Outside firm to tackle backlog of planning schemes

Specialist company to help process 300 applications at cost of ‘£50k’

A BACKLOG of 300 planning applications in Portsmouth is set to be tackled by an outside company – at a cost of around £50,000.

The city council has recruited a specialist firm – Terraquest – to take on applications after issues with nitrogen pollution and the coronavirus pandemic caused them to stall.

New experienced planning officers have also been hired to lead on key projects, with extra temporary officers recruited as well.

Councillor Hugh Mason, the council’s planning policy boss, said: ‘ Most councils have seen their planning processes disrupted as a result of coronavirus.

‘During lockdown the civic offices were unavailable to display applications for inspection or for staff to carry out assessments, and committee meetings had to be postponed until we could set up safe virtual alternatives.

‘We are now putting new measures in place to ensure we can process applications as quickly as possible.’

Portsmouth City Council makes decisions on between 800 and 1,000 planning applications every year.

Before the pandemic hit a backlog had already built up after housebuilding was postponed across south Hampshire when Natural England raised concerns about the amount of nitrates entering the Solent.

A temporary nitrate credit system was set up but a permanent solution still needs to be found.

The council is continuing to work alongside the Partnership for South Hampshire, which is currently trialling a system of re-wilding agricultural land to mitigate against nitrogen pollution.

The amount paid to Terraquest will depend on how many applications it processes but it is estimated this will come to about £52,500.

This will come from fees paid by applicants, from the council’s existing funds, and potentially from the government’s Local Government Income Compensation Scheme.