It has been announced that so-called planning interventions are to be used to help aid economic recovery.

Two independent bodies will be established to examine measures to improve the planning system - a bid that is hoped will help the economy.

The two groups are to be made up of key industry and business stakeholders as well as planning and environmental experts.

Stormont Environment Minister Alex Attwood announced the intention of organising such a body yesterday.

He confirmed that the groups are part of a range of interventions aimed at pushing to improve and reshape the planning system.

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The independent bodies are expected to report to the Minister with their findings by the end of October this year. 

They will work to tight 33-day timeframe to begin with.

Speaking at a meeting of the Planning Forum Alex Attwood said: "The interventions I am proposing aim to do exactly what we need them to do: deliver a planning system that will favour economic growth.

"The two groups that I have set up today will help me realise those plans by looking at real ways in which we can change the planning system for the better," he said.

"I am also intensifying efforts to simplify and streamline the planning system in order to make it more effective and efficient, providing applicants and the development industry with greater certainty and speed of decision making," added Mr Attwood.

With the full effect of the economic downturn now being felt the minister believes that it is more "crucial" than ever to make this a priority.

(LB/BMcC)