Council to employ three additional planning officers 'at a total cost of £160k per year'
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) is to employ additional officers at an extra cost to ratepayers to help cut major delays to planning applications.
Concerns were previously raised over NMDDC’s failure to recruit staff causing poor performance within the planning department.
The authority has now agreed behind closed doors this week at its strategy, policy and resources (SPR) committee to increase its workforce numbers.
In open session, SPR chairperson, Tierna Howie (Alliance) said: “It was agreed to note the contents of the report and the proposed additional performance improvement actions.
“To approve the appointment of additional planning officers from a reserve list following the current recruitment exercise. And to approve the additional budget allocation.”
The council has conducted 13 recruitment drives in the last two years for the planning department.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that three additional planning officers will be employed at a total cost of £160k per year, due to concerns over a backlog in processing times. Though a business case is yet to be agreed.
A 2023 performance report from NMDDC showed a 513 week processing time of major planning applications. The regional average was 59 weeks.
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has shown a marked decrease in major application processing times to 115 weeks by the period ending March 2024.
However, local planning applications at NMDDC have seen a steady rise in waiting times from 29 weeks in September 2023 to 42 weeks by the period ending March 2024.
The updated NISRA quarterly planning report is due to be published later this month.