a time when the economy is crying out for injections we have this crowd of muppets to deal with.  I have submitted plans for an extension before Christmas, have been tracking it online - the extension has been estimated around 70K, so it is a considerable piece of work.  There has been no movement on it so our architect contacted them, the girl said she hasn't had time to look at it and won't for the next few months, taking us into the summer so I will have to wait until next year for it to be done.  Our architect said it was a straight forward planning application and it should be streamlined and passed to someone who can look at it, she said thats not how they work it is in her case load and she will get to it within the next few months!!! Jesus wept  .

[Banana Man]

go to your MLA - cry like f**k, that planning dept is an absolute joke. They have the vaguest policies where something is passed a carbon copy a hundred yards down the road won't pass even though it's governed by the same policy! No consistency whatsoever, they grind my gears big time!!

[Canalman]

Very simple Cold Tea, send a letter of complaint BY REGISTERED POST to the person in question and his/her supervisor/ dept head/complaints officer calmly expressing your dissatisfaction with what is happening....... demand a written reply within 7 days. If no reply, write to the ombudsman and you should get some movement............... however they may refuse you your application so be careful in looking for quick action.

Phone calls and emails are a waste of time.

The key imo is to play them at their own game, buerocratize (sic) them back. Key is to always cc a letter to a supervisor or dept head and DEMAND a written reply back.

[Cold tea]

however they may refuse you your application so be careful in looking for quick action.

That's my biggest worry as these muppets seem to be a law on to themselves!  If I picked up some work in my job and said I won't get looking at this for over 6 months, I would be told to be careful I didn't trip on the step on the way out the door!

[Lecale2]

Planning applications are way down on what they were a couple of years ago so I can't understand the delay. This would be a good time to get an MLA on the case 

[Minder]

Planning applications are way down on what they were a couple of years ago so I can't understand the delay. This would be a good time to get an MLA on the case 

Staff are also well down, a lot have been redeployed to different departments.

[johnneycool]

Planning applications are way down on what they were a couple of years ago so I can't understand the delay. This would be a good time to get an MLA on the case 

Staff are also well down, a lot have been redeployed to different departments.

and some facing the chop!

[el_cuervo_fc]

The big issue with the Planning Service at the minute is the fact that a sizeable chunk of their staff have been redeployed to other departments.

Most of the staff at PTO grade have been moved on.  Any files that they have will have been reallocated to the remaining staff. 

This has created a backlog again as in a lot of the applications the new case officer has to revisit the site.  Their case load has now multiplied and the most likely scenario is that they are taking the applications in numerical order.

An application for an extension is a streamlined application but the problem is that this only means that it doesn't have to go to the Councils.  These type of applications are all backlogged as well.

It's the muppets at the top who are culling the numbers are the ones to blame for the whole mess.  Apparently there are more cuts ahead too.

Not exactly a way to help stimulate the economy.  If the Planners can't get the decision out it stalls the whole thing up for the rest of the industry. 

[dinkydonut]

Any particular areas badly affected by low staff numbers? What would be the average turnaround time of a new build application be if there were no objections/amendments etc?

[Banana Man]

Any particular areas badly affected by low staff numbers? What would be the average turnaround time of a new build application be if there were no objections/amendments etc?

i didn't think there were any grounds for new builds now??? unless GAP site, farm house etc...

[dinkydonut]

yeah right on both i think, criteria relaxed if farm house or satisfies development of infill site, just wondering how long process normally takes

[el_cuervo_fc]

You'd be doing well at 6 months after submission

[spiritof91and94]

it is a joke - is it downpatrick office by any chance? 130 social houses for newcastle put through in 5 weeks despite the inadequate sewage system in the town - the local councillors all claiming there bit of glory at giving such a good boost for the town - oh yeah elections are in 5 weeks!!!!
and all it will end up is a social dumping ground for scumbags being moved on from other areas!!!!

[Hereiam]

Armagh is shocking. Had an application in for nearly10 months.

[wanderer]

Cold tea you have hit the nail on the head. I have been dealing with these shower of ***** for nearly a year, and they haven't a clue. What I have learned:

• Councillors are a set of apologists who will say everything you want to hear to your face. But will not and I mean will not do anything that will upset the planners as they need them for their own means.
• Send them post, email, carrier pigeons you will get the same thing. Standard templates that say nothing over the course of 2 pages
• Their bosses are just as useless, and twice as corrupt. I was actually told that they made a mess of my application but the only way that they can look at it again is if I pay again, FULL PRICE! There  is nothing in the new document that allows for planners to make mistakes, so there is no procedure for refunds or reviews
• If you want to go to the Ombusman or Planning appeals commitee expect to be tied up for 18-24 months. Great news if you are in no hurry to build a house, but a bit of a pain in the arse if you are
• They now have to run the planning department like a business (except the providing service to customers bit) and so what money they spend (wages etc) they have to gather. Hence it is in their best interests to reject you a few times for pedantic reasons and then disregard them all when they get annoyed with you for keeping coming back
• They rejected me for all sorts of reasons that I proved incorrect, but no chance I get a refund/apology/review. I just got passed from pillar to post (Planning Officers, Senior Planning Officers, Councillers, Ministers). It is without doubt the most inept process I have ever dealt with

I have dealt with planners in the UK mainland for some projects, and they have a certain degree of communication, bargaining and resolution. NI's version is laughable. I have told Planning Advisers in the UK some of the stuff and they actually don't believe me, in between laughing and shaking their heads

RANT OVER