Planning performance statistics: quarterly reports - April to September 2019-2020

2. 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 local development categories is reported on an annual rather than quarterly basis.

Some local authorities use processing agreements where the developer and the local authority agree on timescales for decisions. When an application is subject to a processing agreement it is not included in average decision time calculations.

Legacy cases validated before 3^rd August 2009 are not included in the figures but are reported separately in Section 10. Figures for all applications including legacy cases were reported up to and including 2016/17 and are available in previous publications.

2.1. All Local Developments

There were 12,890 local development applications not subject to processing agreements in the first six months of 2019/20, 501 fewer than in the equivalent period in 2018/19. The average decision time for these local development applications was 9.0 weeks, slightly slower than the 8.9 weeks for the same period in 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 73.7%, down just under two percentage points from 75.6% for the first six months of 2018/19.

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these applications are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 494 local development applications with processing agreements, 81.4% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 487, 78.6% meeting the agreed timescales. In both quarter one and quarter two local applications with processing agreements accounted for 7.1% of all the decisions made for local developments.

There was also one Local Development pre 3rd August 2009 legacy case concluded. Further details about legacy cases can be seen in Section 10.

Highland made the most decisions on local developments in both quarter one (700 applications, 9 subject to processing agreements) and quarter two (629 applications, three subject to processing agreements).

Chart 3: All Local Developments

Chart 4: All Local Developments: Percentage of decisions within two months

2.2. 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 and industry, waste management, electricity generation, freshwater fish farming, marine finfish and shellfish farming, telecommunications, Approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSCs) and other developments.

There were 6,346 local non-householder developments not subject to processing agreements decided in the first six months of 2019/20, 289 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision was 10.8 weeks, two days slower than the 10.5 weeks for the equivalent period in the previous year. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 62.9%, down two percentage points from 64.9% for the corresponding six month period in the previous year.

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 378 local non householder development applications with processing agreements, 81.2% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 335, 77.6% meeting the agreed timescales.

Chart 5: Local Developments (Non Householder)

Chart 6: Local Developments (Non Householder): Percentage of decisions within two months

There was also one Local Non Householder Development pre 3rd August 2009 legacy case concluded. Further details about legacy cases are in Section 10.

2.3. 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 6,544 householder developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the first six months of 2019/20, 213 fewer than the equivalent period in the previous year. The average decision time was 7.3 weeks, slightly slower than the 7.2 weeks for the same period in 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 84.2%, down from 86.0% for the corresponding six month period in the previous year.

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 116 householder applications with processing agreements, 81.9% met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 152, 80.9% meeting agreed timescales.

Chart 7: Householder Developments

Chart 8: Householder Developments: Percentage of decisions within two months

2.4. Local Housing Developments

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

There were 2,193 local housing developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the first six months of 2019/20, 203 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 12.3 weeks, slower by two days than the 12.0 weeks for the same period in the previous year. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 54.2%, down by just over three percentage points from 57.3% for the first six months of 2018/19.

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 171 local housing applications with processing agreements, 80.7% of these met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 148, 80.4% meeting the agreed timescales.

There was also one Local Housing pre 3rd August 2009 legacy case concluded. Further details about legacy cases are in Section 10.

Chart 9: Local Housing Developments

Chart 10: Local Housing Developments: Percentage of decisions within two months

2.5. Local Business and Industry Developments

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 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 641 local business and industry developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the first six months of 2019/20, 146 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 10.1 weeks, more than a week slower than the 8.8 weeks for the for the first six months of 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 69.1%, down from 73.1% for the corresponding six month period in the previous year.

Chart 11: Local Business and Industry Developments

Chart 12: Local Business and Industry Developments: Percentage of decisions within two months

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 31 local business and industry applications with processing agreements, 77.4% of these met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 28, 85.7% meeting agreed timescales.

2.6. 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 3,130 local other developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the first six months of 2019/20, 75 more than in the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 9.7 weeks, slower by two days than the 9.4 weeks for the first six months of 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 68.8%, down from 70.2% for the same six month period in the previous year.

Chart 13: Local Other Developments

Chart 14: Local Other Developments: Percentage of decisions within two months

In addition a number of applications were concluded that were subject to processing agreements, these are not included in average time calculations. In quarter one of 2019/20 there were 143 local other developments applications with processing agreements, 79.7% of these met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 137, 74.5% meeting agreed timescales.