Local planning authorities struggling due to lack of resources, survey suggests

The Annual Planning Survey, published by the British Property Federation and GL Hearn, found that 55 per cent of local authorities said a lack of resources was a barrier to growth, with the planning system now less effective than it was in 2010.

Major planning applications are currently taking an average of 32 weeks to determine, significantly more than the government’s 13 week target. The report also found that 65 per cent of developers would be happy to pay higher planning fees to speed up the process.

Melanie Leech, chief executive at the British Property Federation, said: “This report shows quite clearly that local authority planning departments are struggling to cope as a result of the efforts to find savings across the public sector, and that this is having a negative impact on local authorities’ ability to deliver a timely and efficient service.

“The fact of the matter is that an effective planning system is crucial to enabling regeneration and development, and if government wants to meet the housing challenge and develop the commercial buildings that support our economy, it is going to need to take action.”

Shaun Andrews, GL Hearn’s head of investor and developer planning, said: “This year’s annual planning survey shows that the planning system needs investment – and that requires action across the board.

“We need to ensure that planning authorities have the right people with the right skills and powers in place to drive forward a growth agenda – and that the system is able to release the right resources when it’s needed.”

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