The Government’s efforts to boost the supply of affordable housing could be derailed if the shortage of planning officers in England is not addressed, UNISON warns.
Freedom of information data collected by the trade union shows just one in five (21%) planning departments in England are currently fully staffed.
UNISON estimates that 884 vacancies nationally and one in nine (11%) planning posts were unfilled.
The Government has pledged to recruit 300 extra planning staff but the union said its research suggests an extra 600 are required.
As part of the Spending Review last week, the Chancellor committed the Government to investing £39bn in social and affordable housing.
However, UNISON warned the lack of planning officers could ‘derail’ plans to deliver more affordable housing and hit the Government’s target of building 1.3 million homes by 2029.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: ‘Councils must be able to recruit more planning staff if communities are to get the homes, schools and services they need.’
