Delays in planning services

We are experiencing unprecedented volumes of planning applications and requests for pre application advice.

Like most planning authorities we are experiencing staff shortages due to a national shortage of planning staff, together with the cumulative impact of Covid-19 related staffing absences and issues with the National Planning Portal.

We are working hard to overcome these challenges but have had to introduce new procedures to help manage workloads, including returning applications that are significantly incomplete and refusing applications where there is clearly little prospect of achieving an approval.

Due to the need to tackle the backlog as a priority, responses to emails, phone calls and other queries asking for updates on progress may be delayed.

There will be a particular pressure over the next month affecting processing of both major and minor applications which should improve from May.

We apologise for the delays that will be experienced in arranging pre-application advice, validating and dealing with planning submissions. Please be reassured we are working as hard as resources allow to resolve these short-term challenges.