To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) to detail the response times of the Natural Environment Division for renewable energy planning application, in each of the last three years; and (ii) to detail steps he has taken to improve performance.

In the last three years, Natural Environment Division have received in totality, 651 planning consultations for renewable energy applications for consideration and advice. The figures below outline the breakdown of this number of planning consultations year on year and the average response times.

DAERA is working to improve its consultation response performance through the Department for Infrastructure cross-governmental Planning Forum and an NIEA/EMFG Planning Action Plan. Action include Process and Caseload Management; Monitoring and Review; IT; and engagement with stakeholders, particularly the Local Planning Authorities, across a range of issues including those around consultation processes and maximising the use of existing published information and guidance. For example officials have recently introduced new Standing Advice for Single Dwellings, following a successful workshop open to all planners, to introduce a risk based approach to single dwelling applications which in turn should reduce the number of unnecessary single dwelling consultations being sent to the Department.