The recent launch of Northern Ireland's new Planning Portal has been met with welcome support.

The replacement Planning Portal launched on 05 December, making the Planning Application and Property Certificates process much easier to navigate and complete online, improving service provided to customers. 

It will provide a more responsive and efficient planning service that will facilitate the move to paperless submissions of planning applications right across Northern Ireland. 

The new system will provide many benefits and allows customers to: 

• submit planning applications online 

• view, comment on and track live planning applications  

• report breaches of planning control (enforcement complaints) 

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• submit requests for regional property certificates.

Welcoming the introduction of the new system, the Chair of the Planning Committee Councillor Thomas O Reilly, said "The new NI Planning Portal will create an online environment where community, industry and government can work together to better understand and meet their obligations.

"It is a convenient alternative to paper-based transactions, which can only take place during business hours and will help to streamline and enhance existing processes to improve the planning experience for all stakeholders across the district."

Moving to the new Planning Portal, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council planning process will now offer a streamlined solution whereby online submission and payment of applications; submission of online enforcement complaints and online requests for Tree Preservation Orders will become the norm. 

Regional Property Certificates will also benefit, as it will help modernise the process and payments for new property certificates, which will provide the highest quality service possible. 

Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Barry McElduff commented: "Planning shapes the neighbourhoods in which we all live and work. With this kind of investment to redevelop the existing system, it will now deliver a much better end-to-end online digital planning service experience for all stakeholders involved."