Only 16% of planning authorities believe that they will be able to cope with the additional work created by the government’s Planning and Compulsory Purchases Bill.
A survey of over a quarter of all chief planning officers in England and Wales by political consultancy the PPS Group revealed that 84% believed that they did not have sufficient resources or well enough trained staff to cope with the changes going through Parliament.
Of those questioned 73% said they needed more trained staff and over 70% called for additional training and IT support.
Over 54% were convinced they would be unable to operate effectively under the new planning regime, while 30% were unsure.
As part of the changes Local Development Frameworks will replace old local plans, statements of community involvement will have to be drawn up and applications will have to be processed within 13 weeks to satisfy the targets set by government last summer.
Stephen Byfield, chief executive of PPS Group, said: “The Planning Bill will place a huge burden on planning authorities and the vast majority of officers are telling us they won’t be able to cope.
“But it is plain that Mr Prescott’s office has simply not thought through the personnel implications of these changes.
“There is a desperate shortage – even now – of qualified planners and a problem the government will face is that it will take time to recruit and train the new people needed, while workloads build up and delays get worse.”
He added: “Without more staff and cash, the government will find its performance targets being missed, planning departments will be put under intolerable strain and business will find the process of securing planning permission even more frustrating and time-consuming than it is now.”
References: EGi News 12/02/2003
