Post by Mark Battersby MRTPI

A busy morning in the planning world, with several Local Planning Authorities designated as underperforming in the determination of major planning applications. This means that, for the authorities listed below, Applicants now have the ability to submit major development proposals directly to the Planning Inspectorate rather than through the local planning authority: - Cherwell District Council - Dacorum Borough Council - Epping Forest District Council - Hertsmere Borough Council - Malvern Hills District Council - Rossendale Borough Council - South Tyneside Council - Staffordshire Moorlands District Council - Wychavon District Council This represents a substantial use of the Secretary of State’s designation powers and appears to be one of the most significant rounds of designations to date. It also underlines the wider pressures currently facing the planning system, particularly in balancing timely decision-making with the Government’s growth and housing delivery objectives. It will be important to see whether this intervention leads to meaningful improvements in determination times, and what wider implications it may have for local authority capacity, performance management and accountability. Newsteer Real Estate Advisers