Councillor claims Newcastle firms do not have planning OK

Councillor claims Newcastle firms do not have planning OK

18 January 2012 - by DAVID TELFORD

A NEWCASTLE politician has expressed concern about the number of businesses operating in the resort without planning permission.

Councillor Carmel O’Boyle said while most people go through the proper channels with the Planning Service to seek permission to establish their businesses, others are “flouting the law and setting up shop without anyone in authority knowing what is going on behind closed doors.”

The Newcastle politician claimed some people in the town are moving from one business premises to another and are not going through the proper channels to do this either.

“I have repeatedly asked the planning department to do something about this but with hundreds of enforcement notices pending — and these are just the ones the planners know about — enforcement has become an impossible task for planners,” she declared.

“In addition, there are buildings that are falling down and their owners are doing nothing to make them safe. Again, the enforcement process takes so long that nothing ever seems to get done.”

Welcoming a recent PSNI drugs seizure at the Dundrum Road in Newcastle, Councillor O’Boyle said while pleased it was a success, she suggested it is “little wonder people are getting away with carrying out illegal activities when no one has any record of what is going on in some premises across the district.”

She added: “I would like to see an increase in the inspection of all premises that are operating without planning permission.

A Planning Service spokesman said a breach of planning control occurs when development or other activities take place without the necessary planning permission or consent.

He said the Department of Environment (DOE), in line with its statutory duty, will investigate any alleged breach of planning control that is brought to its attention and continue to initiate formal enforcement action when it is considered appropriate or expedient to do.

The spokesman said the DOE is currently investigating a number of alleged unauthorised changes of use of property within the Newcastle area.

He added: “District councils already have powers under Articles 65 and 66 of the Pollution Control and Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 to deal with defective premises that are in such a state as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance, and to deal with ruinous and dilapidated buildings and neglected sites that are seriously detrimental to the amenities of a neighbourhood.”