RE: New designation for non-majors

2017-01-24T11:28:37Z

FYI- I emailed the DCLG regarding how to deal with Section 73 applications in the PS1/2s

The Guidance Notes for PS2 states: On the PS2 form, the application for a variation or removal of condition should be coded under the same code as the original application (i.e. if original application was for a minor development, the application for a removal of condition should also be classified as a minor development).

Yet SI 2016 No.944, which came into force on 21^st October excludes variation of condition applications from the performance measures

Which is the correct approach?

Their response: I can confirm that the PS2 form guidance is the correct approach. We are aware of the inconsistency you have flagged, and it is a matter that we have been able to address for those authorities who may be liable for designation in 2017, and which we can address more generally for the 2018 designation round

RE: New designation for non-majors

2017-01-06T08:51:22Z

Hello Sarah,

I didn't think that counties were involved in non-major designation, although I've just skim-read the criteria document again and it doesn't say so.

I'll ask ...

RE: New designation for non-majors

2017-01-04T15:05:30Z

Happy New Year to you all.

It is quite possible that I am missing the obvious, but where are the performance figures (Oct 14 - Sep 16) for non-majors for Counties? Table 153 published in December covers the performance of District planning authorities - speed of non-major development decisions, and includes Unitaries and National Parks. Table 151b covers Counties for major development, but I can't find anything for non-major development performance (this would be our Reg 3 applications), other than Tables 143 and 144 which are Reg 3 & 4 applications quarterly and annually, respectively.

The Criteria for Designation (Dec 2016) document refers to just Table 153 for speed of non-major development, so I think I am looking in the right place. However, happy for someone to tell me I have been looking in the wrong place, or better still that Counties are excluded from this!

Thanks,

Sarah

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-20T08:29:10Z

RE Tables 152 & 154

I dropped the DCLG an email a couple of weeks ago, here's their response...

"Although we and the Planning Inspectorate are making progress on addressing the technical concerns on the appeals data, we don’t yet have a date for the next update of live tables P152 and P154.

As you may be aware, Simon Gallagher’s letter of 22 November to Chief Planners (attached) indicated that the Department “will not be assessing local authorities’ performance on the quality of their decisions on either major or non-major applications in 2017 but for applications for both major and non-major development in the 2018 designation round” and so we will need to have resolved all the concerns in time for robust figures to be available for early 2018 – and although we are intending to have produced updated tables in good time for that, we are not currently working to a precise timescale."

Regards, John

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-15T11:54:53Z

Looks like the DCLG has released the updated stats for the speed of decisions in the live tables :

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics

They now cover October 2014 - September 2016 which is the full period for the new designation assessment.

Seem to be 14 authorities have been caught below the new 'non-major development' designation threshold, including some big authorities.

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-09T13:13:39Z

I think I have posted this entry on the wrong thread so I am sorry if this repeats

Can someone confirm my understanding about quality of decision?

the decsions made on themajor/ non major applications within a 2 year period will be looked at 9 months later to see which ones appealed. We are then looking at no more than 10% appeals allowed on decsions that were made in that specific 2 year period?

Have I got that right?

thanks

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-09T11:50:07Z

Am I also correct in assuming that although the Section 73 applications are no longer counted for PS1 & PS2 purposes, the publicity arrangements remain unchanged, as per the Procedure order?

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-09T09:50:16Z

So, let me make sure that I've got this right. Section 73 applications for variation/removal of conditions on a planning application, which were previously classified as either major or non-major, according to the relevant classification of the original planning permission, are now to be coded as, in effect, what used to be a Q28 'other' application (commencing 21st October).

Which means that when the next set of designations are made at the end of 2017, they will be measuring 4 quarters figures with Section 73 applications included and 4 quarters with them excluded.

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-08T18:43:19Z

This is a good question, but I think there is a different way of looking at it.

The applications for which an authority might be designated might exclude s73 applications. [like, for non-majors, they exclude householders]

The calculation used to decide which council is designated is based on PS2, which gives an advantage because it includes s73 in the denominator.

What's the problem ? These things work in our favour, I think.

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-08T15:05:56Z

any idea how we distinguish the section 73 applications in the statistics recorded.

we record section 73 applications under the original PS code number. I can exclude them for our internal stats but they are reported in the PS 1/2 reurn as the original ps code reference. what does everyone else do?

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-08T15:00:36Z

oops found the definition in the SI 2016 No. 944

so with the exception of details submitted following a permission in principle and applications to remove or vary a planning condition , non majors will be anything not a major which is an application for planning permission to develop land.

so excluding Section 73 applications that will give us PS codes 13 -21 inclusive

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-08T14:59:36Z

I can't answer your question about legal definition. The live tables themselves say they relate to PS2 thusly

Q13: minor dwellings

Q14: minor offices / R&D / light industry

Q15: general industry / storage / warehousing

Q16: retail and service

Q17: traveller caravan pitches

Q18: all other minor developments

Q20: change of use

Q21: householder developments

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-12-08T14:41:12Z

Hi I am having some problems with definitions in the legislation

I am happy with the definition of major as it is the normal one

however, the new SI 2016 No. 944 defines non major development as meaning "development which is not major development"

I have found the explanatory memorandum to the Improving Planning Performance document which does help with some things but I cannot track down the legal definition of a non major application.

In theory it is going to be all applications with a PS Code greater than 12 but excluding applications not made under the 1990 planning act and certificates of lawfulness but where legaly is this defined?

any ideas

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-29T10:18:50Z

My understanding (can't remember why I think this) is that table 152 and 154 are wrong, so they won't be extended. They will be replaced with data that might look quite different based on a new way of counting what is a 'major' from PINS.

But no - I've got no idea of when this will be.

I hope that someone has thought through the fact that appeals take a varying length of time to reach resolution so the figures will change, sometimes after quite a considerable time. Perhaps I should tweak the crystal ball so you can record the fact there are appeal results outstanding ?

Can someone fill it in with real data and ping it to me so I can see what it looks like ?

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-28T17:37:31Z

Thanks Richard. Do you know when CLG will extend Live Tables 152 and 154 beyond December 2014?

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-28T15:42:43Z

Thanks - have a look in the adjacent thread for my first go at a crystal ball for 2017.

I confess I was taken aback at how little of the 'quality' year is left ...

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-25T11:34:22Z

Great tool, thank you Richard. (Any chance of one on the quality criteria?)

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-24T12:05:57Z

Good that the figures for designation have been confirmed, albeit they are to be applied retrospectively to Sept 2014-Sept 2016.

Based upon Richard’s previous posts I imagine that this retrospective approach allows DCLG to assess the latest batch of figures and set a threshold which pulls enough, but not too many, LPAs into designation.

DCLG will have a list of the LPAs who would be designated given the proposed figures, but this has not been included in the document presented to Parliament; I would have thought this would have provided useful context for the figures chosen.

It will of course be possible to identify the LPAs involved when the end of Sept figures are published in December.

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-24T11:24:59Z

Worth noting that non-majors are defined as those in categorties Q13-21 not all the "minors" and "others" and are those in table 153 of the CLG's live tables.

The latest published ones (the two years up to 30th June) are easiily viewed if you google - planning live tables clg

They are ranked in descending order and you can see that here were quite a few councils below the threshold as of 3 months ago. Here's hoping that their last quarter was better than the corresponding one 2 years previously!

RE: New designation for non-majors

2016-11-23T10:46:56Z

The new criteria for designation has just come out:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571144/Improving_Planning_Performance_-_Criteria_for_Designation__revised_2016_.pdf

Speed of non-majors is a new performance measure, at 65% initially (70% in 2018). Majors remain at 50% until 2018 when they rise to 60%.

Regards, John