Long awaited council ‘planning portal’ could finally be operational in the New Year

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

A delayed and long awaited online planning portal for a Welsh authority could be operational in the New Year the local authority has said.

Originally, it had been expected that the new software would be operational “early” in 2024.

This then became “early spring,” “end of spring” and then “early summer.”

Delays

In July councillors on Blaenau Gwent’s County Borough Council’s Planning Committee were told that planning officers were using the system and that it was “close” to going fully live.

This was because the Planning department were waiting for the Shared Resource Service (SRS) to provide security certificates for the software.

The SRS provides technology services to the four other Gwent councils and Gwent Police, but not Caerphilly.

But since that meeting everything has gone quiet on the online planning portal.

A spokesperson for Blaenau Gwent council said: “The position is the same although we are hoping to go live to the public early in the new year.”

The need for the new planning software was highlighted by Audit Wales in a report published in June last year.

They had conducted a review of the council’s planning service in 2022/2023.

One of the issues they found was that the council’s website has “poor functionality” when comparing it with other councils.

The problem is that people can’t search for planning applications online.

Public involvement

Audit Wales believes this “hinders” public involvement in the planning process.

Audit Wales said that it was “positive” to be told that Blaenau Gwent had bought a new IT system.

Last October, senior councillors were told in a Cabinet meeting that this was due to be brought into use in early 2024.

The need has been echoed last January by planning professionals, who highlighted that “not having an open planning portal” causes problems.

Newly submitted planning applications are published on the council’s planning section of the website in a weekly round-up.

But details of the applications, which explain what the scheme will be, are not available on the council’s website.

Documents can be provided for people to look at if the department is asked for them.

The council have stressed that its planning department is “always contactable by telephone and e-mail” for any questions or concerns people may have.