To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the progress being made to review and update planning legislation and regulations to support the delivery of the Executive's agreed Housing Supply Strategy.

My Department has been working collectively with local government and other stakeholders to improve the planning system through the Planning Improvement Programme (PIP).

The PIP has and will deliver a number of changes to planning legislation which will enhance and make a tangible difference to the planning system here in the North. These changes include the introduction of legislation to enable council planning authorities to introduce statutory validation checklists (Statutory Rule has been made and will come into operation on 1 April 2025) which will improve the quality of planning applications entering the system, and in turn reduce the potential for delay through the application process. My Department is also conducting a review of the Planning (Development Management) Regulations (NI) 2015 to ensure that they are practical and appropriate to support current and future development trends, streamline the planning application process, and encourage greater participation in the planning process.

I am acutely aware of the challenges around housing supply in the North and the importance that the planning system plays in helping to meet current and foreseeable housing needs. My Department will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that we have a planning system that delivers the necessary socio-economic and environmental outcomes for our society.