Planning departments in UK face severe staffing shortages

A report by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) reveals that nearly 90% of local authority planning departments in England and Wales are currently understaffed. The ‘Planning on Empty’ report indicates that the average council employs fewer than 36 planning staff, despite a requirement of approximately 44 to operate at full capacity. To reach full capacity, councils would require an estimated 2,660 additional planners, representing a 20% increase in the required workforce compared to the previous year.

The HBF warns that the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) may place further stress on these under-resourced teams. While the organization welcomes the reforms, it notes that higher housing targets, faster decision-making requirements, and new regulations such as biodiversity net gain increase the complexity of the workload.

Simultaneously, shifts in national policy are providing clearer direction for development. Recent revisions to the NPPF and the introduction of the ‘Invest 2035’ industrial strategy have strengthened support for economic growth, including grey belt policy and employment uses like data centres. Appeal decisions are increasingly attaching ‘verysubstantial’ weight to economic benefits, helping to fill previous policy gaps through practical application and judicial guidance.