A new planning office is to open for Lisburn and Castlereagh Council in County Antrim.

From Monday 19 January, the new Local Area Planning Office will relocate to Lagan Valley Island, the headquarters building for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

Experienced Planners from DOE Area Planning Team will work alongside future council colleagues while ensuring a normal planning service is maintained for the area covered by the new council.

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Welcoming the move, Northern Ireland Transport Minister Mark H Durkan said: "Planning reform is about bringing forward improvements to the planning system, improvements that will bring planning closer to the public and make it easier for the public to access and participate in the planning process. This is part of the wider local government reform programme which will ultimately deliver local councils which are more effective, more efficient and more responsive to the needs of their local business and community.

"All 11 new councils need to be ready to assume their new responsibilities when planning functions are formally transferred to them in April. The opening of the Local Area Planning Office for Lisburn and Castlereagh Council in the Island Civic Centre is another tangible step forward in this preparation."

(CD/IT)