TerraQuest awarded contract to deliver the Regional Planning IT System for Northern Ireland.

TerraQuest is delighted to announce we have been awarded the contract to deliver the Regional Planning IT System for Northern Ireland by the Department for Infrastructure.

TerraQuest will deliver a seamless improved planning service, including on-line application submission process to the public, improving the public facing user experience. Councils will seamlessly receive these applications on their internal system enabling delivery of an effective and efficient process; driving innovation through access to centralised information.

Partnering with the Department for Infrastructure and 10 councils, TerraQuest will now embark on a 10 year partnership to replace the existing Northern Ireland Planning Portal and provide a modern IT System with support until 2030. The contract for the support of the system has the potential to continue until 2040 subject to satisfactory progress during the initial period.

The contract for the new IT System has been awarded to TerraQuest, a consortium led by TerraQuest, featuring Planning Portal and DEF Software. This consortium brings together TerraQuest’s knowledge of planning service delivery, data management, migration & transformation as well as software and solution development; Planning Portal’s online planning application submission service operational across all Local Authorities in England and Wales; and DEF Software’s user-friendly planning back-office solution.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to provide an all-encompassing Planning IT System across Northern Ireland. It is a unique opportunity to deliver a transformational planning service with a fully integrated on-line application submission service and planning back office service, which will deliver huge efficiencies with a leading holistic planning service”

Geoff Keal, Managing Director of TerraQuest

Notes to Editors

• The contract for the new IT System has been awarded to TerraQuest, a consortium led by TerraQuest, featuring Planning Portal and DEF Software.
• The new system will replace the existing Northern Ireland Planning Portal which is reaching the end of its operational life.
• The contract is between the Department and 10 councils and TerraQuest. The only council not participating is Mid Ulster District Council.
• Mid Ulster District Council has decided not to participate in the procurement of a regional solution and will procure a separate system. That decision is a matter for the Council and there is no formal approval role for the Department.
• The other 10 councils have confirmed their commitment to continue with the procurement of a regional IT solution on a 10-council model basis.

About TerraQuest

TerraQuest is an established and trusted organisation which is renowned for its expertise in providing innovative solutions to both public and private sectors.

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