Report claims increase in Traveller applications have added to enforcement team struggles

Alec Doyle, local democracy reporter 

A Welsh council has admitted its planning enforcement team is struggling to keep up with its caseload due to an increase in Gypsy and Traveller sites popping up across the county.

The annual Development Management Performance Report for 2024/25 from Flintshire’s planning enforcement team will go before the authority’s Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday to show how the council is performing on planning and enforcement.

One of the two areas where Flintshire is rated as below acceptable standards – classified in the report as ‘Improve’ – is in planning enforcement.

Last year the enforcement team failed to meet their target – to investigate enquiries within 12 weeks – in every single quarter.

Planning breaches

Over the course of the year it successfully investigated 113 enforcement cases – where breaches of planning or planning conditions require inspection and legal resolution – equivalent to just 58% of total cases.

In the report Flintshire Council Chief Executive Neil Cockerton said: “During 2024/25 58% of enforcement cases investigated were within 84 days (12 weeks).

“This is below the Welsh Government’s benchmark of Improve (less than 70%). As members know, the Enforcement Team has seen considerable pressure over the past 12 months as a result of high profile cases, not least a large number of Gypsy and Traveller sites, a number of which are currently subject to appeal and which have added to the demands on that service.”

The report highlights that Flintshire has submitted a bid for a new Planning Enforcement Officer to bolster the team for 2025/26.

Improve

Flintshire also fell into the ‘Improve’ category over the average time the authority took to determine planning applications, taking on average 128 days to decide on development work – almost twice as long as the Welsh Government’s ‘Good’ target of 67 days.

But Mr Cockerton explained in his report this was partly due to the authority entering deeper consultation with applicants.

“Whilst the average time taken to determine applications falls significantly short of the benchmark of 67 days, this does not reflect that a large number of applications secure the agreement of applicants/agents to agreed extensions of time for determining applications,” he said.

“Many applicants would prefer to work with the Local Planning Authority to secure a positive outcome, even if that takes longer, than simply determining applications to meet a target.”

The longest application that Flintshire County Council handled last year actually ran over a number of years. After 2,081 days plans for a new access road to the Holiday Inn and A55 services from the A494 in Ewloe was finally approved.

That delay was due to an objection by the Welsh Government and the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency that held up proceedings.

Where an authority is rated as ‘Improve’, it is expected to elevate performance within 12 months.

There were some areas where Flintshire’s planning department performed strongly.

Turnaround time

The authority exceeded expected turnaround time for Major Development applications, ruling on 74% within eight weeks – easily meeting the Welsh Government’s ‘Good’ benchmark of 60%.

Where planning applications were refused and went to appeal, the council’s decision was upheld in 60% of cases – a figure which ranks the authority in the Welsh Government’s middle ‘Fair’ category.

Only one successful appeal during the period saw costs awarded against the council – a plan to convert and extend an outbuilding to create a home office and gym at Arweinfa in Gwaenysgor. The final costs Flintshire must pay has not yet been determined.

And councillors only went against officer recommendation in planning committee five times – in line with Welsh Government targets.

Councillors will scrutinise the report – and endorse improvement work needed – on Tuesday, September 9.