Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that planning authorities determine applications on time.

In our consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, which began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September, we are seeking views on changes to planning application fees with a view to increasing the resources available to local authorities and improving the timeliness of their decision-making.

If required, Government has the power to designate local planning authorities who demonstrate consistently poor performance in terms of the speed or quality of their decision-making. Where an authority is designated, applicants have the choice of submitting planning applications directly to the Planning Inspectorate for determination on behalf of the Secretary of State.