Failing Councils Should See Planning Fee Freeze

Annual increases to planning fees should be contingent on the performance of the planning authority, UKHospitality said today

In response to proposals that planning fees should increase annually in line with inflation, UKHospitality said planning authorities that fail to provide an adequate ser vice should not be guaranteed an annual uplift in income through planning fees

Whilst UKHospitality recognises that an increase in planning fees is necessar y to aid the performance of local planning depar tments it is essential that this goes hand-in-hand with real improvements to the system

An annual independent review procedure of local authorities planning depar tments should be in place to incentivise good performance that delivers for businesses and unlocks investment potential Any increases to fee increases should be ringfenced for spending within the planning system

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

“An effective well-resourced planning system can be a real asset for businesses Returning swift and evi- dence-based decisions can quickly enable business expansion and investment in local areas, resulting in economic growth and job oppor tunities

“Unfor tunately, that is not what we have in place at the moment The current planning system is cumbersome and ineffective

“A guaranteed annual increase in fees would only cement the current underperformance and incentivise mediocrity An independent review process that rewards effective planning depar tments and implements freezes would introduce a true meritocracy and drive effective planning decisions

“At a time where hospitality businesses are suffering from increased costs at ever y turn a guaranteed annual increase with no uptick in performance would be unacceptable In contrast venues would be more open to increased fees if it came with quicker decisions that reflect the positive impact hospitality can have on the economy ”

In its response UKHospitality also urged wider reform of the planning system It is calling for a fast-track process for smaller applications and a statutor y time limit on the time taken for planning decisions