Ian Kilby, Planning Services Manager, will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Rapid Action Task and Finish Group on Planning which were endorsed by the Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 31^st October 2013.

The Planning Services Manager gave an overview of the work undertaken by the Planning Department and updated Members on the progress of the implementation of the recommendations made by the Rapid Action Task and Finish Group, endorsed by the Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committee on 31^st October 2013.

Members noted that Planning was a service at the heart of the place shaping agenda, its aim was to facilitate sustainable development which supported business development and the economic growth in the County.

The Planning Services Manager explained that a reduction in the number of staff due to the voluntary redundancy scheme had coincided with a substantial increase in workload.  This increase was due to generally improving economic conditions and speculative applications, which were the result of issues around the five year land supply.  He continued that a business case had been made and agreed for an increase in resources to be put into place by spring 2015.

Referring to the recommendations made by the Rapid Action Task and Finish Group he confirmed that there had been an improvement in the attendance at Committee by Town and Parish Council representatives where they had objected to applications, and also an improvement in Shropshire Council Members attending Committee for applications within their Wards.

He continued that where the Committee considered applications in the Wards of members of the Committee, voting rights on that item had been rescinded for the Ward Member concerned.  Planning reports had been simplified and this had been met with general approval from Members, although was not always understood by members of the public.  Efficiency had been improved by all Planning Committees now meeting at Shirehall.

He continued that due to the workload the three Planning Committees remained and the desired delegation rate of 96% had not yet been met and remained at around 94.4%.  Members of the Planning Committees had expressed concern regarding the number of reports they had to consider at Committee meetings and the length of time it took to undertake site visits.  Concerns had also been expressed at a lack of consistency in the decisions taken by the individual Committees and added that this could be overcome through the establishment of a single planning committee.  A Member commented that a single Committee would not have the local knowledge demonstrated by the current Committees and decisions may not reflect local aspirations or needs.

A Member observed that there was insufficient emphasis on the elements of conservation and design in the consideration of applications.  He continued that communities were defined by their buildings and this was being lost in the bureaucracy which now accompanied the planning process.  The Planning Services Manager explained that Central Government had established a system within which they had to work and where the weight given in decisions was tightly prescribed.

Members requested further information on the speculative planning applications being made for areas outside of those designated as development land in SAMDev.  The Planning Services Manager explained that until SAMDev was formally adopted and the 5 Year Land Supply issues resolved it was likely that these speculative applications, if refused, would be granted on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate.  He continued that the applications made on sites which were not on designated development land only received a one year time frame for the planning permission.  He continued that where applications were unsustainable Officers were prepared to take a risk based approach and refuse them despite the possibility that the decision could be overturned on appeal, although he was concerned that this could lead to an Inspectorate Statement regarding the 5 Year Land Supply. 

Agreed:

i.              that Members consider the establishment of a Planning task and finish group; and

ii.            that a draft scoping document with Terms of Reference for the potential planning task and finish group be considered at the next meeting of the Committee on 29^th January 2015.