Ms Lockhart’s intervention comes amid growing frustration over delays in Northern Ireland’s planning system. She said: “Businesses, developers, farmers and local communities across Northern Ireland are being left in limbo because of the unacceptable lack of progress and urgency from Shared Environmental Services.

“Planning applications are sitting stagnant for months, and in many cases years, as a result of failure to engage, little accountability and no meaningful sense of delivery. This paralysis is actively choking investment, jobs, infrastructure and economic progression across Northern Ireland. The unwarranted delays are also contributing to serious financial burdens, and in some cases significant mental anguish,” added the MP.

SES was established in 2015 as a suitable model to support councils following the transfer of centralised planning responsibilities to local government. Its objective is to support and facilitate expert environmental assessment within the planning process.

Carla Lockhart MP continued: “This advice should be provided within a timescale that allows planning decisions to be made within statutory requirements and performance targets. SES is failing to respond in a timely and constructive manner, and is increasingly being viewed as a roadblock rather than an arms-length service body. The current situation is simply unsustainable and cannot be allowed to continue in its current format.

“I am calling on the Northern Ireland Assembly and local councils to urgently scrutinise SES, its governance, operational effectiveness and lack of ability to fulfil the role expected of it.”

Ms Lockhart added: “There is a severe lack of confidence and a number of serious questions surrounding SES, especially its inability to deliver for Northern Ireland.

“Northern Ireland cannot afford to have economic growth and development continually stalled by bureaucracy, inefficiency and delay. Businesses need certainty and communities need progress, while applicants deserve a planning system that functions effectively and efficiently.”



Concluding the MP said: “This stalemate cannot continue indefinitely. Accountability, transparency and urgent reform are long overdue. The people of Northern Ireland deserve far better than the dysfunction we are currently witnessing.”