The Royal Society of Ulster Architect’s (RSUA) has today called on the Department for Infrastructure to urgently address the serious issues that have plagued the new planning portal since its launch on 5 December 2022.
Ciarán Fox, Director of RSUA, said “We have received feedback from architects across Northern Ireland expressing enormous frustration with the new planning portal. So far, the experience is that many functions worked better on the old system.”
“Under the new system planning applications are no longer emailed in but uploaded through the planning portal. That’s working fairly well, if a bit clunky and slow for submitted applications to appear on the site. From a user’s perspective it’s not as quick as emailing an application but I presume it will reduce administration costs in the planning office. Everyone would support this change if processing times were improved as a result of it. The introduction of auto-email notification of updates has also been welcomed.”
“However, there are many problems. It’s like a Beta version has been released as the final version. It has been described by members who are using it day in, day out, as unacceptably poor and not fit for purpose.”
Key issues that have been reported include the fact there seems to be no way to update an application on the system. A feature that is essential when dealing with detailed drawings which often need to be amended. The map function does not show the red line boundary of planning applications and some addresses don’t even appear to exist on the map. Tracking applications is very slow and unresponsive, and the seemingly simple features such as view/download are not working properly so Architects are unable to view letters of objection or support.
Ciaran Fox, Director of RSUA, continues, “There are so many problems. It’s as if a Beta version has been released as the final version. It has been described by our members who are using it day in, day out, as unacceptably poor, and not fit for purpose.”
“The problems with the portal are resulting in significant delays because relevant information has not been uploaded to the new portal and so consultations are not being issued to statutory bodies. This is having a direct impact on Architectural practices, in the short term it affects cash flow and in the medium term there is a real concern that it could act as a further brake on the local construction sector at a time when it is facing many other challenges.”
“In some ways the failings in the system do not come as a surprise. RSUA offered to help test the system during the development phase. In September the Department ran a testing session which one Architect was invited to but when it came to editing an application the system failed. The process was abandoned and there was no follow up. In our view that testing was too late and insufficiently rigorous.”
“We call on the Department for Infrastructure to engage intensively with architects and other regularly users of the portal to address these issues as a matter of urgency.”
Key Problems arising:
