Apply for planning permission in Northern Ireland

How to apply for planning permission through Northern Ireland's devolved planning system. Covers the 11 council application process, the Department for Infrastructure's role in regionally significant applications, fees, and what to expect after submission.

Northern Ireland
Guide summary

You may need planning permission to build, extend or change how you use a property in Northern Ireland. Check with your local council and apply online or through the NI Planning Register. Fees and rules vary depending on your project size and location.

  • Apply through your local council for most projects
  • Regionally significant projects go to the Department for Infrastructure
  • Target decision time is 15 weeks for local applications
  • Target decision time is 30 weeks for major applications
  • Check if you need permission under permitted development rights
  • Consider pre-application discussion with your council
  • Application fees vary by council and project size
  • Submit required documents including an application form
  • Use the NI Planning Register for online applications
  • Appeal decisions through the Planning Appeals Commission
On this page
Northern Ireland

Related guides in Premises & Operations

If you are starting or expanding a business in Northern Ireland, you may need planning permission before you build, extend, or change how you use a property. Northern Ireland has a fully devolved planning system that operates separately from England, Wales, and Scotland, so guidance written for GB does not apply.

Since April 2015, most planning applications are decided by one of the 11 district councils. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) handles regionally significant and called-in applications. This guide takes you through the NI-specific process step by step.

Check whether you need planning permission

Not every change to a property requires a planning application. Before you apply, check whether your proposal falls within permitted development rights under the NI GPDO. If it does, you can proceed without a formal application.

If you are unsure, you can apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development (CLUD) from your council. This confirms whether your proposed use or works are lawful without full planning permission. The fee for a proposed-use CLUD is half the equivalent planning application fee.

Before you apply

Identify your council

Find which of the 11 councils covers the site where you want to develop. Each council has a planning department with its own Local Development Plan (or emerging plan) setting out policies for its area.

Consider pre-application discussion

Most NI councils offer a pre-application discussion (PAD) service. This is an informal consultation with a planning officer before you submit. It is not mandatory, but it helps you understand:

  • Whether your proposal is likely to receive support
  • Which supporting documents you need to submit
  • Any policy constraints affecting the site (conservation area, AONB, flood risk)
  • Whether your application would be classified as local, major, or regionally significant

PAD fees vary by council. Contact your council planning office directly to arrange one.

Application categories in Northern Ireland

NI planning applications fall into three categories, and the category determines which body decides your application and how long it should take:

  • Local applications: The majority of business applications. Decided by your district council. Target determination period is 15 weeks from validation.
  • Major applications: Larger developments meeting defined thresholds (for example, 50 or more dwellings, or 1 hectare or more of commercial floor space). Decided by the council but subject to additional consultation requirements. Target determination period is 30 weeks.
  • Regionally significant applications: Large-scale proposals with strategic implications (for example, major infrastructure, mineral extraction above defined thresholds). Decided by the Department for Infrastructure, not the council.

Most small and medium business applications are classified as local.

What you need to submit

All NI planning applications require:

  • Completed application form: Available through the NI Planning Register or directly from your council
  • Site location plan: At 1:2500 scale showing the site outlined in red and any other land you own outlined in blue
  • Site layout plan: At 1:500 or 1:200 showing the proposed development and its relationship to boundaries
  • Ownership certificate: Confirming ownership of the land and that any other owners have been notified
  • Correct fee: Based on the type and scale of development

Depending on the nature of your proposal, the council may also require:

  • Design and Access Statement (required for most applications except householder)
  • Flood Risk Assessment
  • Ecological or habitat survey
  • Transport Assessment or Travel Plan
  • Noise impact assessment
  • Contamination assessment

Check your council's validation requirements before submitting. Incomplete applications are returned as invalid and the clock does not start until you resubmit correctly.

Planning application fees

Fees in Northern Ireland are set by the Department for Infrastructure and are generally lower than equivalent fees in England. The current fee schedule applies:

Step-by-step: submit your planning application

  1. 1

    Check whether you need planning permission

    Review permitted development rights under the NI GPDO. If your proposal falls within permitted development, you do not need to apply. If unsure, apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development from your council.

  2. 2

    Identify your council and request pre-application discussion

    Contact the planning department of the district council covering your site. Ask about pre-application discussion and any locally specific policy requirements. This is particularly important if the site is in a conservation area, AONB, or flood risk zone.

  3. 3

    Gather supporting documents

    Prepare site plans, floor plans, elevations, and any specialist reports your council requires. Check the council's validation checklist so nothing is missing. Commission surveys early, as ecological or flood risk assessments can take several weeks.

  4. 4

    Complete the application form and calculate the fee

    Complete the application form through the NI Planning Register at planningregister.planningsystemni.gov.uk or through your council's planning portal. Calculate the correct fee using the fee schedule.

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit online or in person to your council planning office. Keep your confirmation and reference number. The statutory clock starts from the date the council validates your application, not from the date you submit.

  6. 6

    Respond to consultation and requests for information

    The council will consult neighbours and statutory consultees. You may be asked for additional information or amendments. Respond promptly, as delays extend the determination period.

  7. 7

    Receive and review the decision

    The council (or DfI for regionally significant applications) will issue a decision notice. If approved, read all conditions carefully. If refused, the decision notice will explain the reasons. You can appeal to the Planning Appeals Commission within four months of the refusal date.

If your application is refused

If your planning application is refused, you have three options:

  • Amend and resubmit: Address the reasons for refusal and submit a new application. There is no fee for a revised application submitted within 12 months if there is no material change to the proposal.
  • Appeal: Submit an appeal to the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) within four months of the refusal date. Appeals are free but can take several months. The PAC is independent of both the council and DfI.
  • Negotiate: Discuss with the council planning officer what changes would make your proposal acceptable before resubmitting.

Enforcement

Carrying out development without required planning permission is not a criminal offence in itself, but ignoring an enforcement notice is. Councils in Northern Ireland can issue:

  • Enforcement notices: Requiring you to stop an unauthorised use or reverse unauthorised works
  • Stop notices: Requiring immediate cessation of an activity
  • Fixed penalty notices: For minor breaches

Non-compliance with an enforcement notice is a criminal offence carrying fines of up to GBP 100,000 on summary conviction.

Official planning guidance