To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail what actions he will take to require all Local Government Development Plans to be completed and published by as part of his work to reduce homelessness.

Council Local Development Plans (LDPs) are the main vehicle for housing delivery by assessing future housing land requirements and managing housing growth to achieve sustainable patterns of residential development. This process allows councils to address local housing issues within their communities. Ultimately, councils have the important responsibility for setting a vision for the long-term future development of their areas through the preparation of LDPs. In doing so councils have the flexibility to bring forward bespoke approaches to dealing with any local issues which affect their communities. In the North, the promotion of healthy housing policy and the provision of decent, affordable and sustainable homes is the responsibility of the Department for Communities (DfC).

I am committed to ensuring that our planning system operates in an efficient and effective way.

The Planning Improvement Programme is progressing, working closely with local government and partners, to improve current processes and the performance and delivery of the system. This wide-ranging improvement programme has already delivered important changes, all of which will continue to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our planning system.

I want to build on the positive work that has been taken forward to date and have asked my officials to arrange a series of meetings with councils with a specific focus on improving performance; identifying challenges; recognising success and promoting key learning across the system. Within my Department, steps have already been taken to increase staffing, mitigate and address performance of consultees.

However, there is more to do, and I am delighted the ‘Transforming Planning’ bid to the Interim Public Sector Transformation Board has made it to Stage 2 of the process. This bid includes proposals to support and enhance the role of my Department’s Statutory Consultees and to appoint persons to undertake work that the Planning Appeals Commission has been unable to progress. I am hopeful that this bid will ultimately be successful.