Agenda item

4.1      The Committee received a report which provided an annual update on the                  performance of the Town Planning service in terms of the timeliness and            quality of its planning application decision making. The performance of the                 department over the period between April 2022 and March 2023 continues to   exceed the required performance thresholds set by the Department for                        Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC).

4.2       Members held a discussion and noted the following: -

4.2.1   The Committee noted that the Borough had twice the number of minor               planning applications in comparison to other London Planning Authorities (LPAs). Officers advised that some planning applications were duplicated, and this was due to them also requiring listed building consent and reminded members that a large area of the Central Activity Zone was based within the Westminster and this geographical area generated a high number of planning applications. The Committee were informed that a large proportion of these applications were commercially based.

4.2.2   Members noted that the number of major planning applications had fallen in    comparison to previous years and were informed that this was attributed to                 several factors which included current cost of funding, viability of build cost for            large schemes and uncertainty around the market. The Committee were            informed that the type and scale of major applications vary significantly across different London LPAs and therefore it is difficult to make direct comparisons between the Boroughs.

4.2.3   Members requested that future charts which compares the speed of major application decision making with other Inner London Local Planning                      Authorities be over a period of 12 months rather than 24 months.

4.2.4   The Committee were informed that several London LPAs used tools such as                       Extensions of Times (EOTs) and PPAs more routinely to assist them in managing the determination of planning applications and reduce their planning applications backlog. These tools aid LPAs in meeting targets in relation to  the speed of decision making, but do not deliver a decision prior to the initially set statutory decision date. Officers advised the Committee that current figures regarding the speed of decision making in comparison to other London LPAs were not of concern and that there was a continual drive to improve the Town Planning Service performance. Members noted that making direct comparisons with other London LPAs was difficult as each Borough was unique, and the complexity of their planning applications differed. The number of objections received regarding individual applications were also unique in addition to the number of amendments which are made to these schemes. These factors all have a bearing on the speed of decision making and could elongate the process.

4.2.5    Members requested that future statistics regarding timeliness of decision                     making include the mean and the range on how long it takes to process         planning applications and reasons be given on why they were delayed.

RESOLVED

1.     That the contents of the report be noted and the ongoing overall good performance of the Town Planning service in terms of its determination of planning applications in a timely manner and the quality of decision making.

2.     That statistics regarding the speed of decision-making for major applications and how they compare to other Inner London Local Planning Authorities be covered over a period of 12 months.

3.     That the mean and range be disclosed in future statistics in relation to the timeliness of decision making and reasons be provided on why planning applications were delayed.