Issue - meetings

To consider and note the Planning Development Management performance report for 2021.

The Committee considered a review of the performance of the Planning Development Management (PDM) service for the past year.  The government assess Local Planning Authorities (LPA) performance on the speed at which planning applications are processed and the quality of decision. This applies to both major (10+ dwellings) and non-major developments.

The Planning Development Manager highlighted that Spelthorne’s performance had exceeded Government targets despite an increasing workload.  However, there was a risk that the Council’s performance in respect of the quality of decision making for major developments would come under close scrutiny and, depending on the outcome of existing appeals, the LPA could be at risk of ‘designation’ for major developments next year.   If the Secretary of State decided to make a designation in respect of Spelthorne, then applicants would have an option to ask for the Planning Inspectorate as opposed to the Local Planning Authority to determine any applications within the designated category.

Councillors voiced concern that the government were increasingly placing demands on LPAs which limited their ability to make unhampered decisions.  The Planning Development Manager advised that it was imperative that sound reasons were given for refusal of a planning application so that it could be robustly defended upon appeal.  Training for members on this was scheduled for next week.

It was stressed that it was important to have an up to date local plan in place as the current local plan is out of date in some respects and planning law states that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with an up to date development plan.  This would be the LPA’s strongest form of defence. 

Questions were asked about how much revenue was generated through the new homes bonus and planning applications and the costs of defending appeals.   The information was not available to hand but the Planning Development Manager undertook to gather the information and circulate it to members.

The Committee thanked the Planning Development Manager for her detailed report.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

None.

Resolved:

The Committee resolved to note the report.