A Bill to transfer planning powers to councils is fundamental to the development of local democracy, the NI Environment Minister, Edwin Poots said on Tuesday.

DUP MLA Mr Poots was speaking before a key Assembly debate on the Planning Bill.

The Minister said: "The proposals in this Bill will transform our planning system.

"They pave the way for the transfer of planning functions to local government within a timescale and in circumstances to be determined by the Executive.

"They will make the planning system more effective and speed up decision making," he claimed.

"The new Councils will be Planning Authorities and will be responsible for drawing up Local Development Plans and for decisions on most planning applications within their respective areas.

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"Each Council, will work with local people to create a clear vision of what its area should be like in future.

"The Council will draw up a 15-year Local Development Plan to show how the vision will be realised and what types of development will go where.

"Planning impacts on all our lives. This Bill therefore gives local people a real chance to influence planning. Councils will have to publish statements explaining to everyone in the community how they can have their say in the planning process," he continued, noting that "developers will have to take account of the views of the community when they are drawing up applications".

He also said that not all planning powers would move to Councils and that the policy framework will still be a matter for Ministers.

"The Department of the Environment will advise the Councils on the practical aspects of planning and it will have oversight and performance management responsibilities. It will also determine the most complex planning applications."

Initially introduced to the Assembly on 6 December, the Planning Bill is said to be a key step in the reform of planning and local government - as set out by the Minister in his Statement to the Assembly on November 30.

See: 'Super Councils' To Make Planning Decisions

(BMcC/GK)