The Planning Inspectorate has admitted that it made slower decisions in 2021-2022, despite hiring more than 50 additional planning inspectors to oversee casework during the financial year.

According to the organisation, which is an executive agency of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the year saw a 6% increase in appeals compared with 2020-21 but virtual hearings necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic took longer than face-to-face events.

In its just-published annual report for the year to April, the inspectorate said some decisions had been made faster than previous years, but it acknowledged that “on average decisions took longer” in 2021-22.

…