One in 10 council planning posts in England are vacant, putting the Government's housebuilding ambitions at serious risk, according to new research by UNISON.
The union's report – Short of Planners, Short of Homes – warns that widespread staffing shortages are causing significant delays in processing applications, with some sitting in a queue simply to be registered, with no clear timeframe for a decision.
UNISON says years of austerity-era cuts have hollowed out planning departments at a critical time, with spending on planning and development services falling 58% per person between 2010 and 2020.
Just 55% of councils have an up-to-date local plan, limiting their ability to coordinate housebuilding and increasing the risk of speculative development on the green belt.
UNISON head of local government Mike Short said: ‘Without proper investment in planning staff, the Government's bold housing ambitions will be almost impossible to deliver.’
