SDLP Economy spokesperson Patsy McGlone has said that Sinn Féin and the DUP are attempting to make the Planning Bill cumbersome and have failed to explain what Economically Significant Planning Zones (ESPZ) will constitute.

Mr McGlone said: "Sinn Féin and the DUP made amendments to the Planning Bill which meant our new local authorities were obliged to prioritise economic development. On the face of it this seems reasonable however the wider ramifications for our planning system are deeply concerning.

"The planning system should act on behalf of us all and decisions on development should be taken in the public interest. Sinn Féin and the DUP are seeking to take us away from balanced regulation of planning applications to a more market led-approach.

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"There is a real danger that the proposal for Economically Significant Planning Zones (ESPZ) has the potential to be a free-for-all for frackers. OFMdFM have not been able to explain how such zones would work in practice and no clear purpose or objectives have been set out.

"In the absence of any detail and information on what will constitute an ESPZ and what types of applications will qualify, there are, and can be no guarantees, assurances or clarity about how these provisions will help the economy – no one has established the benefits or costs of these proposals or identified who will benefit or suffer the most.

"In fact, these clauses and the fact that they are outside the legal competency of this Assembly, means they will only add greater uncertainty to the planning system and in all likelihood discourage further investment in Northern Ireland.

"Our Planning system is better placed to support economic development under the Minister's programme of reform. The Minister referred to numerous examples where applications have been processed in a speedy manner including the Peace Bridge in Derry; £30million redevelopment of Windsor Park NI Football Stadium; £70 million Regional Radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin Hospital and the Narrow Water Bridge among others. This is the kind of system that works in the public interest and it is quite clear that the economy is already a material consideration in determining planning applications."

(CD/MH)