Planning applications are expected to soar to a record 12,000 this year in Westminster, but government cuts will put a strain on processing them, the council has warned.
Speaking at the NLA in Location: city of Westminster conference this morning, Robert Davis, deputy leader and cabinet member for the built environment, Westminster city council, warned that a high quality and speedy planning team “cannot go on forever”.
He revealed that the 12,000 applications forecast for this year were up relatively on 2011, and up 21.5% on the number submitted in 2010.
The figure will be the highest the council has ever received in a year, and the highest recorded in the country, Davis added.
The rise is attributed to investors continually being attracted to spec developments and soaring rents in the capital.
However, Davis said: “This year we have been fortunate to receive planning performance agreements ensuring we maintain a high service, but this cannot go on forever. Westminster is also being forced to cut expenditures, with redundancies and vacancies left unfilled.”
In September, members of the Westminster Property Association agreed to pay an extra £26,000 for each major scheme to fund additional working hours by council planning staff. The agreement is due to expire by the end of March, when it is expected that regulations permitting locally set planning fees will be in place.
The councillor said he is continuing to urge central government to recognise Westminster as a thriving and unique city, where residents and businesses cohabit, and is asking for more support for the council’s planning department.
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
