Planning decision performance improves in 07-08

Published	15 May 2008

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) hit 25 per cent more of its key performance targets in 2007-08.

Inspectors decided 21,769 planning appeal cases last year out of 25,915 total decisions made. Appeals received increased by 1 per cent on the previous year up to 22,895.

Customer satisfaction increased to 81 per cent and central targets on quality and timeliness, for planning appeals and enforcement appeals, were achieved for written representations and planning appeal inquiries.

In addition the Planning Inspectorate reduced the backlog of its oldest cases reducing the time they took significantly. PINS also halved the waiting time for setting public inquiry dates for planning appeals to just 10 weeks by the end of the year. The Inspectorate continues to support councils in getting their local plans up to the right standards.

In 2008 the Inspectorate is looking to build on its success and continue delivering customer improvements, including a real focus on the newly piloted fast track householder appeals service.

The annual report to Parliament on ministerial planning decisions was also published today. All 131 Secretary of State call-in cases and recovered appeals with statutory timetables were completed on time. The priority remains for decisions to be taken locally and cases are only called in if it conflicts with national policy, or where there is national or regional controversy.

Baroness Andrews said:

"The evidence published today shows that our drive for a faster and fairer planning system is improving decisions across the board.

"The Inspectorate continues to play a vital role for planning and it has made real progress in the past year. People know that they get a fair and impartial decision with each case based on their merits. The inspectorate must continue to deliver this responsive and transparent service to the public."

Planning Inspectorate Chief Executive, Katrine Sporle said:

"I am very pleased with this outcome.

"We have faced a real challenge with increasing workload but through innovative approaches and smarter working initiatives we have improved the levels of customer service on offer. The whole team has worked incredibly hard to maintain quality and improve timeliness, and we are proud of our achievements.

"Our future priorities are to ensure that targets relating to the quality and integrity of our processes continue to be achieved as well as delivering on the new Planning Bill aims to speed up the current system and improve customer services."

Notes to editors

1. The Planning Inspectorate is responsible for the processing of planning and enforcement appeals and holding inquiries into local development plans. It also deals with a wide variety of other planning related casework including listed building consent appeals, advertisement appeals, and reporting on planning applications. The PINS annual report will be published later this summer.

2. The Planning Inspectorate is an Executive Agency of The Department for Communities and Local Government and The National Assembly of Wales. The Planning Inspectorate web-site can be found at: www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk (external link).

3. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to set and meet a timetable for the majority of planning cases which are to be decided by her (as opposed to being decided by a Planning Inspector) and to make a report to Parliament each year on performance. The report was published today for all decisions made between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008. During this period 100 per cent of the 131 decisions made by the Secretary of State were completed within their timeframe (excluding tree preservation order appeals which completed 98.4 per cent of decisions, 617 out of 627, on time).

4. Statutory timetabling applies to called-in planning applications; planning appeals recovered for the Secretary of State's decision; other cases 'linked' to such decisions and tree preservation order appeals. During the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008, 100 per cent of the 131 decisions made by the Secretary of State on cases other than appeals against refusals of consent for works to trees covered by tree preservation orders were made within their statutory timetables, as were 617 out of 627 decisions (98.4 per cent) on tree preservation order appeals. Statutory timetables do not apply to any cases decided jointly with a Minister in another Department, nor do they apply to cases decided by Inspectors.