Openness, Transparency and improving performance
New Statistical Release shows performance is recovering
Delivering a fair, open and timely planning appeal and examination service that meets the needs of our customers can be challenging, particularly when unexpected events occur.鈥�
During the pandemic we set ourselves three priorities:鈥�
- To continue to keep our staff and customers safe and well.鈥�
- To continue to progress and decide casework robustly as quickly as possible.鈥�
- To keep our staff, customers and other key stakeholders informed and engaged.鈥�
Despite the challenges we face by not being able to undertake traditional physical hearings and inquiries to help stop the spread of COVID-19, 鈥痺e are determined to provide good customer service and recover our performance.鈥�
In August, following a short break due to impact of COVID-19, we again published the average appeal handling times which are being updated each month. 鈥疻e have today published a Statistical Release which provides even more information on planning appeals. These represent the highest volume of our work.鈥���
Our work involving the examination of Nationally 鈥疭ignificant Infrastructure 鈥疨rojects, 鈥痵uch as 鈥痬ajor roads, power stations and airports, has continued and the statutory deadlines for events have been met on all occasions 鈥�(needing only 3 extensions to examination deadlines). Our work on supporting Local Authorities to develop a sound Local Development 鈥疨lan is also continuing.鈥�
These statistics will be produced each month to allow anyone to see how we are performing. The focus is on timeliness as we understand this to be a key area of interest from what customers and stakeholders have told us. We also include some information on the decisions that we have made; and on the number of Inspectors available to make those decisions. They 鈥痟ave been published to ensure the public has equal access to the information and 鈥痠t 鈥痵upports 鈥痶he Planning Inspectorate鈥檚 commitment to transparency and openness by releasing information where possible.鈥���
The times for delivering decisions that we publish are the 鈥痑verage times from cases that have reached that stage 鈥痠n 鈥痶he previous month, 鈥痬easured from the time we have received all the information we need from a customer to begin the appeal process (鈥榲alid鈥�) to the time a decision is issued. This is in line with local authorities receiving planning applications. The appeal will 鈥榮tart鈥� later when an inspector is allocated, but all our performance information explains the total time we take, including the period before an inspector is allocated. Our future online appeals casework portal system will 鈥痟elp customers by using a screening tool to only accept valid 鈥痑pplications at the point they are submitted to us.鈥��
Whilst we may not meet 鈥痑ll 鈥痮ur 鈥痬inisterial targets this year [2020/21], with the continuing high 鈥痭umber 鈥痮f cases being received and the challenges of running hearings and inquiries so that they comply with Covid-19 regulations, 鈥痶he appeals process is 鈥渂ack on track鈥� by holding virtual hearings since the lockdown.鈥疶his statistical bulletin provides:鈥��
- Appeals decisions from October 2019 to 鈥疭eptember 鈥�2020鈥��
- The time taken to reach those decisions鈥��
- Number of open cases (cases being processed but not yet decided)鈥�
- Number of Inspectors working for The Planning Inspectorate.鈥��
The data in this Statistical Release applies only to England.鈥��