Quarterly planning statistics reveal mixed bag for decision times

Decision times for local applications in Scotland are at their quickest since records began in 2012 but decision times for major developments are slower compared to the previous quarter and previous year, new figures have shown.

Quarterly planning statistics published today by the Scottish Government revealed that, excluding one pre 3rd-August 2009 legacy case, there were 7,329 decisions made on local developments in quarter one (April to June) of 2016/17 with an average decision time of 8.9 weeks.

This was almost one and a half weeks quicker than the previous quarter (10.3 weeks), five days faster than the equivalent quarter in 2015/16 (9.6 weeks), and the quickest average decision time since the start of this data collection in quarter one of 2012/13.

Local developments include applications for household extensions and loft conversions etc, smaller housing and retail developments, as well as various other types of local developments.

For quarter one in 2016/17 the percentage of local development decisions made in less than two months was 78.0 per cent, more than 9 percentage points higher than 68.9 per cent in the previous quarter and the highest percentage since the start of this data collection in quarter one of 2012/13.

In addition, there were 215 local developments decided in the first quarter of 2016/17 that had processing agreements in place, with almost 80 per cent of these meeting agreed timescales.

The average decision time for local housing developments was quicker by more than two weeks compared to the previous quarter, and the quickest average decision time since the start of this data collection in quarter one of 2012/13.

Excluding one pre 3rd-August 2009 legacy case there were 1,262 decisions made on local housing applications decided during quarter one of 2016/17. The average decision time for these local housing developments was 12.5 weeks, quicker by more than two weeks compared to the previous quarter (14.7 weeks) and the quickest average decision time since the start of this data collection in quarter one of 2012/13.

In addition, there were 89 local housing applications that were subject to processing agreements with 66 (74 per cent) of these meeting agreed timescales.

However, for the 61 decisions made on major developments the average decision time was 39.3 weeks. This was 13 weeks slower than the previous quarter (26.3 weeks) and more than five weeks slower than the equivalent quarter in 2015/16 (34.2 weeks).

In addition there were 30 major applications that were subject to processing agreements with half of these meeting agreed timescales.

Major developments include applications for developments of 50 or more homes, as well as certain waste, water, transport and energy-related developments, larger retail developments, and other types of major developments.

The average decision time for major housing developments was almost 18 weeks slower than the previous quarter, but quicker by more than 16 weeks compared to the equivalent quarter in the previous year.

The average has been influenced by nine applications with a decision time of more than one year. 70 per cent of the 30 major housing development applications were decided in a time that is quicker than the average. Average figures based on a small number of applications can be volatile when reporting quarterly trends.

In addition, there were fifteen major housing applications that were subject to processing agreements with six (40 per cent) of these meeting agreed timescales.

The overall rate of approvals for all types of application was 94.0 per cent in the period April to June 2016, a slight increase from the previous quarter (93.4 per cent), and from the equivalent quarter one in 2015/16 (93.7 per cent).

Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “Planning affects everyone’s lives, from ensuring that we have enough of the right types of homes in the right locations, to driving forward regeneration and supporting business development that provides jobs.

“I am pleased that the decision times for local applications are now at their quickest since we began collecting this information in 2012. We are not complacent though and the variability of performance underlines that change is required to reform planning and in particular to speeding up the process.

“Although planning statistics cover the time period before we published the independent review, it is still disappointing that for major developments the average time is slower than the previous quarter, the relatively small numbers being counted, means average times can be volatile - the positive news is that around 70 per cent of applications were decided in a quicker than the average time.

“Building on the momentum gathered during the work of the recent independent planning review panel, we are currently working with local authorities, developers and community groups to develop more detailed proposals for reform, which will be fully consulted on later this year. The review’s proposed outcomes – including strong and flexible development plans, more high quality homes and collaboration rather than conflict – are all aims we share.

“This will pave the way for a new Planning Bill to be brought forward to the Scottish Parliament in 2017.”