Stephen Peover, the Northern Ireland Permanent Secretary at the Department of the Environment, outlined priorities for the environment at a civic reception at Stormont yesterday.

Addressing the event, part of the UK/Ireland Planning Conference on spatial planning, social justice and sustainable development, he said: "I welcome the opportunity to host this reception this evening, particularly since it is the first time Northern Ireland has secured this event.

"There are six key areas which the Minister has identified as her personal priorities and which have a particular resonance with the themes of the conference," he said.

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These are the reform of Local Government and the planning system, draft PPS 14, environmental governance, dealing effectively and efficiently with waste and of course climate change which is an important cross-cutting issue not only for Government but for all individuals.

He added: "The Executive is very conscious of the complexity of these priorities and the issues that still need to be resolved. It has been considering the best way forward for Northern Ireland on many of these and making progress across a wide range of issues.

"Planning plays a key role in helping to deliver on the Executive's social, economic and environmental priorities and the vision is that the planning system will be a means by which sustainable change can be successfully managed, rather than appearing to be a brake on much needed development."

(VB/JM)