Statement

WEIR WELCOMES STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC PLANNING PRIORITIES  

Posted on: June 2, 2009

“I welcome the announcement by Environment Minister Sammy Wilson today that economic development considerations will be given greater weight in the Planning process. The need for planners to take greater account of the economic implications of their decisions, coupled with a drive towards a streamlined, speedier and more efficient planning procedure, are part of a wider process of planning reform aimed at improving the system. The need to give greater weight to economic development though the planning system, against the backdrop of ensuring that development is sustainable, is something that all right thinking people should welcome. 

We are living in difficult global economic circumstances, and this has implications for jobs, not least in North Down, where the Town Centre Manager has recently reported on businesses closing, so creating a business friendly environment, which will help nurture new enterprise is the right thing to do. Greater economic awareness within the planning system, goes alongside a wider package of measures, such as freezing the Regional Rate, holding manufacturing rates and the new Small Business Rates Relief Scheme. It shows the DUP as the most pro business party in Northern Ireland. While there is much further work to be done on planning reform, this is a welcome step in the right direction.”