Planning system delivering on time - new statistics show.

Publication: M2 Presswire

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COPYRIGHT 2006 M2 Communications Ltd.

M2 PRESSWIRE-30 June 2006-UK Government: Planning system delivering on time - new statistics show(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:30062006

New statistics show a step-change improvement in performance by local planning authorities, Planning Minister Baroness Andrews announced today.

70 per cent of authorities met or surpassed their target of handling 60 per cent of their major applications within 13 weeks in the last financial year, up from just 55 per cent six months ago.

Quarterly statistics also published today show that 81 per cent of all planning decisions were made within 8 weeks between January and March 2006, three per cent higher than the same period a year ago.

Nationally 127 authorities have improved their performance in the six months since September last year. DCLG is formally dis-engaging with and congratulating three in particluar - Kirkless, Southwark and Waveney - who were previously designated as poorly performing but have now turned the corner.

Baroness Andrews said:

"Continued increasing performance over recent years means that the planning system is now delivering on time for homeowners and businessess across the country - but we also need to go further. We want to sustain these rates of improvement so that in a year's time every local planning authority in England is meeting their timeliness targets.

"We are also anticipating further improvements...

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