Rugby Borough Council's deputy leader defends cost of planning appeals

Councillor Ian Picker (Hillmorton) is second in command in the Conservative cabinet that oversees the region’s major service areas, and he responded in no uncertain terms to the opposition calling for the decision-making process on planning to be “challenged”.

It came as the council’s performance report showed an anticipated £363,000 shortfall in income from planning, much of which being driven by a shortage of applications coming through.

It read: “The number of planning applications tends to be linked to uncertainty in the global economic market and interest rate rises making investors and individuals more cautious about commencing new development.

“On the back of this there has only been one major planning application submitted to the council this year. The revenue stream will be closely monitored and a revised outlook will be produced for quarter three (up to the end of January 2024).”

However, included in that shortfall is the £112,000 cost of defending three major planning appeals.

Anyone can apply for planning permission on any piece of land and when an applicant is unhappy with the council’s decision to refuse, they can file an appeal to a national inspector.

This is often a paper exercise but can be escalated as far as a full inquiry, as was the case with the bid by Brandon Estates to demolish Coventry Stadium and build 124 homes and a 3G football pitch with pavilion, a case that was heard at Rugby Borough Council's headquarters and recently concluded.

The report acknowledges such appeals require “external legal providers” to “work on the matter on the organisation’s behalf”.

Councillor Ish Mistry (Lab, New Bilton) highlighted that a number of financial concerns had been discussed “at length” by the overview and scrutiny panel recently but then focused on the “big pressure” on planning income.

“I find it strange that planning appeals, £112,000 through the committee when they are going against the recommendations of the officers time and time again. That needs to be challenged as well,” he said.

Cllr Picker, who is also the borough’s portfolio holder for growth and investment, replied: “Like most planning authorities we have seen a reduction in anticipated planning fees because of the economic situation more broadly.

“There is, however, some good news in recent government announcements involving raising the amount that we can charge for planning fees. Hopefully that and the economy starting to grow again will address that.

“In terms of the planning appeals, one was with the officer recommendation and where the committee makes a decision this council will defend that position as robustly as it is able to. I make no apology for that.”