Local planning authorities are struggling to cope with applications due to a lack of resources, according to the results of a new survey.
The Annual Planning Survey, published by the British Property Federation and GL Hearn, found major planning applications are taking an average of 32 weeks to determine, over double the government’s target of 13 weeks.
Of those surveyed, 55% of local authorities said under-resourcing is a significant challenge to growth, with half saying the planning system is less effective than it was in 2010.
The survey also revealed that the majority of developers believe higher planning fees may help local authorities to shorten waiting times, with nearly two thirds (65%) happy to pay more 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.’
