Planning Performance Framework Annual Report 2011-2012
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planning performance framework annual report 2011-2012 planning and performance framework publication 1 service and people first Contents Introduction 4 North Lanarkshire 4 Part 1 National Headline Indicators 6 Part 2 Defining and measuring a high quality planning service 8 Open for business 8 High quality development on the ground 10 Certainty 11 Communications, engagement and customer service 12 Efficient and effective decision making 14 Effective management structures 14 Financial management and local governance 15 Culture of continuous improvement 16 Part 3 Supporting evidence 17 Part 4 Service improvements 2012- 2013 17 Appendix I Official Statistics 18 planning and performance framework publication 3 planning and performance framework publication Introduction We are pleased to provide our annual performance report on our planning services, continuing the improvement theme set out in the White Paper “Modernising the Planning system” 2005. For the first time, we are reporting on our other factors, including, quality, workloads, performance across a broad range of areas. resources, organisation and outcomes. This provides an effective context for We also welcome this opportunity to highlight demonstrating our performance. As well as our achievements, successes and individuality. looking at speed of decision making, it covers North Lanarkshire The North Lanarkshire geographical area stretches from Stepps to Harthill, from the Kilsyth Hills to the Clyde, and includes Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Motherwell, Shotts and Wishaw. North Lanarkshire forms a geographically diverse approximately 47,000 hectares and a population area between the urban conurbation of Glasgow of over 326,000, it is the fourth largest planning which it borders to the west and the moorlands authority in Scotland of central Scotland to the east. The southern North Lanarkshire’s historical development of the part of North Lanarkshire is heavily populated, particularly in the south western area around coal, steel and heavy engineering industries has the large town of Motherwell and adjacent resulted in vacant and derelict land across much settlements. of the area, accounting for over 1,000 hectares ; among the largest amounts for any local The south eastern and northern parts of the authority area in Scotland. region are more rural in character with lower population densities and more extensive areas The industries of coal, steel and heavy of open countryside. Although agricultural engineering have now largely been replaced land accounts for over 18,000 hectares in North by a modern business infrastructure and newly Lanarkshire, the population density of the formed sectors. We now face new economic local authority area is 6.8 people per hectare, challenges of slow economic growth and making us the 5th most densely populated local higher than average unemployment and youth authority area in Scotland. With a land area of unemployment rates 4 planning and performance framework publication 5 planning and performance framework publication Part 1: National Headline Indicators Key outcomes 2011-2012 Our information on the national headline indicators is provided in the following Decision-making: table in line with the Scottish Government’s framework guidance requirements. • application approval rate 96% These are indicators that all of Scotland’s planning The indicators also cover aspects of our • delegation rate 80% authorities have been asked to provide. They relate performance in dealing with planning to our performance in development plan-making, applications both in processing and decision Decision-making timescales and in making available land for housing, making. They also cover our performance in employment and commerce. enforcement. Average number of weeks to decision: • major developments 52.7 PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK Annual Report 2011-2012 • local developments (non-householder) 14.5 • householder developments 9.3 1. National Headline Indicators (NHIs) Key outcomes 2011-2012 Enforcement • time since enforcement charter published / 22 months Development Planning: Local plan (adopted reviewed (months) September 2012) • age of local/strategic development plan(s) Requirement: review every 2 years Strategic (full years) development plan • number of breaches identified / resolved 155/59 Requirement: less than 5 years (approved May 2012) Context • development plan scheme: on track? (Y/N) Yes Development planning Our new local plan has Major developments - just been adopted. We have reached this stage Firstly, 02/00864/MIN- has been agreed to be Effective Land Supply and Delivery of following a detailed examination by Scottish exempted from the figures. Outputs Government reporters in February 2011, and a • effective housing land: years supply 7 years subsequent reopening of the consideration of Secondly, the average time for major applications housing land supply issues in 2012. to be determined is high in a large number of • effective housing land supply 7614 units cases because necessary supporting Development Management The Development documentation is not submitted at the time of • housing approvals 1663 units Management service has undergone changes to application. This can often be the case even when its operational structure in order to provide an • effective employment land supply 346.27 ha our pre-application discussions have identified at effective service in a period of staffing reductions, an early stage the specific information required. • employment land take-up 16.1131 ha and some performance figures dropped as a • effective commercial floor space supply* 873,608m2 short-term consequence of the restructure. It is A large percentage of applications in this category also the general culture of the service that required the conclusion of legal agreements prior • commercial floor space delivered applicants be given the opportunity to overcome to the issuing of planning permission and several problems associated with an application once have been subject to prolonged legal negotiation, Development Management % registered if the case officer considers that taking up to two years to be concluded and improvements are potentially achievable. thereby significantly impacting on our average Project Planning decision times. This can increase the time taken to determine an • percentage of applications subject to pre- 56.67% application, but is seen as a better service to the application advice applicant. This approach is endorsed through feedback from our agents’ focus group whose • number of major applications subject to 0% view is that to have an approval in nine or ten processing agreement or other project plan weeks is better than refusal in under eight weeks • percentage planned timescales met 0% and having to submit a further application. (Continued overleaf) * comprises commercial floor space (including an element of class 4 and sui generis) within the North Lanarkshire centre network 6 planning and performance framework publication 7 planning and performance framework publication Part 2: Defining and measuring a high quality planning service Kilsyth town centre and conservation area In development management, we have opened environment and regeneration related national up a new major development team for handling outcomes. major planning applications and building warrants - this especially dedicated team joins up We have also led the council on the delivery of planning services with building standards to sustainable development and practices. The provide a wide range of expertise and focus for council is now implementing the Sustainable There are many ways of defining and measuring a Along with our new and wide range of handling major development proposals. It is Development Delivery Framework developed by high quality planning service. The Scottish Supplementary Planning Guidance, this brand designed to provide a more effective mechanism our planning service. This will help us, along with Government has asked that we cover : our new local plan is our effective and succinct guide to deal with major proposals, as they make their our partners, to develop and deliver on the positive actions in support of sustainable for the developer, providing clarity for way through our statutory consents process. outcomes of a Sustainability and Climate Change economic growth; our achievements in securing development opportunities, and a real focus for Strategy and Action Plan, and to embed quality development on the ground; our our own implementation work. In development management in general, we have sustainability in future iterations of the Single consistency; our customer communications; our well established processes for the handling of Outcome Agreement and Corporate and decision making processes; our effective As for our own actions, the main focus is the applications from receipt to decision. More Community Plans. management structures; our financial continuation of the successful process of urban information can be found under the separate management; and our culture of continuous renewal through environmental improvements, heading, “certainty”. Linked to this, our planning service has led the improvement. together with masterplanning and the promotion council in the Strategic Environmental Assessment of our community growth areas, and Ravenscraig, We have a single point of contact for each process. We aim to have a web based SEA guide Open for business Scotland’s biggest regeneration site. planning application and case,