Recommendation 4

The prior approval process is the principal mechanism by which local planning authorities can control permitted development in their areas, and we welcome the recent inclusion of more criteria, but we are concerned about its increasing complexity and the consequent impact on councils’ resources. This tension— between setting necessary limits on the PDR regime and the negative impacts of greater complexity—is difficult to resolve. The efficacy of permitted development depends on whether it can speed up planning decisions and make the outcomes more predictable for developers. The expanded use of prior approval unavoidably compromises its ability to do this. It also places a burden on local authorities that is not commensurate with the fees charged, and at a time when their resources are already strained and they are therefore not equipped to provide a quick service. (Paragraph 34) 38 Permitted Development Rights