Dr Stephen McKay (QUB): The Northern Ireland planning system has witnessed major reform in 2015, with key responsibilities being transferred to new local authorities. There are far-reaching consequences of this relating to the future management of development and the production of a new generation of area plans. This will also have an impact on arrangements and capabilities for how unauthorised development is monitored and controlled through the process of planning enforcement. This presentation reflects on past performance of planning enforcement in Northern Ireland and assesses the robustness of this in relation to the new arrangements for planning. The presentation explores the prospects for developing of alternative ways of managing unauthorised development, developing a more co-ordinated approach to enforcement practice, delivering training programmes for key stakeholders and securing the implementation of key legislative duties.
