The Stormont Executive published its long-awaited draft programme for government (PfG) on Monday 9 September. It was signed off by the Northern Ireland Executive on Thursday 5 September, seven months after the return of devolution.
The nine priorities for the government are:
- grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy
- deliver affordable childcare, cut health waiting times
- end violence against women and girls
- better support for children and young people with special educational needs
- provide more social, affordable and sustainable housing
- safer communities
- protect Lough Neagh and the environment
- reform and transformation of public services.
Town Planning has a role in delivery of many of the priorities listed in the PfG:
Planning is key to growing a competitive and sustainable economy, and an economy that is also inclusive. A well-resourced, plan-led, positive and transparent planning service, which is proactive in engaging local communities, can bring together objectives across services and help achieve inclusive and sustainable development. A strong and engaged plan-led system is essential if developers and communities alike are to have confidence that development will be successful and sustainable.
Town planning plays an important role in supporting children and young people. Access to green space is particularly important for childhood development; having high access to green space in childhood can reduce the risk of developing mental health diseases later in life by up to 55%, a study by Aarhus University in 2019 found. The decrease in the quantity and quality of independent play in children has been linked to increased inequality. We would welcome the recognition in the PfG of the importance of play areas. Placemaking embeds the provision of quality, well-located and usable green spaces within developments.
Planning Committee members will be very familiar with the intrinsic role of the planning system in the delivery of more social, affordable and sustainable housing. Emerging LDPs provide the longer-term tool to ensure homes are delivered in the right places, with the right infrastructure to support them. Planners are vital to ensure the delivery of housing which is well connected with access to vital goods and services, as well as open spaces. Housing cannot be delivered in isolation.
The quality of the built environment is a determining factor for mental health, with noise, pollution levels, quality of green space, access to services and even ‘beauty’ all playing a part. Therefore, planning decisions can have an impact on mental health and wellbeing. Creating an accessible, inclusive built environment that enables everyone to play an equal role in society is important in protecting and enhancing the well-being and mental health of the communities you represent. Planning of the built environment is key to ensuring inclusion of all, especially those who experience barriers because of age, mobility difficulties or neurodiversity (including dementia).
Planning has an overarching role in setting the strategic direction for growth, balanced with environmental protection and a more inclusive society. Well-planned places, particularly those with access to green infrastructure and that enable community cohesion, are important for supporting the mental and physical health of residents.
While welcoming this Programme for Government, there are three key planning-related challenges that will need to be addressed to ensure the objectives can be realised:
- Difficult budget decisions have seen a 38% reduction in the Department for Communities’ capital budget in May 2024. Data from the Chartered Institute for Housing suggests that the number of new social homes planned for this year has plummeted by 73%, leaving only 400 new homes in the pipeline;
- Even if more funding for affordable homes were made available, the NI Water infrastructure capacity issue means that some 19,000 ‘units’ (private and social homes plus public and commercial buildings) currently in the planning or construction pipeline are unable to proceed. NI Water itself has advised that even if its April 2021-March 2027 PC21 programme were fully funded, only 4,500 of those 19,000 units could proceed. NI Water’s business plan identifies that it needs capital investment of around £2.5bn, including the Living with Water programme;
- Planners and the planning system must be properly resourced to do the job. This includes Council planning departments, statutory consultees, the Department for Infrastructure and the Planning Appeals Commission.
RTPI NI will be working with our members, DfI officials and our colleagues in other built environment professions to help seek solutions to these challenges over coming months.