COVID-19: How are local planning authorities adapting?

The Planning Advisory Service has partnered with planning consultancy Lichfields to monitor how local authorities are working through the impact of the pandemic. Good information will support an up-to-date and accurate account of the work of LPAs, and this will enable PAS to provide you with effective support.

Please take the opportunity to complete the survey, including to update information to reflect any changes since you last provided Lichfields or PAS with information.

The results of this survey can be found in the live tracker on the Lichfields website.

Disclaimer: Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Limited (‘Lichfields’) is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (registration number Z6193122). Your responses will be analysed by Lichfields and the Planning Advisory Service (PAS). It is not envisaged that any personal data will be supplied by virtue of completion of the survey, but in the event that any personal data is supplied, it will be disregarded and deleted without undue delay. Responses to this survey will be made publicly available on Lichfields' website.

1. Your details

Local Authority
Name
Job title
Email
Telephone

2. How are pre-application discussions being undertaken?

Service has been put on hold
Discussions carried out in writing
Held via virtual meeting
We don’t offer pre-application advice

Other (please describe)

3. Are you able to validate applications?

Yes, business as usual
Yes, but we anticipate delays
No, we are not validating applications

If not, or time to validate being delayed, what is causing this?

4. How are publicity requirements (i.e. notification of applications) being met/adapted?

5. How are consultation requirements (statutory consultations and community engagement) being met/undertaken?

6. How will decisions previously determined by Committee be made?

We will be able to make all decisions via virtual committee meeting (if yes – please specify in box below how this will operate and how public will access them?)
Still by committee, by way of minimum quorum (if yes– please specify in box below how this will operate and how public will access them?)
Powers of delegation have been extended
Delegation + (determined by officers, with weight attached to views of Members)
Other (please describe)

If yes, please specify

7. Have Local Plan timelines been adjusted?

Not applicable – no Local Plan under preparation
No
Not yet, but we anticipate that they will be
Yes

If yes, why, and by how much?

8. What impact, if any, will the crisis have on Local Plan consultations?

9. Approximately what proportion of planning staff have been redeployed?

Not applicable
Less than 25%
25%-50%
More than 50%

10. Are there any other issues which are affecting the delivery of normal planning services, for example, sealing s106, enforcement, site visits?

If yes, how are these issues being addressed?