A RECENTLY revamped online portal that was designed to "facilitate a more responsive and efficient planning service" has been described by users as "not fit for purpose".
The regional planning portal, serving 10 of the north's councils and central government, was relaunched in December by the Department for Infrastructure following a £14 million overhaul.
However, the system has been beset by technical errors and navigational issues, prompting criticism from the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA).
Its director Ciarán Fox said the portal, which is meant to provide up-to-date information on planning applications for professionals and the public, is "plagued" with problems.
"It has been described by our members who are using it day in, day out, as unacceptably poor, and not fit for purpose," he said.
The RSUA director said the system's poor performance was causing delays and "having a direct impact on architectural practices".
"In the short term it affects cash flow; 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," he said.
DfI said when fully functional the portal would "be of significant benefit in supporting economic recovery across Northern Ireland".
"Like many large scale system implementations, with multiple organisations and stakeholders involved, there have been some initial problems which all partners are working with the supplier to urgently resolve," a spokesperson said.
"A number of the issues have already been resolved with remaining issues due to be addressed as part of a phased roll-out of software releases in the coming weeks."
SDLP infrastructure spokesperson Mark H Durkan said the system needed to be "as easy as possible to navigate".
"When professionals find this new system so difficult to operate then what chance do the general public have?" he said.
“A robust planning system is needed to ensure full transparency around applications and to allow projects to proceed without unnecessary delay."
The Foyle MLA said he accepted the department’s acknowledgement that there were teething problems but asked: "Why was it rolled out in such a state?".
