Prop-arazzi

The proposed hike is essential to save jobs within the cash-strapped Planning Service, Stormont’s Environment committee heard on Thursday.

A top civil servant told members that annual revenue from planning applications had dropped by £4.5m. Last year it had been been around £21m.

The committee heard that Environment Minister Sammy Wilson had already agreed to an increase in tariffs.

These currently range from £130 for certificates for minor home building work to thousands of pounds for major commercial and business developments.

The plan brought criticism from committee members who questioned the impact on an already struggling construction industry.

Stephen Peover, permanent secretary at the Department of Environment, said: “The intention is to come forward with a proposal for a 20% increase in planning application fees.

‘Laying off’

“If we were a business, if the department were a commercial business, I would be laying off considerable numbers of Planning Service staff because we cannot afford to pay for them.”

Chair of the Environment committee Patsy McGlone said additional costs would put an extra burden on those working in construction.

“I’m sure those of us who do represent constituencies with a lot of self-employed builders and contractors and the likes and people servicing them don’t rate a 20% increase in planning fees as any particular incentive to stimulate the industry,” said the SDLP Mid Ulster representative.

But Mr Peover said damage could be sustained to the Planning Service if the fees were not increased.

“We face the prospect of two real risks,” he said.

‘Staff on tap’

“One that there will be an upturn in planning applications, the economy will begin to improve, and we’ll begin to see planning applications turn up again and we will not have the experienced staff on tap to deal with them if we can’t afford to employ them.

“The second risk is we are proposing to transfer the whole function to local government in May 2011, less than two years away now.

“If we were to allow it to run down in the intervening two years we would be handing over to local government, possibly just at the time when an economic upturn is happening, an under-funded, under-resourced and under-staffed Planning service.”

Here at Weber Shandwick we have some clients who are increasingly delving into the world of CSR as a means of building profile as responsible businesses. One of our clients has decided after much thought of building a schoon in the Kibaale District of Uganda. In seven weeks time yours truly will be heading out with some of the other staff here to put the finishing touches to a primary school that will have a massive positive impact on the local community there. We will keep you updated on the project and how we get on.

In the meantime check out our project blog at www.oneweekinuganda.com

The advent of the mini budget today in the south has also rung the death knell for up to 5 junior ministerial posts. 20 ministers will be reduced to 15 later this month. The southern press report that the exchequer will save up to €3 million euros. Seriously, €3million,  thats all.  As they say here, it wouldn’t fill a gap in your tooth never mind polyfil another fissure in the celtic leopard, or whatever the hell it is called nowadays.

The Irish Times reports this morning that the Irish Budget later today will see the setting up of a new asset management agency which will ‘purchase’ billions of euros of properties and land suitable for development from local banks at a cut price. The new agency will be run by the National Treasury Management Agency and is rumoured to be backed by a fund worth €60 - €80 billion - holy smokes!

SDLP South Belfast Councillor Pat McCarthy has called on the Planning Service and elected members not to defer planning applications unnecessarily.

Speaking after last night’s Belfast City Town Planning meeting, Councillor McCarthy said:

“It was revealed at last night’s meeting that there has been a 40% decrease in the number of planning applications being sent to the Planning Service over the past three months.

“This means there will be a 40% less work for tradesmen, architects, building suppliers and a whole host of people throughout the construction industry.

“I would urge the Planning Service not to just rule out planning applications for the sake of it and to be more flexible and interpretive when assessing them.

“More people must be given the go-ahead to build if we are to survive these murky economic times.”

“That this House is deeply concerned by the very poor quality of housing in parts of the privately-rented sector, as evidenced by the recent Rugg review, where damp and poorly insulated properties are a major contributor to health inequality and child poverty in this country; notes that this can be a particular problem in homes of multiple occupancy such as in seaside towns as well as in cities where prices are high but incomes are low; commends the Government for committing to raising all social housing to the decent homes standard; and urges the Government to do the same for privately-rented housing by refusing to pay housing benefit and local housing allowance for substandard properties”.