18 ATSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2011PLANNINGIt is well known that when submitting paper-based planning applications to Local PlanningAuthorities (LPAs) in England and Walesapplicants or their agents must provide fourcopies (original plus three copies) of theapplication form and certificates plus drawingsand all other supporting documentation. Depending on the size and complexity of theproposed development, additional paper copiesare often requested by LPA's for distribution toconsultees and others? an additional five copiesis common but up to 22 is not unheard of.The direct cost of printing, copying, packing andparticularly transporting the high volumes ofpaper required for compliant paper-basedapplications are increasing and readilymeasurable. The cost of staff time andoverheads associated with handling all that paperis more difficult to determine. Those who have calculated the total cost ofsubmitting paper applications and comparedthese to the cost of electronic or onlinesubmission report an average saving of £120 persmall-scale application, while savings for majorapplications vary from £190 to a healthy £1,000or more for each.The sheer volume of paper involved can causeLPA's problems. In addition to having to re-keyall data from the application form into back-office computer systems, the physical task ofdistributing copies to internal and externalconsultees and occasionally mislayingdocumentation that can lead to the invalidationof an application, the LPA must also publish theapplication for viewing by the public. Stuart Mockford of the Department of Communities, Planning andLocal Government explains how savings can be made by onlinesubmission of planning applications via the Planning Portal. Planning to save© Sebastian Duda - Fotolia.com

ATSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER201119PLANNINGThis means all supporting documentation,including plans, drawings, design and accessstatements, environmental impact statements,transport assessments and so on must all bescanned into their document managementsystems or converted into the electronic formatsuitable for publication on the authority'swebsite. Fortunately, the vast majority of planningapplication types (85-90 per cent) received byLPAs are minor or others (householder,advertising, change of use, lawful developmentetc) but every one of these still demands carefulvalidation and processing by LPA administrationand planning staff before a decision can bereached. Simply put, the creation, assembly and electronicsubmission of planning applications via theGovernment-funded Planning Portal saves usersmoney by avoiding the costs associated withpaper-based applications. A little more researchhowever reveals the benefits do not just stopthere. The Portal's online application service is free butapplicants or their agents must register and logon to use it. The service takes users through thecomplete application process from identifyingthe correct LPA and choosing the correctapplication form and certificates to calculatingthe application fee.It does this in such a way that it is simplyimpossible to submit an incomplete application.For example, if a user inadvertently omits toenter data in one or more fields in the applicationor does not attach a mandatory document andtries to submit the application, a warning isdisplayed highlighting the error. All national mandatory application requirementsare included and the appropriate LPA's localapplication requirements are listed on the Portalor, if the latter have not been provided, a link tothe LPA's website will be displayed where theirrequirements can be found. Any number of supporting documents can beattached electronically but each is limited to 5Mbto meet LPA firewall requirements. Onlineguidance is provided to help users minimise thesize or convert attachments into the same formatused by all LPAs to publish them on theirwebsite. This avoids the risk of losing qualitythrough further processing by the LPA. Links to free downloadable software to convertall attachment types into the appropriate formatare also provided. In addition a scaling andmeasuring tool is automatically added todrawings submitted in the correct format thatstays with the drawing wherever it goes aftersubmission. A built-in application fee calculator works outthe appropriate fee, where applicable, and feeexemption facilities are provided. The paymentoptions accepted by all LPAs are displayed(cheque, online debit/credit card, telephone etc).All accept cheque payment but may not acceptall other methods. Once completed, the user simply submits theirapplication by clicking the 'submit' button.Behind the scenes the service automaticallychecks the application to ensure it is completebefore sending it to the LPA. All applicationssubmitted online are date and time stamped by the service which sends a confirmation email tothe user the instant the LPA receives theapplication thus avoiding any confusion ordispute over when it was delivered.So why do some LPAs request one or morepaper copies of an application already submittedonline? The vast majority now handle everythingonline but the reasons why a minority still do notis mainly down to the back office facilities theyhave in place or the staffing resources available intheir planning department. More than 75 per cent of LPAs are fullyintegrated with the Portal. This means the instantyou click the 'submit' button on the Portal allapplication data is electronically transferreddirectly to their Development Control System(DCS). LPAs not fully integrated receive anotification email with a link that alertsadministration staff to manually download theapplication (downloads take place once, twice orseveral times every working day). LPAs also have document management systems(DMS) to store and manage drawings, plans andother documents. When these systems arecorrectly interconnected all electronicattachments submitted with online applicationare automatically sent to and stored in theirDMS. Unfortunately, not all LPAs have been ableto interconnect these systems, not even all thosefully integrated with the Portal. LPAs withseparate, non-integrated back-office systemshave no choice but to print all planningapplication attachments then scan them intotheir document management system. This mustbe done to meet the statutory requirement toelectronically publish application details forpublic viewing on their website. Printing and converting (scanning) paperattachments into electronic/digital format is verytime and resource demanding, particularly formajor applications, some of which have well over100 supporting documents. A recent applicationfor the redevelopment of parts of Truro inCornwall had 240 attachments, another forLiverpool had over 180?fortunately both weresubmitted online and dealt with electronically.Some case officers, internal and externalconsultees and others still prefer to deal withpaper so planning admin staff must make severalcopies of some if not all attachments. Littlewonder then that some request paper copies ofsome online applications. The Planning Portal is aware of all the issuesinvolved and is working with LPAs, major users,professional bodies and trade associations todiscourage those dealing with online applicationsto demand paper. This involves training andadvising users how best to create and submitelectronic attachments that LPA staff find easierto handle and encouraging and training thosetasked with processing/consulting onapplications to take full advantage of the latesttechnology?in other words work, communicate,scale, measure, process and consult electronically.Over half (52 per cent) of all applications arenow submitted online, the preferred (just)method of submission. The Planning Portal aimsto get to 60 per cent by the end of 2011/12 and80 per cent by March 2015. This is a tall orderwhich can only be achieved if potential usersrecognise all the benefits of using the service andcome to consider it the best, most cost effectiveway forward. Watch this space.In the meantime even if an LPA asks for a papercopy of an application submitted online usersreport the Portal's online application service stillsaves them time and money. www.planningportal.gov.ukStuart Mockford is Head of Corporate Developmentat DCLG Planning Portal. If you have any queries orconcerns about online planning submissions please emailhim in confidence at:stuart.mockford@planningportal.gsi.gov.uk£120 is the averagesaving achieved bysubmitting aplanning applicationonline