21. Section 31 of the Principal Act is amended, in subsection (1), by—

(a) substituting the following paragraph for paragraph (a):

“(a) a planning authority, in making a development plan, a variation of a development plan, a local area plan or an amendment to a local area plan (in this section referred to as a ‘plan’) has failed to—

(i) implement a recommendation made to the planning authority by—

(I) the Minister under section 12, 13 or 20, or

(II) the Office of the Planning Regulator under section 31AM or 31AO,

or

(ii) take account of any submission or observation made to the planning authority by—

(I) the Minister under section 12, 13 or 20, or

(II) the Office of the Planning Regulator under section 31AM or 31AO,”,

(b) inserting the following paragraph:

“(ba) a plan is not consistent with—

(i) the national and regional development objectives set out in the National Planning Framework and the regional spatial and economic strategy, or

(ii) specific planning policy requirements specified in guidelines issued by the Minister under subsection (1) of section 28,”,

(c) substituting the following subsection for subsection (3):

“(3) (a) The Minister may, following the making of a recommendation by the Office of the Planning Regulator under subsection (9) of section 31AN or subsection (9) of section 31AP, give a direction under this section to a planning authority in relation to a plan.

(b) The Minister shall, before giving a direction under this section to a planning authority, issue a notice in writing to the planning authority of his or her intention to give such direction and such notice shall not be issued after the expiration of 4 weeks from the making of a plan by the planning authority.”.