Agents Hear Of Planning Improvements At Forum

Planning applications approval rates reached over 90 per cent during 2015/16, local planning agents have been told by Powys County Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The agents heard about improvements to planning services at the council’s last planning agents’ forum, which took at the end of September. 16 agents attended the forum, which takes place every six months, and allows the council to update planning agents on recent and proposed changes to planning legislation as well as changes within the council`s planning services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Planning agents heard that 91 per cent of planning applications were determined by the council within the time period required between April and June 2016, compared to 43 per cent during the same time period last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They also heard that the percentage of appeals dismissed by Welsh Government Inspectors rose from 65 per cent in 2014/2015 to 73 per cent in 2015/16. Performance figures over 66 per cent in this area is considered by the Welsh Government to be `good`. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of the latest forum, agents were given an update on the work around the council’s Local Development Plan and were also given a built heritage update. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Natural Resources Wales – an integral planning consultee – also attended the forum and gave a presentation about their work to the planning agents and invited comments about their performance and structure from the agents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Avril York, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “Planning provides an important public service and plays a key role in the regeneration of the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have a number of agents who regularly submit planning applications to the council so it is vital we provide them with information on developments within planning and give them the opportunity for them to express their views and opinions on the services we provide and how we can improve further. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are committed to providing an efficient and effective planning service that is fit-for-purpose. Working with local planning agents will help us improve our planning services.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​