Whilst it has slipped from the headlines, the housing shortage remains a significant issue in this country.  The issue may become more acute if the predicted baby boom and rise in divorce rates come to fruition.

Only a small number of planning applications result in a planning inquiry, but they constitute a large number of potential residential units.  In 2017/2018 42,000 residential units were the subject of appeals.  Even when the outcome is the grant of planning permission, the proposed scheme will have suffered excessive delay, and consequential expense.

New methods to speed up delivery of decisions from the Planning Inspectorate were put forward in the Rosewell review in February 2019.  Several of the recommendations rely on greater use of technology.

The Planning Inspectorate had already begun to work towards technological improvements.  This has been accelerated by the pandemic.  The first virtual hearing commenced on 11 May.   More are planned to be processed in this way in the coming months. Virtual site visits are being trialled and, where Inspectors are satisfied that they have sufficient information before them to determine the appeal, decisions can be made without a site visit.  As at 28 May the Inspectorate had decided just under 2,500 cases during lockdown.

A Written Ministerial Statement was issued on 13 May which highlighted the role of planning in delivering housing and economic growth.  The statement encouraged the use of virtual technologies and recognised that digital events can provide opportunities for greater public participation.  It set out that Government “expects everyone involved in the planning process to engage proactively”.  It did, however, caution that a digital approach may not be appropriate in exceptional cases and in those cases, steps should be taken to ensure that the case can be resolved expediently.

The Planning Inspectorate are working to produce good practice guidance and aim to have the capability to conduct fully digital and hybrid events across all casework areas within six months. With luck the legacy of the pandemic in terms of planning appeals will be a robust, sensible and increasing application of technology, resulting in quicker decision making at less cost to participants.