City of York Council’s planning department has been “hollowed out” leading to delays in planning applications and hitting housing supply.

The council itself admits more than one-in-eight posts are vacant and planning experts are demanding central government and York’s new Labour administration boost planning resources.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell raised the issue in Parliament last week in a debate on housing supply.

The Labour MP told the House: “We need investment in planning departments. We recently took control of the council in York, and found that the planning department had been hollowed out….the department is significantly understaffed.”

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She added: “If we do not have the planning staff on hand, the opportunity for development will be stalled.”

James Gilchrist, Director of Environment, Transport and Planning, at City of York Council, told the Press: “Recruitment to planning roles is a challenge in York and nationally, especially for roles which require particular specialisms.  City of York Council currently has 13% of posts vacant in planning.”

Central government, he continued, is looking at increasing nationally set planning feels, and a raise would allow more funding for councils to respond.

Mr Gilchrist added: “As a Planning Authority, York performs well in responding to applications within timescales but we recognise that we can always do better and strive to do so.”

The Press spoke to planning experts who agree York’s planning department needs better resourcing.

Steve Secker, chair of York & North Yorkshire Chamber’s Property Forum, said: “Senior planning officers are highly capable and effective but require far more support.  In recent years there has been a continual reduction in personnel, across multiple administrations. 

"The issue is particularly acute in heritage and conservation, where the lack of resource often means that officers take a negative view by default – making development/job creation more onerous.”

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York’s heritage meant a need for a ‘more agile’ planning department, which should be seen as a much more important part of the council. Since developers pay planning fees, this need not cost the council, he added.

Eamon Keogh of York-based planning consultants O’Neill Associates says his firm is aware of the ‘constraints’ York’s planning department is under but adds a “well-funded and well-run planning system is crucial to economic growth.”

He too hoped York’s new Labour council will adequately fund the department.

Jamie Piper of York-based Nineteen47 town planners added this is a national issue due to a shortage of planners, more consultees working from home, and more applications being submitted.

However, Nigel Ayre, Leader York Liberal Democrats Group said successive Conservative and Labour governments have decimated local council finances.

He added: “If York Labour are intending to massively increase the staffing levels of the planning department, they need to outline quickly what cuts they will make to front line services and adult social care to pay for it.”