Planning authorities in England and Wales need £250m of new funding simply to bring their resources back to 1996 levels.
Research published today by the government states that an increase of 37% for district councils and 23% for counties is needed to match the level of spending per planning application of six years ago.
The 140-page report, Resourcing of Local Planning Authorities, drawn up by Arup Economics and Planning and Bailey Consultancy, was commissioned by the DTLR in August last year.
The findings will be used by the Local Government Association and the DTLR to get more money from the Treasury for planning authorities in the next Comprehensive Spending Review, which will be announced this summer.
For more detail on the report, see this Saturday’s Estates Gazette.
EGi News 19/02/02
