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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 12 December (HL3815), whether they have any plans to raise the performance threshold for local authorities to determine planning applications within the statutory timescale (1) above the 60 per cent threshold for major applications, and (2) above the 70 per cent threshold for non-major applications.

The performance thresholds for the designation regime are set out in a Criteria Document, which can be viewed (attached) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571144/Improving_Planning_Performance_-_Criteria_for_Designation__revised_2016_.pdf

We are ensuring that the criteria set out in this document continue to be relevant and are delivering positive outcomes from local planning authorities. Any further changes to the criteria would be published by the Secretary of State for consultation and laid before both houses of Parliament for scrutiny.