(AQW 394/01)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Foster): My Department published its 'Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland' in March 2000, which aims to achieve fully sustainable waste management by a combination of waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Government departments in Northern Ireland are major consumers of resources and this presents a unique opportunity to 'lead by example'. All departments have signed up to the Strategy which places great emphasis on the UK Government's 'Greening of Government' commitments. Furthermore, all departments are committed to improving the amount of office waste recovered using methods which must include recycling or composting.

In helping to take this forward, the 'Green Team' within my Department's Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) assisted the Government Purchasing Agency (GPA) of the Department of Finance and Personnel to sign a contract with SCL Waste Services Ltd (Newry) to recycle waste paper from all public sector offices in Northern Ireland. Negotiations are proceeding with a view to extending the service to include other consumables such as plastics and cardboard.

Positive strides have also been made in the reduction of construction waste in the Department for Regional Development's Water Service contracts, notably at Belfast Waste Water Treatment Works and in the Mourne Conduit Replacement- Aquarius Project.

Purchasing policy is another area where government departments can lead by example. Government procurement in Northern Ireland amounts to over £1500 million per annum. The GPA, which deals with £250-300 million of this total figure, includes a clause relating to sustainable environmental protection in its tendering documentation.

Other stakeholders in Northern Ireland will be expected to follow the Government's lead and take similar steps to reduce quantities and improve the management of waste. They will be assisted in this process by the recently constituted Waste Management Advisory Board for Northern Ireland.

The Board will oversee a Market Development Programme for recyclates. The dearth of local markets for recycled products, coupled with the lack of reprocessing infrastructure, have been major obstacles to the expansion of recycling in Northern Ireland.

Mr Edwin Poots asked the Minister of the Environment what steps he has taken to encourage all Government Departments to set challenging targets for waste reduction, recycling and recovery.

(AQW 395/01)

Mr Foster: My Department published its 'Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland' in March 2000, which aims to achieve fully sustainable waste management by a combination of waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Government departments in Northern Ireland are major consumers of resources and this presents a unique opportunity to 'lead by example'. All departments have signed up to the Strategy which places great emphasis on the UK Government's 'Greening of Government' commitments. Furthermore, all departments are committed to improving the amount of office waste recovered using methods which must include recycling or composting.

In helping to take this forward, the 'Green Team' within my Department's Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) assisted the Government Purchasing Agency (GPA) of the Department of Finance and Personnel to sign a contract with SCL Waste Services Ltd (Newry) to recycle waste paper from all public sector offices in Northern Ireland. Negotiations are proceeding with a view to extending the service to include other consumables such as plastics and cardboard.

Positive strides have also been made in the reduction of construction waste in the Department for Regional Development's Water Service contracts, notably at Belfast Waste Water Treatment Works and in the Mourne Conduit Replacement- Aquarius Project.

Purchasing policy is another area where government departments can lead by example. Government procurement in Northern Ireland amounts to over £1500 million per annum. The GPA, which deals with £250-300 million of this total figure, includes a clause relating to sustainable environmental protection in its tendering documentation.

Other stakeholders in Northern Ireland will be expected to follow the Government's lead and take similar steps to reduce quantities and improve the management of waste. They will be assisted in this process by the recently constituted Waste Management Advisory Board for Northern Ireland.

The Board will oversee a Market Development Programme for recyclates. The dearth of local markets for recycled products, coupled with the lack of reprocessing infrastructure, have been major obstacles to the expansion of recycling in Northern Ireland.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to outline the criteria used to assess a planning application for a telecommunication mast location.

(AQW 415/01)

Mr Foster: Planning policy for assessing a planning application for a telecommunications mast location is Policy PSU 13 of the Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland which states that "Telecommunications apparatus which requires planning permission will normally be permitted, provided it does not detract from the natural or manmade environment or the character of its setting."

When assessing an application, my Department must seek to balance the need and demand for maintaining and developing telecommunications systems on the one hand and the protection of amenity on the other. In view of their potentially intrusive appearance, my Department seeks to control their siting and appearance in the following way-

• whenever possible, the apparatus should be sited in a position which minimises its visual impact;
• where appropriate, the equipment will be required to be coloured or painted, or its design altered so as to be less obtrusive in relation to the background against which it would be installed.

A large number of telecommunications installations do not require express planning permission and are dealt with under the Prior Approval system as laid down in the Planning (General Development) Order (NI) 1993. The only factors which can be taken into account under this system are siting and appearance. Guidance on the criteria used under the Prior Approval system is contained in Development Control Advice Note 14 - Telecommunications Prior Approval Procedures which states that factors which my Department will take into account concerning the appearance of a mast and ancillary apparatus include materials, colour and design. Factors which will be taken into account concerning the siting of masts include:-

• the height of the site in relation to the surrounding land;
• the existence of topographical features and natural vegetation;
• the effect on the skyline or horizon;
• the site when observed from any side;
• the site in relation to areas designated locally for their scenic or conservation value;
• the site in relation to existing masts, structures or buildings; and
• the site in relation to residential properties.

The scope for landscaping and screening to reduce the impact of a development on its surroundings is also a major consideration.

You will be aware of the Executive Committee's14 June 2001 decision to abolish the prior approval system for telecommunication masts and to subject them to full planning control. I hope to introduce the necessary amending legislation to the Assembly shortly.

My Department is also currently working towards publication of Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10): 'Telecommunications' which will set out my Department's planning policies for telecommunication development including telecommunication masts. The contents of the new policy statement will be taken into account in preparing development plans, and will be material to decisions on individual planning applications and appeals. PPS10, when published, will supersede policy PSU13 of the Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (a) the nature of the contact between his Department and the office of the Rt Hon Baroness Blackstone, Minister of State, Department of Culture, Media and Sport, in relation to the development of the "Nook" and (b) if he will publish any relevant correspondence.

(AQW 447/01)

Mr Foster: As you are aware, 'The Nook' applications concerned development on land adjacent to the Giant's Causeway, a designated World Heritage Site. Baroness Blackstone wrote to me in her capacity as Minister with lead responsibility within the UK for the operation of United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention.

In her letter, she emphasised the importance of protecting the essential character and setting of all World Heritage sites, and, in particular, natural sites like the Giant's Causeway. She asked that the international importance of this World Heritage Site and its setting be given full weight when considering 'The Nook' applications. Baroness Blackstone also informed me of her understanding of a proposal to ask UNESCO's World Heritage Centre whether it will consider placing the Site on the World Heritage "in danger" list. She expressed her concern about this, and explained that if the Centre were to be asked this question, as a first step, her Department would be asked to explain what was happening at the site.

In my response, I pointed out that I shared her concern to protect the essential character of this World Heritage Site. I also advised that permissions had issued in respect of "The Nook" planning and listed building consent applications, and that in granting these, I was satisfied that they had been processed consistent with all standard procedures, that all necessary consultations had been carried out, and the advice of consultees taken into account. I also expressed my satisfaction that the proposals could be satisfactorily integrated into their surroundings without having a detrimental effect on the Giant's Causeway or its setting. I concluded by stating that I did not believe that the granting of planning permissions and listed building consents created any objective basis for placing the Giant's Causeway on UNESCO's "in danger" list.

Finally, it is not our policy to release correspondence with Whitehall Ministers.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (a) the number of planning applications received by the Downpatrick Planning Office in the last 12 months and (b) the timescale for processing these applications.

(AQW 474/01)

Mr Foster: The Downpatrick Planning Office received a total of 4,127 valid planning applications during the 12 months to 30 September 2001. The average processing time for the applications determined was 14 weeks.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to outline (a) the number of planning staff currently employed in Downpatrick and (b) what assessment has he made in respect of the number of staff at this location compared to the workload of the office.

(AQW 475/01)

Mr Foster: (a) The Divisional Planning Office in Downpatrick is staffed by a mix of both Professional and Technical (P&T) and Administrative staff. At present there are 47 P&T staff and 22 Administrative staff.

(b) The workload of all Planning Service offices is kept under constant review both individually, and comparatively, and resources are allocated accordingly.

The Downpatrick Planning office has recently benefited from an allocation of 4 additional P&T staff for Development Control work, recruited following the allocation of £850K of additional resources both last year and this year to the Planning Service.

Three additional administrative staff have also recently been allocated to the Downpatrick Planning Office to help deal with correspondence and other work. These staff should be in post in the very near future.

I am therefore generally satisfied with the level of resources allocated to the Downpatrick Planning Office within present overall budgets, but as I have already stated, this is a matter which is kept under constant review.

Mr Mervyn Carrick asked the Minister of the Environment if he has any plans, pending the introduction of new legislation on the erection of telecommunication masts, to adopt the "precautionary approach" as recommended in the "Stewart Report".

(AQW 483/01)

Mr Foster: The report of the independent expert group into mobile phones and health, chaired by Sir William Stewart, suggested a number of specific precautionary actions in relation to mobile phone technology.

The most significant proposal to be adopted by the Executive Committee in Northern Ireland will be the new legislation to require full planning permission for all new telecommunications development. In addition, as the Member is aware, my Department is revising the draft Planning Policy Statement on telecommunications development, taking advice on health issues from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. I have already indicated previously that I will advise the Member of the outcome of that process.

In the meantime, I am progressing the work on these issues as quickly as possible.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to protect the rights of home owners from the encroachment of trees and hedgerows in neighbouring properties.

(AQW 498/01)

Mr Foster: I have no plans to introduce legislation in this area. Encroachment of any kind onto a neighbour's property, whether it be in the form of trees or hedgerows, is primarily a matter for the owners of the respective properties.