'Critical actions' may help reduce planning delays

Council officers have been forced to take "critical actions" to try and speed up their planning system.

Somerset Council said the growing backlog of applications meant the workload of its staff remains high.

From the 28 July, the council will put into place a number of measures for three months, including reducing staff attendance at meetings, asking the public not to chase applications and only accepting limited amendments.

The Conservative opposition group at the council said the planning system had been "neglected" since the creation of the unitary authority in 2023.

Planning applications are backlogged in Somerset

There are around 1,600 outstanding cases to clear according to the council, with some waiting months to get a decision on their applications.

The council blames recruitment difficulties and IT issues on the long wait times.

The leader of the opposition Conservative group on Somerset Council, Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, said the system is at "breaking point", calling the new measures an "emergency shut down".

He claimed applications which have been in the system for a long time will not be prioritised, in favour of new ones which can be progressed quickly.

"We're concerned as democratically-elected councillors that we're being pushed back and decisions are being made by officers, day in, day out, and we're not given the opportunity to have our say," he said.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Mike Rigby, who is the portfolio holder for planning at the council, called comments by Mr Rodrigues "silly", adding planning applications will be handled in the usual way.

He said: "We need to focus on the work itself, rather than providing constant updates.

"I fully understand why applicants want to know where their application is but our officers are spending far too much time providing those updates rather than actually making decisions."