Derry City and Strabane District Council has approved a motion to begin amending its Local Development Plan to reduce the interim Houses in Multiple Occupation threshold from 30% to 10% per street.

People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin tabled the motion at the full council meeting on March 30. The motion states that council notes the Department for Infrastructure position that such amendments fall within council powers.

Sinn Féin Councillor Christopher Jackson proposed at a special planning committee meeting in March that council engage with the Department for Infrastructure to lower the threshold as soon as possible.

The Department for Infrastructure outlined practical and legal steps required, including public consultation and departmental review, in correspondence to the March committee.

SDLP Councillor Sean Mooney stated council must re-consult, undergo independent examination, and return to the department before any change. He noted past processes took nearly ten years despite a one-year indication and called for an indicative timeline to manage community expectations.

DUP Alderman Keith Kerrigan backed the motion but expressed concerns over timescale, noting requirements for public consultation and departmental justification that the 30% cap is no longer acceptable.

Councillor Jackson described Harkin's proposal as similar to the committee agreement and supported steps to expedite the change.