An “unprecedented volume” of complex planning applications have resulted in huge delays on applications submitted to Shropshire Council.
The authority is now increasing staffing to try and reduce the backlog of applications which has led to major problems for farmers and landowners across the county.
Validation of applications is currently taking between three and four weeks – leading to deadlines further along the line being missed, Charis Denham, of Much Wenlock based Madeleys Chartered Surveyors said today.
She said: “The initial validations of applications, where the paperwork is simply checked to ensure it has been filled in correctly, is taking up to a month to be done.
“Clients are growing increasingly concerned as they aren’t seeing progress of their applications because they are not being validated until weeks after actual submission.
“This leads to delays with other aspects of the projects and is causing problems for farmers and landowners submitting applications.”
Mal Price, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for regulatory services, confirmed that validation of planning applications at Shropshire Council is currently taking between three and four weeks.
He said: “Clearly applications need to be validated in order of submission. The reasons for the delays are numerous, but primarily include unprecedented volumes and complexity of applications.
“Solutions are being put in place to reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, and staffing levels and experience are returning to the level required to improve the service to an appropriate standard. In the interim, Shropshire Council apologise to all applicants, agents and other service users for any inconvenience caused.
“Whilst confirming this, it should be noted that, provided an application is valid when it is first checked, then the date of validation is entered as the date on which it was received by the council, and accordingly there is no delay at this point. It is therefore in everyone’s interest to try and ensure that all information required to validate an application is supplied at the time of the initial submission.”
Further issues are also arising with applications due to recent SAMDev Plan updates and emerging policies which will be given significant weight during determination.
“The SAMDev Plan for Shropshire is currently being considered by the Planning Inspector and further modifications have now been submitted to her for consideration,” added Mrs Denham.
“Ahead of adoption of the SAMDev Plan, the council now consider that those parts of the plan that are not subject to modification are ‘sound’ in principle and can be given significant weight in planning decisions.
“This announcement will have an effect on applications being under consideration for the first time and may have an effect on applications previously considered and supported but are currently waiting for a Section 106 to be signed.”
Shropshire Live is regulated by