New planning application statistics reveal an apparent contradiction: while application volumes are beginning to fall, planning officer workload remains stubbornly high. Why? A growing council planning backlog and significant staffing shortages continue to put immense pressure on teams across the UK. The Planner
During our Idox workshop with local planning officers we got a better understanding of the end to end planning process, in other words, what goes on behind the scenes to get a plan from submission to decision. Planda X Idox Workshop
The planning process overview: once a planning application is submitted, officers first validate it to ensure all required documents are provided. It then enters consultation, allowing public comments and often a site visit. Next, the case officer assesses the proposal against planning policies before a decision is issued. If approved, the applicant may proceed subject to conditions.
From our conversations with planning officers, a clear picture emerges, the planning application process, from submission through to decision, is being delayed at the very first hurdle, submissions. When submissions fall short of the council’s requirements, delays occur – creating one of the most significant bottlenecks in the system. Supporting applicants to submit in line with requirements would ease pressure on officers and improve the flow of applications, without the lengthy process of expanding council staffing. Find out more about why plans can be invalid here
These early-stage setbacks compound existing pressures. Even as fewer applications come in, officers face mounting backlogs, made worse by recruitment challenges and long-term under-resourcing. The result? An overstretched system where fewer officers are handling more work, and frustrated applicants are left asking: how long does a planning application take?
The data highlights a system in urgent need of support. Unless delays at the submission stage are resolved, overall performance will continue to lag, slowing decisions for applicants. The most effective fix is streamlining this bottleneck, rather than relying on the costly and time-consuming route of hiring and training thousands of new planners. Ultimately, addressing these pressures is essential to truly understanding officer workload in today’s planning system.
