Regionally Significant Developments: windfarms, transport links and more
Here we'll outline the decision-making process in Northern Ireland and how you can get involved.
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Last updated: 2 July 2025
What are Regionally Significant Developments?
Regionally significant developments are major development proposals that are considered to be of significance to the whole or a substantial part of Northern Ireland. Examples include major proposals for energy, transport and waste infrastructure.
Regionally significant developments also include projects that could have significant impacts beyond Northern Ireland (eg, offshore wind developments) or involve a substantial departure from a local development plan (going against the policies of the plan).
The Schedule to the Planning (Development Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 sets out thresholds for identifying proposals as regionally significant applications (eg, any electricity generating station with a capacity of 30 megawatts or more would be considered regionally significant).
Who decides applications for Regionally Significant Developments?
The Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) Strategic Planning Directorate is responsible for deciding regionally significant planning applications. Initially, applicants for major developments are required to consult with the DfI. If the DfI considers that a proposal qualifies as regionally significant, the planning application must be submitted directly to the DfI rather than the local planning authority (LPA).
What is the process?
Section 27 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 requires applicants to carry out a pre-application community consultation (PACC) for all regionally significant development proposals before submitting a planning application. See our guide to Pre-application engagement for more information on the PACC process.
Regionally significant planning applications follow a similar process as local and major applications handled by the LPA, up to the point of recommendation. Once the DfI has completed a planning report and made a recommendation to the Minister for Infrastructure, it has two main options for determining the application:
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A public local inquiry can be called before the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC), or
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A ‘notice of opinion’ to either grant or refuse planning permission can be issued to the applicant and the relevant council(s).
When a notice of opinion is issued, both the applicant and the council(s) have 28 days to request a hearing on the DfI’s decision. If no request is made within this period, the final decision can be issued.
If a hearing or public local inquiry takes place, the PAC will produce a report with recommendations for the DfI's consideration. The DfI then makes the final decision on the application, taking into account the findings of any reports produced from the inquiry.
How can I get involved?
The DfI is required to publicise regionally significant planning applications in the same manner as LPAs do for local and major applications. For details on how the public is informed and how individuals can share their views, take a look at the ‘publicity and consultation’ section of our Planning application process: a step-by-step guide