Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has been named as one of the three Northern Ireland local authorities to meet all statutory performance targets for planning in 2018/19.

These speedy planning decisions have allowed for economic performance to help deliver not only construction jobs, but much needed full-time employment in the Borough. 

According to recent figures, the council recorded the highest proportion of decisions made within target on planning applications for major development. They determined almost 80% of significant schemes across the Borough in under seven months against a NI average of 28%.

The figures were included in the Department for Infrastructure's Annual Statistical Bulletin for 2018/19.

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Welcoming the results, Alderman Philip Brett, Chair of the Council's Planning Committee said: "Congratulations to the Members of the Committee and Council Officers, who continue to set the standard when it comes to planning. Working collaboratively, we have excelled in terms of local government planning reform and are consistently delivering improvements to the planning process.

"Antrim and Newtownabbey has the lowest proportion of applications over a year old and is leading the way in turnaround time for planning applications across Northern Ireland, with a particular emphasis on the speedy processing of significant major investment proposals."

Amongst the major investment schemes successfully delivered on time during the year were the new Lidl supermarket in Antrim, the redevelopment of Coleman's Garden Centre in Templepatrick and the proposed Omniplex cinema at the Abbeycentre and the new Premier Inn at Belfast International Airport. It is estimated that these schemes alone will deliver over £20 million of investment into the Borough.

The council also announced that its forthcoming draft Plan Strategy will be published on Friday 28 June.

(CM/JG)