`Why planners need to help our business'

From the archive, first published Friday 10th Feb 2006.

The way local authorities deal with planning applications needs to be made more friendly to business, it has been claimed.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce and city businesses have backed a Government consultation which calls on planners to deliver change quickly.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce has been campaigning for years to have planning matters streamlined.

Planning red-tape is consistently mentioned in its quarterly survey of its members as a contentious issue facing businesses.

The Government consultation paper published this week outlines recommendations for planning applications to be moved from the periphery of local government to the centre and calls upon panels to deliver changes quickly.

It also calls for research to be done into how council's can increase their capacity to deal with applications.

Mike Cartwright, policy and representation executive at Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: "We know that planners are constrained by limited resources and increasing Government demands, and that the Council is doing its best to improve the process. Businesses too have demands and, though not seeking short cuts through what can be complex procedures, the support, sign-posting and pre-application advice needs to be as clear as it can possibly be."

The news that procedures could be simplified for businesses was welcomed by businesswoman, Sarrinder Kaur.

Mrs Kaur runs a beauty parlour called The Beauty Wardrobe on Leeds Road, Bradford. In 2004 her application to expand her premises and take on extra staff was refused by planners.

She is now appealing to expand into the property next door. "If I can expand next door I will be able to take on around ten extra staff but I am not hopeful," she said. "It is something that needs addressing. I know it is something Chamber members feel strongly about. The whole feeling seems to be very negative."

Bradford Council's group planning manager Dave Preece said: "Despite the pressures, the turnaround performance on dealing with major applications has dramatically improved over the last year."

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