Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2013/14

1. Introduction

1.1 Planning authority performance data is a statistical collection undertaken to establish the number of planning applications determined by Scottish planning authorities, and their performance in processing them. The Scottish Government Communities Analytical Services collects quarterly data from all 32 Local Authorities and the two Planning Authorities (Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park) on the detail of planning decisions and timescales.

1.2 On 3^rd August 2009 substantial changes to the statutory development management system, relating to the handling of planning applications, came into effect across the whole of Scotland. A few legacy cases that were validated^[1] pre 3^rd August 2009 can badly skew results and therefore, where possible, analysis is provided separately for the current planning system post 3^rd August 2009 as well as for all applications where decisions have been made. Additional detailed excel tables of results as well as a copy of this summary are available on the Planning Statistics page of the Scottish Government's web site at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning

Annual results for 2013/14 as well as previous year's results are available at:
Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2013/14 Annual
(These tables are referred to throughout this bulletin as Annual, 2013/14)

Quarter 4 results for 2013/14 as well as previous quarter's results are available at: Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2013/14 Quarter 4
(These tables are referred to throughout this bulletin as Quarter 4, 2013/14)

1.3 For the purpose of planning applications, developments are put into one of three categories: local, major or national. The different types allow councils to treat developments in a way which is suited to their size, complexity and the issues they are likely to raise. Local developments include changes to individual houses and, for example, smaller developments for new housing and retail. Most applications for planning permission will be for local developments. Major developments include developments of 50 or more homes, certain waste, water, transport and energy-related developments, and larger retail developments. Classification between local and major developments depends on the particular development type. For example, housing developments are classed as major when the application is for 50 or more dwellings or for a site that exceeds two hectares, whereas electricity generation is classed as major when the capacity of the generating station is or exceeds 20 megawatts. Details for the classification of all development types can be found here:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/278390/0083657.pdf

National developments are mainly large public works (for example, the regeneration of the former Ravenscraig steelworks) and are identified in the National Planning Framework (http://www.scotland.gov.uk890f7b0f-a336-4fb6-a76d-4d478a165e18).
National Developments are not included in the planning performance statistics analysed in this publication.

1.4 The average decision time in weeks is calculated in days from the date of validation to the date the decision is issued. The average weeks are then calculated by dividing the number of days by 7. Data that allows calculation of average decision times has been collected for the past two years and quarterly trends over this time period are shown in sections 4,5 and 6. However data for the percentages of local applications that were decided within two months are available over a longer time period. These results are reported separately in section 7.

1.5 For the year 2013/14, thirty local authorities provided information on particular delays that were outwith their control and on which it was agreed it was appropriate to stop the clock for periods of time. There were 766 applications decided during 2013/14 (2% of all applications) where the clock had been stopped at some point in the application process, compared to 264 in the previous year. This improvement in reporting is likely to lower some overall decision times between years. In 2013/14 almost 5% of applications for local housing developments had the clock stopped, with just over a year on average removed from decision times for these applications. More than a quarter of applications for major housing developments had the clock stopped, with more than two years on average removed from decision times for these applications. This has a marked effect on overall average decision times for both local and major housing applications.

Four local authorities (Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire and East Dunbartonshire) either indicated that they were not able to provide details of dates for delays that were outwith their control or did not require any decision time to be removed. Average decision times for these local authorities may be higher than otherwise, and higher than those authorities who are able to report delays in decision making. Further details for applications that have had the clock stopped can be found in Annex 14.2.

1.6 Additional quality assurance of data was carried out when analysing annual data and some alterations have been made to previously published quarterly data. These revisions have been footnoted in the latest quarterly publication; Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2013/14 Quarter 4