Planning performance statistics 2019/2020: quarterly (October to March)

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 and 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 other 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 11,714 local development applications not subject to processing agreements in the final six months of 2019/20, 140 fewer than in the equivalent period in 2018/19. The average decision time for these local development applications was 9.2 weeks, slightly slower than the 9.1 weeks for the same period in 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 74.5%, showing little change from 74.6% for the final 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 three of 2019/20 there were 497 local development applications with processing agreements, 77.7% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 503, 80.5% meeting the agreed timescales. In quarter three local applications with processing agreements accounted for 7.5% of all the decisions made for local developments, in quarter four this increased to 8.3%.

Highland made the most decisions on local developments in both quarter three (611 applications, three subject to processing agreements) and quarter four (587 applications, 12 subject to processing agreements).

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 5,822 local non-householder developments not subject to processing agreements decided in the final six months of 2019/20, 307 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision was 11.1 weeks, just over a day slower than the 10.9 weeks for the same period in the previous year. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 63.7%, up slighly from 63.4% 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 three of 2019/20 there were 372 local non householder development applications with processing agreements, 77.7% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 374, 79.7% meeting the agreed timescales.

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 5,892 householder developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the final six months of 2019/20, 167 more 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 85.2%, down from 86.7% 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 three of 2019/20 there were 125 householder applications with processing agreements, 77.6% met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 129, 82.9% meeting agreed timescales.

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 1,930 local housing developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the final six months of 2019/20, 322 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 12.6 weeks, slightly quicker than the 12.7 weeks for the same period in the previous year. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 57.6%, up by over one percentage point from 56.0% for the final 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 three of 2019/20 there were 174 local housing applications with processing agreements, 74.7% of these met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 146, 76.7% meeting the agreed timescales.

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 634 local business and industry developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the final six months of 2019/20, 57 fewer than the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 9.9 weeks, two days slower than the 9.6 weeks for the for the final six months of 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 67.4%, up slightly from 67.0% 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 three of 2019/20 there were 29 local business and industry applications with processing agreements, 86.2% of these met agreed timescales set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 31, 74.2% 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 2,886 local other developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the final six months of 2019/20, 82 more than in the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 9.9 weeks, slightly slower than the 9.8 weeks for the final six months of 2018/19. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 68.1%, up slightly from 67.9% for the same 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 three of 2019/20 there were 148 local other developments applications with processing agreements, 77.7% of these met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 157, 80.9% meeting agreed timescales.