Planning performance statistics: fourth quarter 2017-2018 and annual

4. Average decision times - Quarterly trends for Local Developments

Local developments include applications for changes to individual houses and smaller developments for new housing as well as applications covering areas of development such as minerals, business & industry, waste management, electricity generation, freshwater fish farming, marine finfish farming, marine shellfish farming, telecommunications, Approval of Matters Specified in Conditions ( AMSCs) and other developments.

This section presents quarterly information on average timescales across all local developments, along with separate figures for the key categories of householder, housing, business and industry and other developments. Information on decisions for other specific categories of developments is available within the detailed excel tables at: Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2017/18 Quarter 4.

Figures for all applications, which include legacy cases validated before 3 ^rd August 2009, are shown up to the end of 2016/17. From quarter one 2017/18, because of the limited number of legacy cases still being processed, figures are only shown for applications validated post 3 ^rd August 2009.

4.1 All Local Developments

There were 5,860 local applications (validated post 3rd August 2009) decided during the fourth quarter of 2017/18, with an overall average decision time of 9.3 weeks, slower by just over a day compared to the previous quarter (9.1 weeks) but equal to the equivalent quarter 4 figure in the previous year which had been the quickest quarter four figure since the start of the data collection in 2012/13. ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Tables 3 & 4).

Chart 17: All Local Developments: Number of decisions

In addition, there were 440 local development applications concluded in the final quarter of 2017/18 that were subject to separate processing agreements and are not included in average time calculations. 355 (80.7%) of these applications met the agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. For the most recent quarter, local applications with processing agreements accounted for 7.0% of the decisions made for all local developments.

In quarter four of 2017/18 Highland made the most decisions on local developments (577 in total), these had an average decision time of 9.5 weeks (Quarter 4, 2017/18 – Tables 1 & 3).

Chart 18: All Local Developments: Average decision time (weeks)

4.2 All Local (Non Householder) Developments

This can include applications for smaller developments for new housing as well as applications covering areas of development such as minerals, business & industry, waste management, electricity generation, freshwater fish farming, marine finfish farming, marine shellfish farming, telecommunications, Approval of Matters Specified in Conditions ( AMSCs) and other developments.

There were 3,083 local (non householder) developments decided during the fourth quarter of 2017/18, with an overall average decision time of 10.9 weeks. This is slightly slower than the previous quarter (10.7 weeks) but slightly quicker than the equivalent quarter figure in 2016/17 ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Table 5).

There were a further 310 Local (Non Householder) Developments applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements, 242 (78.1 per cent) met the agreed timescales.

Chart 19: All Local Developments (Non Householder): Number of decisions

Chart 20: All Local Developments (Non Householder): Average decision time (weeks)

4.3 Householder Developments

These include all applications for development in the curtilage of a residential property which are not change of use, for example: extensions, alterations to garages, swimming pools, walls, fences, driveways or porches.

There were 2,777 householder applications decided during the fourth quarter of 2017/18, with an overall average decision time of 7.6 weeks, slower by two days compared to the previous quarter (7.3 weeks) ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Table 6).

There were a further 130 householder development applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements, 113 (86.9 per cent) of which met their agreed timescale.

Chart 21: Householder developments: Number of decisions

Chart 22: Householder developments: Average decision time (weeks)

4.4 Local Housing

Local Housing developments are those that have less than 50 dwellings and a site area that is less than 2 hectares.

In quarter four of 2017/18 there were 1,110 decisions made on local housing applications. The overall average decision time was 12.0 weeks, slightly slower than the previous quarter (11.7 weeks) but quicker than the equivalent quarter four figures in each of the previous four years ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Table 8).

There were a further 149 local housing applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements, of which 117 (78.5%) met the agreed timescale.

Chart 23: Local Housing developments: Number of decisions

Chart 24: Local Housing developments: Average decision time (weeks)

4.5 Local Business and Industry

Business and Industry developments include construction of a building or structure for any of the following: use as an office, for research and development of products or processes, for any industrial process or for use for storage or as a distribution centre. To be classed as local the gross floor space as a result of the development must not exceed 10,000 square metres and the site area must be 2 hectares or less.

There were 363 local business and industry applications decided during the fourth quarter of 2017/18, with an overall average decision time of 9.5 weeks, quicker by five days compared to the previous quarter (10.2 weeks) and the quickest quarter four figure since the start of the data collection in 2012/13 ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Table 10.

Chart 25: Local Business and Industry developments: Number of decisions

Chart 26: Local Business and Industry developments: Average decision time (weeks)

There were a further 20 local business and industry applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements, of which 14 (70.0%) met the agreed timescale.

4.6 Local Other Developments

Other developments are developments not falling wholly within any other single class. They include but are not limited to retail, leisure and entertainment, education, healthcare, community facilities, transport interchanges, water and drainage developments and projects. This class also covers mixed use projects.

Local Other developments are those where the gross floor space of any building, structure or erection as a result of such development is less than 5,000 square metres and the area of the site is less than 2 hectares.

There were 1,402 local other developments decided during the fourth quarter of 2017/18, with an overall average decision time of 10.0 weeks, equal to the previous quarter and the quickest quarter four figure since the start of the data collection in 2012/13 ( Quarter 4, 2017/18: Table 12.

Chart 27: Local Other Developments: Number of decisions

Chart 28: Local Other Developments: Average decision time (weeks)

There were a further 99 local other developments applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements, of which 78.8 per cent (78 applications) met the agreed timescale.