As many as 31 Westminster town planning staff face redundancy unless Eric Pickles intervenes, according to the Westminster Property Association.
The WPA has urged the secretary of state to approve the early introduction of increased planning fees so Westminster council can avoid having to make 31 staff redundant in September.
The Council says that it needs to increase planning fees to raise an extra £1.3m in 2011/12 and a further £340,000 in 2012/13, and will have to make 31 redundancies in September if it is prevented from increasing planning fees.
WPA chairman David Silverman this week wrote to Pickles, saying: “We think the government is dragging its heels because it thinks the introduction of planning fees is contrary to their agenda for growth. Please bring in fees ‘sooner rather than later’ is what our members are saying. A properly funded and excellent planning service is an absolutely essential part of an agenda for growth.
“Developers are happy for local authorities to be self-funded. That’s a major preference to the alternative. The cost of delay in applications on major schemes is immense.”
james.buckley@estatesgazette.com
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