Planning review produces positive results
Last updated | 13/03/2008
Figures released today by Perth & Kinross Council show that a review of the Council’s planning application process has produced long-term improvements to performance.
This has been achieved despite a steady increase in application numbers over the past year. The review was carried out in February 2007 to look at areas where improvements could be made.
Gordon McFarlane, the Council’s Planning Change Manager said: “We had been working hard to cope with an increase in the number of planning applications received and their increasing complexity.
"In 2007 we received almost 1,000 more applications for planning permission and related consents than in 2001. A year ago we reviewed our procedures as part of a general programme of business improvement initiatives throughout the Council.
"Since then we have managed to reduce the total number of pending applications within the service by 15%, from 960 to 820, despite a further rise in number of applications received and some staff vacancies.
"We decided almost 300 more applications than we did in the previous year and we have also managed to increase by 10% the number decided within two months”.
Changes introduced by the planning service include a quicker registration system, a separate 'fast-track' process for small simple applications and quicker replies to enquiries about the need for planning permission.
Councillor Willie Wilson, Convener of the Council’s Development Control Committee, added: "I am very pleased with these improvements and would like to thank the staff for all their hard work. The turn-around has also depended on improvements by Councillors, who have agreed that some small applications do not need to be referred to the Development Control Committee, and to improvements by outside bodies which influence planning decisions, such as Scottish Natural Heritage.
“The planning department has come in for some criticism in the press recently, sometimes unfairly given the huge amount of complex work the department faces. A recent internal audit highlighted areas that needed improvement. We were already aware that work needed to be done in these areas, and these new figures show that thanks to the efforts of our dedicated staff we are moving in the right direction.”
Head of Planning Roland Bean said “It is a major task to slowly eat in to our very large volume of applications. We are making very positive progress and have taken on board many of the suggestions made to us by applicants, architects and community councils.
"These improvements have been achieved at the same time as we have taken steps to improve customer service through such steps as our new Customer Service Centre and providing more information in reports on planning applications. They have put us in a better position to implement the many further changes in the next two years which will arise from the new Planning Act for Scotland, from the introduction of online planning applications and from the Council’s own recent internal audit."
