The <\/u>Royal Town Planning Institute<\/u> (RTPI)<\/u> has published two studies (focusing on the North West and Scotland) that examine the provision of planning staff, and the effects of lack of staff upon delivering essential services and meeting economic recovery.
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The RTPI writes:<\/u>
\nThe RTPI launched two studies today that highlight the threats to economic recovery and housing delivery if resources of local planning departments are not protected.<\/p>\n
Janet Askew, President of the RTPI, said: \u2018These two reports reflect the resourcing challenge we are hearing about from local planning authorities and developers across the UK. The clear danger is that further reductions in budgets could exacerbate a cycle of decline in more authorities, and therefore reduce further planners\u2019 ability to help to deliver vital development.\u2019<\/p>\n
New research undertaken in the North West region and carried out by Arup has found that average cuts in planning staff of more than 30% in local planning authorities over the past five years is now undermining economic recovery across the region. In many cases, local planning services are surviving on the \u2018goodwill and professional integrity\u2019 of their officers, but this may not be sustainable in the longer term. The region\u2019s future ability to deliver homes, schools, hospitals and other major infrastructure is being put at risk.<\/p>\n
Unless this trend is reversed or new ways are found to respond to these challenges, the area will also be prevented from taking full advantage of the opportunities that will arise from the creation of a Northern Powerhouse.<\/p>\n
Joanne Harding, Chair of the North West region of the RTPI, said: \u2018Planning authorities across the North West are doing everything they can to improve the quality of their service, despite very significant funding cuts. We need greater reinvestment in planning services from sources such as the New Homes Bonus and other related income. This would help put planning services on a more stable footing at a critical time for the North West.\u2019 \u2018Investing in Delivery: How we can respond to the pressures on local authority planning\u2019<\/em>,<\/em> found that although the time taken to determine applications is often still good, there are indications that there are increasingly delays in pre-application advice, S106 agreements and discharge of conditions. It also finds that local planning authorities provides a significant source of income for councils, but this positive contribution is often not reflected in the funding that planning services get.<\/p>\n In Scotland, the report \u2018Progressing Performance: Investing in Scotland\u2019s Planning Servic\u2019e<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>finds a significant decrease in resources in the planning service. \u00a0Despite this, progress is being made in improving performance but it warns that there is need to invest in the planning service if we are to increase the pace of house building across the country.<\/p>\n Key findings and recommendations:<\/p>\n Pam Ewen, Convenor of RTPI Scotland, said: \u2018Planning is a vital player in supporting sustainable growth across Scotland. This is especially true in helping to stimulate and deliver new, quality housing at a time when it is needed most.\u00a0 Our report shows that we have seen planning authorities across Scotland being innovative and improving the quality of their service, despite significant resourcing issues. However, if we want continued progress we need to explore how to maximise investment in the planning service from the Scottish Government, local authorities and developers. This research I am sure will provide valuable information to the new review of the planning system.\u2019<\/p>\n Actions are needed to ensure public sector planning can effectively support delivery and development. This will require greater reinvestment in public sector planning services, alongside the continuation and further development of strong relationships between the public and private sector. This could either be done directly, through local authorities prioritising reinvestment from sources of planning income, or indirectly, through drawing on support from organisations such as the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) and the RTPI.<\/p>\n See the IHBC\u2019s research on conservation staffing<\/a><\/p>\n See the most recent report<\/a><\/p>\n RTPI news<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has published two studies (focusing on the North West and Scotland) that examine the provision of planning staff, and the effects of lack of staff upon delivering essential services and meeting economic recovery. The … Continue reading
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