The Voice of Authority: Planning in Isolation
9 April 2020 Post webinar report
In partnership with:
Post Webinar Report Planning in Isolation
In partnership with:
9 April 2020
Chair: Toby Fox Managing director, 3Fox
Panelists Heather Cheesbrough
Mike De’Ath
Director of planning and
Partner, HTA
strategic transport, London Borough of Croydon Mike Kiely
Stewart Murray
Chair, Planning
Strategic director economic
Officers Society
growth and housing delivery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
Overview Sponsored by London Square, the second episode in the webinar series saw the panel discuss how planning systems are coping with and adapting to the conditions imposed upon them by Covid-19.
The discussion ranged widely and this report contains a sample and summary. Watch the webinar in full at thevoiceofauthority.co.uk, and subscribe to stay updated on future episodes.
Post Webinar Report The Council View Perhaps surprisingly, local planning authorities have not experienced a slowdown in the amount of planning applications they have been receiving lately, or have been processing. Rather, the sense given by both Heather Cheesbrough and Stewart Murray in this week’s discussion is that things are actually ramping up. For the very first week of the lockdown, Cheesbrough told of how Croydon had received "far more (applications) than usual", and it seems applicants surged to get them in before offices went into shutdown.
Both Croydon and Waltham Forest have moved to have their planning teams work remotely, and both are currently involved in preparing their planning committees to conduct business remotely – Croydon are set to host their committee in mid-April and
We’re treating planning as a priority in the council for economic recovery. We’re saying to our applicants and our investors, we want you to come along with us, and help us.
Stewart Murray
Waltham Forest at the beginning of May having already held a "part-virtual" committee on March 31. Many local authorities have adopted emergency restructuring, within which planning has been valued highly as a vehicle to economic recovery post pandemic. "We have created what is in effect an emergency directorate", Murray said, in which his directorate is seen as the "recovery" directorate. "Planning is right at the heart of keeping investment decisions and confidence going."
Quick moves to virtual ecosystems and domicile work environments have brought with them new challenges. One of the first problems noted by Cheesbrough was the situation faced by many of her young planning officers with families, "trying to juggle writing planning reports and childcare". There has also been a learning process, with officers and members having to get to grips with new technology, and fast. Despite this, indications are that officers are responding well. In the last four weeks, Waltham Forest has been able to get the most planning decisions out for the same period across the last year. Croydon has also been forthright on how important
Post Webinar Report Cities grew up because people like to meet and they like to exchange. Whether it’s goods, it’s chitchat, whatever. I do not see Covid going taking away that absolute human characteristic.
Heather Cheesbrough
it is that planning applications continue to be dealt with. In the face of some voices in the public calling for them to "stop everything", Cheesbrough told how "we’ve been quite clear that MHCLG have told us
to get on with it, so we are trying to do that, and we are trying to make sure that our planning committee is as robust as possible".
Getting those planning committees up and running in their new virtual forms is perhaps now the most pressing issue that authorities must contend with. Legislation has of course been introduced allowing for remote meetings to be held and for local planning authorities to enact emergency measures and delegation, but there’s no easy answer for how best to do so as each local authority has a different constitution and different characters in terms of how residents react to planning applications.
Mike Kiely was on hand to advise on the legal implications potentially facing planning authorities if proper protocols are not introduced and observed, and to offer
It’s important we look at the size of a committee. The more people involved, the more difficult it is for all the technology to work.
Mike Kiely
advice on measures that they might look to implement. "We’ve got the regulations in place, and that’s helpful, but planning is quite different from other types of committees. The important factor is that those members making the decision be there for the whole of that item. If they leave the room normally, then they can’t vote."
Applying these same rules to a situation where a member is participating via the video call he explained: "If objectors or applicants who get the wrong decision discover that a certain councillor’s broadband dropped during the meeting, then technically it could be argued that they couldn’t vote because they missed part of the meeting. When we design these systems we
Post Webinar Report need to think about all those factors." With councils stretched for resources, all were keen that applications shouldn’t fall foul of JRs. "I don’t want those," Cheesbrough said. "They take up resources; it’s added issues when you’re trying to run a service in very stretching times."
In terms of how the public can continue to be engaged, Kiely said: "The regulations haven’t really helped us here, and it’s unfortunate. What the regulations say is that you must honour your existing constitution or requirements. But what you must remember is that in that constitution there will almost certainly be emergency powers for the chief exec to do stuff to keep the council going." Given the present circumstances, the less stuff that goes to committee, "the better". At Kingston where he is currently interim planning lead he has used the constitution to implement a hybrid model that still allows for councillors to have input while removing the need for applications to go to committee. Kiely also raised the issue of planning permissions that are about to expire, and called on the MHCLG to think about extending them, given the current circumstances.
Giving a perspective from the private sector, Mike De’Ath praised local authorities for their
The human condition is to thrive in difficult conditions and we can make that journey.
efforts thus far and responses to Covid-19, and the enormous remits they have to cover.
Mike De'Ath
He commended those local authorities who were open to working with developers, but told of how those who were not pro-development with land becoming available were missing out on an opportunity. As an applicant, he welcomed the legislation allowing for virtual meetings and noted how communications on both sides have become more focused and disciplined. "We’re learning techniques for describing projects, (such as) more infographics and better use of 3D, and there’s not such a reliance on waving your hands around. We’re really getting to the skinny of what projects must be to deliver great housing."
Post Webinar Report Polls and Insight A number of polls were carried out over the course of the webinar surveying the audience of 124 industry professionals. 1. Current estimates put the number of new houses needed in England at 345,000 per year. Can you see this figure being achieved for 2020? No (>200k shortfall) 19%
No (>50k shortfall) 3%
No (>150k shortfall) 42%
No (>100k shortfall) 36%
3. Is recent legislation allowing for planning committee meetings to be held remotely to be welcomed? Unsure 3%
Section 106 negotiations 29%
4. Should wellbeing and social value be further prioritised in planning?
No 2% Yes 76%
5. Do you think the planning process would be improved by further devolution?
Unsure 25.7%
Planning registration 5%
Pre-applications 16%
Unsure 22%
Yes 96%
No 24.3%
Design review panels 6%
Planning committees 44%
Yes 0% (not represented)
No 3%
2. What is the most challenging aspect of the planning process?
Yes 50%
Our next session is entitled ‘How will offsite manufacturing support the recovery programme?’ and will take place on 16 April, 11:00 – 12:00 In partnership with:
REGISTER HERE For more information, or to be involved in future episodes, contact: finn@3foxinternational.com