The Planning Portal answers some of the frequently asked questions about its role and how it can help local authorities, their communities and planning professionals.
What is the Planning Portal and what services does it provide?
The Planning Portal is the first port of call for planning information and services online and is at the heart of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's (ODPM) e-Planning Blueprint, which sets out how technology will deliver tangible and meaningful benefits to all users of the planning system.
The Planning Portal provides core ePlanning, free-of-charge to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), planning agents and members of the public. It is actively enabling and driving forward efficient government – resulting in an improved, more transparent and cost effective planning service.
The Planning Portal's key services include:
- Comprehensive information on all aspects of planning, from basic advice on planning permission to the latest policy and research. This includes accessible guidance on common household, business and agricultural developments using everyday language, graphical guides and a glossary of planning terms
- Interactive development plans allowing users to discover how development is managed in their area/
- An online planning application system enabling users to apply for permission from any location
- A system to allow users to submit and track appeals electronically
- A weekly e-newsletter featuring national, regional and local planning news
- A full national jobs service with online job advertising at a cost-effective rate for public and private sector planning professionals
- Commercial services including advertising space for planning firms and the sale of maps in support of planning applications.
What are the benefits to local authorities and the communities they serve?
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Modest efficiency gains from investment in e-planning could total up to £175m by 2010
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In the wake of the Gershon report into governmental efficiency, the cost savings and efficiency gains delivered by the Planning Portal have instant appeal to local authorities. A study by the ODPM has shown that if even the most modest efficiency gains of between 1% and 5% could be achieved through investment in e-planning, then there is the potential for total savings across the public and private sector of between £33m and £175m by the end of 2010. These savings can all be ploughed back into the front line services which citizens need most.
The Planning Portal will also be a huge aid to local authorities concerned about e-Government targets. The recent Pendleton report proved that simply by using the Planning Portal local authorities can meet up to eleven of the Pendleton criteria, bringing local authorities closer to meeting Best Value Performance Indicator targets. Similarly, making services available through the Planning Portal will mean that councils make more of their services available online.
But just as importantly, the Planning Portal will allow LPAs to better achieve their goals in developing clear visions for sustainable communities, ensuring that the wider objectives of regeneration and development are fully integrated. By moving planning online, local authorities will be able to develop policies and then find out how they would work in practice, through 'what if' scenario planning.
In simpler terms, e-planning will allow planners to match the need for uses of land and buildings such as homes, offices, factories and schools with the wish to protect and improve the environment. Planners must constantly try to balance conservation of both the built and the natural environment with development that is necessary for economic prosperity or social need.
How does the Planning Portal support the work of planning professionals in the public and private sector?
The Planning Portal has a Planning Professional section which has been designed with planning professionals in mind. For that reason, the Planning Portal will accept a variety of planning data, from simple forms, to electronic maps and plans, computer-aided designs and 3-D models, whichever suits the individual agent.
The Government believes that moving to online applications will help both planners within local authorities and commercial planning agents, save significant time and money that is currently wasted dealing with the paper process. This will in turn allow agents spend less time processing applications and invest more time in high value activities.
Can citizens access the the Planning Portal and how can it be of use to them?
Yes, citizens can access the Planning Portal, at www.planningportal.gov.uk.
Currently, the most common complaint about the UK’s planning system is that the decision-making process is too slow, and that decisions are made without enough consultation with the local community. While local and national government bodies have made their development plans, (consisting of maps and written policies), available to the public for years, few people know about this. The Planning Portal will make these plans available online to any business or individual who wanted to see them, wherever they want, at any time. They are able to find out about applications made in their area, and other critical information on their local environment, such as what buildings are listed or if they are in a flood area. More importantly still, they would be able to contribute their own opinions, making the planning process more democratic.
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The ultimate goal is to make the application process quicker, fairer and deliver greater satisfaction
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The Planning Portal will be even better news for homeowners wondering whether they are able to make extensions to their home. At the moment 80% of planning applications are made though intermediaries, such as builders or architects, for the simple reason that most homeowners wouldn't know how to go about making an application. The Planning Portal will allow them to make a self-assessment and find out whether they even need to make the application in the first place. Often this is not required, but when it is, the Planning Portal will, in most cases, allow the homeowner to make the application themselves without the costly and time-consuming business of going through an intermediary.
The ultimate goal is to make the application process quicker, fairer and deliver greater satisfaction to the people who use the service.
What is 1APP?
1APP is a single standardised planning application form and is designed to end decades of inconsistency in the planning process. Existing planning application forms vary greatly between different local authorities, with different requirements on numbers of copies and additional information. This inconsistency is a major challenge to planning agents submitting applications in different localities, as they are unable to put one simple application process in place. 1APP will change this.
The form would allow users to select the type of planning permission required and systematically complete and validate one seamless application form in a logical sequence.
A prototype of the form demonstrates the concept by allowing users to work through to completion a householder planning application form, which can also be used to obtain listed building and conservation area consent. 1APP then captures the range of possible householder application scenarios to build a valid application.
Finally, who do local authorities contact for more information about the Planning Portal?
Depending on the type of enquiry the following people will be able to assist you from the Planning Portal team:
Adam Telford (Tel: 07887 696 498, Email: adam.telford@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk) is the Head of Marketing and can help on all communications or marketing issues.
Stuart Mockford (Tel: 0776 589 6959, Email: stuart.mockford@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk) is deputy director of the Portal (Transactional Services) and deals with the larger national planning agencies.
Scott Alford (contact details below) manages the National Development Team and also has responsibility for the South West region.
Beccy Greenfield (Tel: 0117 372 8321, Email: beccy.greenfield@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk) is the team administrator.
Regional Contacts
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South West (53 LPAs)
Includes Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Unitaries in what was Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset. Dartmoor & Exmoor NPAs plus Isles of Scilly, 6 CCs. Overlaps with GO-South West Region.
Scott Alford – Tel: 0777 156 6973, Email: scott.alford@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
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Wales (25 LPAs)
The 22 Unitary authorities plus 3 NPAs. Overlaps with GO-Wales Region.
Dave Payne – Tel: 0776 764 8170, Email: david.payne@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
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South & East Midlands (50 LPAs)
Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, 7 CCs.
Karen Latimer – Tel: 0776 764 8230, Email: karen.latimer@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
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North & West Midlands (43 LPAs)
West Midlands Mets, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Peak District NPA, 4 CCs.
John Danahay – Tel: 0776 764 8217 (Starts 27/6/5 - contact Beccy until email address enabled, see above for details)
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North West (47 LPAs)
Merseyside and Manchester Mets, Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lake District NPA, 3 CCs. Overlaps with GO-North West Region.
Allen Camm – Tel: 0776 642 2469, Email: allen.camm@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
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North East, Yorkshire & Humberside (50 LPAs)
South Yorkshire, West Workshire and Tyne & Wear Mets, Humberside and Cleveland Unitaries, North Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Northumberland, North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales NPAs, 3 CCs. Overlaps with combination of GO-North East and GO-Yorkshire & Humber Regions.
David Hand – Tel: 0774 746 0434, Email:david.hand@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
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East Anglia & the East (49 LPAs)
Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Broads Authority, 6 CCs (but NOT Essex)
Geoff Crisp – Tel: 0791 706 8287, Email: geoff.crisp@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
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London and Essex (48 LPAs)
33 London Boroughs plus Essex Unitaries, Districts and CC.
Yorrick da Silva – Tel: 0776 764 8277, Email: yorrick.da silva@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
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South East (56 LPAs)
Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, 5 CCs.
Robin Vaissiere – Tel: 0778 551 8797, Email: robin.vaissiere@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
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Total 421 LPAs including 34 English Shire County Councils
Technical Issues
For technical issues relating to XML schemas, payment engines etc please contact Planning Portal Support at support@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk
