The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has launched a quicker service which allows solicitors and vendors to access copies of a Water Discharge Consent online.

David Small, NIEA Chief Executive, said the creation of the online Water Order Domestic Consents Public Register welcomed the announcement.

He said: "NIEA have some 140,000 consents, dating back to 1973, for Single Domestic Dwellings across Northern Ireland. Proof of existence of a Water Order Discharge Consent is required by solicitors when carrying out domestic conveyancing work.

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"Before, delays in getting copies of the consents could hold-up or even compromise house sales, but now all consents from 1990-2018 can be immediately downloaded. The new system will also help solicitors in the Property Certificate process as they will be able to identify the Consent Number which again will speed up the conveyancing process."

Due to the age of some of the records and the change to use of postcodes, it can be difficult to identify a specific consent. Users are advised older consents might have been granted under a townland and not a specific address.

Requests for older consents forms will still be dealt with by NIEA within 15 working days.

(CD/JP)