Planning performance statistics: annual report 2018-2019

1. Introduction

1.1 Background to data collection

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 Analysis Division collects quarterly data from all 32 local authorities and the two planning authorities (Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park) on the detail of planning decisions and timescales.

Detailed guidance is available to planning authorities to help with submission of quarterly data. This can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/DataSupplierArea

1.2 Uses of the Statistics

The key objective of the statistics is to allow Scottish Government and the planning authorities to monitor the performance of planning authorities in the timeliness of deciding planning applications. The statistics monitor the impact of the development management system, part of the modernising planning agenda, which was implemented on 3^rd August 2009. Further details are available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/DataUses.

1.3 Legacy cases

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 pre 3^rd August 2009 can badly skew results and therefore the analysis in Sections 2 to 5 covers applications validated in the current planning system post 3^rd August 2009. For applications decided prior to quarter one 2017/18, where appropriate, figures are provided for both post 3^rd August 2009 applications and all applications including legacy cases. 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.  Analysis of the limited number of decided legacy cases is provided separately in Section 11.

1.4 Detailed tables of results

Additional detailed excel tables of the years quarterly and annual results as well as a copy of this summary, along with results for previous years are available in the Planning Authority Performance Statistics Section on the Planning Publications page of the Scottish Government’s website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/Publications.

1.5 Categories of planning applications

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 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^[1]) and other developments. Most applications for planning permission will be for local developments.

Major developments include applications for 50 or more homes, as well as certain waste, water, transport and energy-related developments, larger retail developments, and other types of major 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. Typically there are only a small number of decisions made for major developments each quarter and therefore average decision times are likely to be volatile.

The sub-category “other developments”, used for both major and local developments, includes any developments not falling wholly within any of the specific categories of development for minerals, housing, business & industry, waste management, electricity generation, fish farming and AMSCs.  It includes, but is not limited to, retail, leisure and entertainment, education, healthcare, community facilities, transport interchanges, water and drainage developments and projects. It can also include mixed use projects.

National developments are mainly large public works (for example, the regeneration of the former Ravenscraig steelworks and the redevelopment of the Dundee Waterfront) and are identified in the National Planning Framework (http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0045/00453683.pdf).

National Developments are not included in the planning performance statistics analysed in this publication.

Details for the classification of all development types can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/278390/0083657.pdf.

1.6 Calculation of decision times

The average decision time in weeks is calculated in days from the date of validation^[2] to the date the decision is issued. The average weeks are then calculated by dividing the number of days by seven. 

When calculating cut-off dates for local applications meeting two month targets months are measured from a specific day in one month until the day with the preceding date in the following or subsequent months. 

For further explanation of planning performance methodology please refer to Planning Performance Technical Notes. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/DataSupplierArea

1.7 Stopping the clock

In some cases it is appropriate to remove a length of time from the total decision time. We have called this process of removing a specific length of time “stopping the clock”. Stopping the clock is used where there has been a lengthy delay caused by the applicant or external consultees, outwith the planning authority’s control that has halted progress with an application. It is for individual authorities to decide what they consider ‘lengthy’ on a case by case basis. This should not be used for every application; it is about recording the data in a way which produces more accurate and relevant performance statistics that would otherwise have been skewed by extreme cases of delay outwith the planning authority’s control. 

Details for applications that have had the clock stopped can be found in Section 12.

1.8 Revisions

Additional quality assurance of data was carried out when analysing annual data and some alterations were made to previously published quarterly data. For 2018/19 Quarters 1 and 2 there were a total of 18 revisions made to figures for six local authorities. There were no changes to headline figures. 

Details of the revisions have been listed in the latest quarterly publication: Planning Authority Performance Statistics 2018/19 Quarterly.

The revisions policy for planning performance statistics has been developed in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority Code of practice for Official Statistics and further details are available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/Revisions.