Sustainable Development&

Planning Controls

Control: Planning Service

• The first Planning Act was in 1909. The main principles of that Act are now contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

• Planning Authorities have a number of roles in relation to planning policy and development control such as:

– Granting planning permission e.g. listed building consent, erection of new buildings, change of use

Control: Planning Service

– Preparation of development plans relating to strategic policies with regard to such matters as transport, housing, and varied land use.) including zoning land use

– Determining whether a development should be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment.

– Taking enforcement action in respect of breaches of planning control

Fines totaling £21,000 for demolition of listed buildings Mon, 8 Feb 2010 - A property owner and a company were today fined a total of £21,000 at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court for demolishing a number of buildings after a Building Preservation Notice had been served.

Belfast man fined £800 for removal of protected trees Tue, 11 May 2010 - A Belfast man was fined £800 plus £75 legal costs and £10 court costs at Belfast Magistrates' Court on 11 May 2010 for the unauthorised removal of trees.

Belfast Woman Fined for Unauthorised Dormer Window Tue, 5 Oct 2010 - A Belfast woman was fined £200.00 plus court costs of £85.00 on 5th October 2010 at Belfast Magistrates Court for failing to comply with a Planning Service enforcement notice.

Examples of Planning Enforcement

Control: Building Control

• Principal Regulations are more commonly referred to as the Building Regulations and currently are "The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000". 

– They impose certain mandatory requirements (called functional or performance requirements) in relation to:-

a. The construction of any building and to certain services and fittings in conjunction with any buildingb. The structural alteration or extension of any building andc. Any building undergoing a material change of use.

Control: Building Control

Building Control:

• Regulates demolition, alteration and erection of buildings including any environmental issues such as heating, lighting, ventilation and drainage

• Set targets for the energy performance of buildings

• Checks plans for conformity with Building Control regulations

• Carries out site inspections to ensure compliance

• Enforces regulations where these have been breached

Protection by Design & Specification

• Sustainable construction techniques include:

• Highly insulated building envelope

• Airtight construction

• Proper ventilation (heat exchanger)

Good orientation and passive solar design

Consider putting main ‘day’ roomstowards the south with generous glazing and other rooms towards the north with less glazing.

This will minimise heat loss and optimise passive solar gains

Protection by Design & Specification

Provision of overhanging eaves or awnings will prevent overheating in summer (therefore reducing need for air conditioning)

Protection by Design & Specification

Sourcing local materials

• Sourcing local materials (less transport impacts)

• Low embodied energy materials (e.g. sheep’s wool or recycled paper insulation, sustainable timber, local stonework, lime render)