To ask the Minister for Infrastructure why the publication of the Report on the Review of the Implementation of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 was delayed until 27 January 2022 following the conclusion of the consultation on 16 April 2021.

A ‘Call for Evidence’ to assist in the preparation of the review report, was issued on 15 February 2021, and ran over an eight week period ending 16 April 2021. This was not a consultation exercise but rather, an evidence gathering exercise which attracted 55 complex, voluminous and detailed contributions from a range of stakeholders including, all 11 local councils, electricity/renewables and business sectors, environmental NGOs, community interests and some political parties.

Officials briefed the Committee for Infrastructure on 23 June 2021, with an overview of the broad themes which emerged from the analysis of responses to the Call for Evidence. Thereafter, further and more detailed analysis of the available evidence was undertaken which, together with the views and comments obtained through engagement with, for example, the Heads of Planning in local councils, provided the foundation for informed consideration of the suggestions for legislative and other change. This methodology culminated in the final review report together with its associated recommendations / actions being published on 27 January 2022.