Waste planning applications to be dealt with faster

Theguaranteeisdesigned tocreate greater certainty for local communities by speeding up local planning applications that get stuck in the system.

At the moment thousands of planning applications get caught in the system for over a year, leavingmany companiesfrustrated by delays to getting a decision.In the financial year 2010/11, 3,200 planning applications took longer than 52 weeks to be determined.

However,in a letter to local authorities,Mr Clark advised that the Planning Guarantee will mean that no planning applicationshould take longer than 12 months to reach a decision, including any appeal.

This confirms a measure first announced in March 2011 as part of the Budget(see letsrecycle.com story)and is expected to be welcomed by waste management companies who have often had to wait years for their planning applications to be decided.

The move is intended to ensure fairness for everybody and a level playing field for all applications, whether big or small.

Local people will be able to see how their councils performs against the Guarantee using information which is made available by councils as frequently as possible. Ministers expect this to be at least quarterly.

The department for communities and local government will also publish a regular report on performance by individual councils. Full details of how the Guarantee will work will be published for consultation in the autumn.

Mr Clark said: “We need a simpler, swifter planning system that delivers fairness for all, from householders to local firms and shops.

“At the moment too many planning applications get stuck in the system for too long, leaving people in planning limbo.

“The planning guarantee will help remove the uncertainty from the system for communities and ensure that every application, big or small, is dealt with quickly and fairly.”

Simplify

Mr Clark also wants to cut down on paperwork in the planning system and simplify the application process.

The Government will consult in the autumn on reducing the information required to accompany all planning applications. Ministers are keen to hear from local people, local firms, councils, and other parties on what information is really helpful and necessary.

The reforms are part of a programme of work to simplify the planning system and make it less bureaucratic. The Government has already cut reams of unwieldy planning policy down to a tightly focused draft National Planning Policy Framework, published by Mr Clark last Monday (see letsrecycle.com story).