{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-172",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-172.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2011/25",
  "legislation_title": "Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011",
  "path": "section/172",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "172",
  "heading": "Offences",
  "text": "(1) If any person, for the purpose of procuring a particular decision on an application (whether by that person or another) for the issue of a certificate under section 169 or 170—\n(a) knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular;\n(b) with intent to deceive, uses any document which is false or misleading in a material particular; or\n(c) with intent to deceive, withholds any material information,\nthat person shall be guilty of an offence.\n(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine, or both.\n(3) Notwithstanding Article 19 of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 26), a magistrates' court may hear and determine a complaint in respect of an offence under subsection (1) whenever made.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Pt. 5 applied with modification(s) (1.4.2015) by The Planning (Conservation Areas) (Demolition) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015/107), regs. 1, 11"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Pt. 5 (except ss. 157-163) applied with modification(s) (1.4.2015) by The Planning General Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015/39), regs. 1(1), 2 (with regs. 3-10)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Ss. 162-175: transfer of functions (8.5.2016) by The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016/76), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 Pt. 2 (with art. 9(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 172 in operation at 13.2.2015 for specified purposes by S.R. 2015/49, art. 2, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 172 in operation at 1.4.2015 in so far as not already in operation by S.R. 2015/49, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with Sch. 2) (as amended (16.3.2016) by S.R. 2016/159, art. 2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/25/section/172",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:20:42.089798+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}