19 December 2008
By Alex Klaushofer Local authorities are making quicker decisions on major planning applications than five years ago, according to the National Audit Office. Analysing data from the Department for Communities and Local Government, the spending watchdog found that 67% of decisions on 100 planning applications reviewed were reached within 13 weeks in 2007/08, compared with 37% in 2002/03. But it was impossible to tell whether the overall development process was faster, because the DCLG’s performance measure excludes the time spent before and after the application submission, the study found. NAO head Tim Burr said: ‘The department should use the data as a benchmark for assessing its future effectiveness in improving the planning process.’ The report, Planning for homes, speeding up planning applications, published on December 17, said that government grants of £68m a year had helped councils to speed up their decision-making, but a lack of clarity in pre-application discussions with developers was blocking further progress. ‘Authority staff may lack the experience and seniority required, and there can be a lack of continuity in staffing between these discussions and the application itself,’ it said.
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