Planning officers overwhelmed

An article by John Walker (ex planning Director at Westminster City Council) was published by New London Architecture (NLA) explaining how borough planning officers are overwhelmed by the complex planning system and the additional environmental factors to be considered for each application. They are under-resourced and lack the expertise for the new Government imposed obligations.

Putting up the national planning fees will not solve the resource problem in planning departments. John wrote “Too many labour-intensive applications, such as listed building applications, remain free. Factor in the number of international students on UK planning courses who will return to their home nations, post-qualification, and there is not a predictable supply stream of new planners entering the profession.”

He added “We need to pay better salaries and increase the number of professional posts. This can be achieved only by letting local authorities set their own fees; a householder extension fee should not be the same in London as it is in Redcar. The income raised by planning departments should be ring-fenced to the planning service to prevent financial drain to other council services, such as building control. Allowing external agencies to process applications does not support the public perception of neutrality.”

Also, “The Government needs to carry out a review of all material planning considerations and determine which can be removed from the system to streamline the size of reports.”  These criticisms need to be considered together with another NLA opinion piece “Can housing become genuinely affordable”.

 The budget offered funding for less than one additional graduate or apprentice per local authority and would make little difference.

John Walker’s opinion appears supported by a report by the House Builders Federation here and by a two part report commissioned by the House of Commons last Autumn from the company Silver Teal ‘Is the UK Planning System Fit for Purpose?’

• Part 1 The Ghosts of Planning Past and Present
• Part 2 Keir Starmer’s Labour Government and the Future of Home Building