The government is threatening to send in external consultants to shake up Englands worst planning authorities.
The DTLR issued the warning in letters this week to the London borough of Lambeth, Oxford council and Restormel council in Cornwall.
All three have shown “consistently poor performance” over the past year, and process far fewer applications than the Governments target of 80% within eight weeks.
The DTLR has instructed planning consultant Arup to analyse why the authorities have consistently failed to meet targets and improve the way they process applications.
Unless targets are met immediately Arup, or other consultants, will be sent in to run the councils planning.
The councils are among 15 cautioned by local government minister Nick Raynsford in December. They were told then to process 65% of applications in eight weeks or face sanctions.
But while the other 12 authorities have significantly improved over the first half of 2001, Lambeth, Oxford and Restormel have remained below the target, with only Restormel processing more than 45%.
DTLR figures show that the percentage of applications processed by Lambeth within eight weeks during the 2000 to June 2001 period was 36%, far lower than any other London borough.
Lambeths planning team processes around 2,000 applications each year, while neighbouring Westminster processes around 10,000 a year, 64% of which are processed within eight weeks.
Stephen Robinson, head of planning at GVA Grimley, said the problem was underfunding. “Lambeth is incredibly under-resourced, which makes it extremely difficult to get a view from them on an application. Planning seems to be treated as an administrative chore.”
Lambeths director of policy and performance, Chris Lee, agreed that staff and money shortages had crippled efficiency, but thought the council had improved over the past month.
“We still have the lowest level of investment in planning per capita of any borough in central London. But the council has realised that there was a problem and its now become a priority.”
EGi News 28/09/01
