Methodology
Developers are accustomed to entering into a planning performance agreement (PPA) with the local planning authority. By doing so they have assurances, albeit non-contractual, that the planning application will be dealt with in a timely manner and in accordance with an agreed timetable. However, through no fault of their own, local authorities have found themselves under increasing pressure to resource these applications. That is where Local Planners can assist. On a matter-by-matter basis, the developer will agree that the local planning authority will outsource to Local Planners consideration of the application and production of the report to Committee and will agree to pay fees to Local Planners in consideration of this. Additionally, other fees will be payable under the PPA to the local authority to cover the costs of the other consultees and any administration on their part. It is a settled intention of Local Planners to stick to the timetable so that there is increasing confidence within the development community that the costs incurred by meeting Local Planners’ costs are worth it and that the application will be processed in accordance with the timetable thus delivering certainty against the timeframe.
At all times, Local Planners will be acting for the local planning authority and will not in any way be liable or beholden to the developer making the planning application.
About Us
Objective
The objective of Local Planners is to support local authorities in processing planning applications.
It has been well publicised that central government’s intention is to deliver 1.5 million homes during the lifetime of its Parliament. Accordingly, local plans and central policy are designed to deliver on achieving this objective. Therefore, applications are being made by the development community to bring forward and to provide this much-needed housing. However, with the budgetary constraints on local authorities and recruitment shortfall, processing these applications has been a challenge. Local Planners aims to assist these local planning authorities with senior former planning officers' expertise. Under a PPA, the developer will meet the costs of processing an application, the aim of which is that Local Planners will, on an application-by-application process on behalf of the local authority, produce the report to Committee either recommending approval or refusal, in accordance with the Local Plan and other material reasons.
Focus
Local Planners provides services only to local planning authorities and does not take instructions from the development community. By doing this, all parties can be assured of its impartiality and the avoidance of conflicts. It is important that all the stakeholders in the planning process can be confident that applications are being processed in a logical and merit-based way. Free from influence and conflicts, a Local Planner is able to appraise an application in accordance with the Local Plan, feedback from the statutory consultees and objectors, and thus prepare its report as if an in-house planning officer had produced that report.
Local Planners will never accept instructions from any other body and is fully focused on the local authority sector.
In order that the service provided by Local Planners to the local planning authority is of top quality, all of the planning consultants engaged by Local Planners are former senior planning officers from the local authority community. Whilst some of them may have had experience in the private sector, their substantive careers have been formed within the local planning community. Therefore, they have in-depth knowledge of the processes and the approaches taken by local planning authorities when considering an application and drafting the report to Committee.
The Team
Led by a team with significant experience in local authorities and the delivery of professional services, Local Planners is directed by an experienced team with credentials in this area. Only senior planning officers are engaged by Local Planners as we consider it paramount that all stakeholders in the process are confident that an application has been considered properly, diligently and professionally against all factors. Timeliness is critical for the developers, and for the local authority to deliver on the promises made by the Local Plan and therefore experience counts.