The Planning Appeals Commission has not been delivering value for money according to a report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office. The Auditor General Dorinnia Carville stated that prolonged delays and backlogs at the commission risk making Northern Ireland a less attractive place for investment.

The report found that by August 2025 twenty major cases remained with the commission, with average delays of over two years and nearly half stalled for more than three years. At the time of the review none of the major applications referred by the Department for Infrastructure since 2021 had been completed.

The Planning Appeals Commission is an independent tribunal that entscheidet planning appeals and holds public inquiries into regionally significant projects. It also examines local council development plans, with the full process estimated to finish only in the mid-2030s.

The Audit Office identified the commission's legal structure as a factor in the delays. The PAC operates as a Tribunal Non-Departmental Public Body with no statutory targets for processing times and sets its own priorities.

Relationships between the Planning Appeals Commission and the Department for Infrastructure have strained. Regular quarterly meetings between the chief planner and the chief commissioner have stopped, leaving communication through formal letters only.

Staffing issues have also contributed. Eleven experienced commissioners retired since 2017, and new appointees lack experience in handling complex cases. The commission recovers only 3 percent of its 2.7 million pound running costs through appeal fees.

The infrastructure minister announced three million pounds in emergency funding last year to allow the department to bypass the commission and appoint independent inspectors. Appointments began earlier this month.