Planning performance agreements

A Planning Performance Agreement or PPA is an agreement between Cheltenham Borough Council (acting in our capacity as local planning authority) and prospective planning applicants and developers. The agreement covers the process that will be followed in respect of a planning application or pre-application query. A PPA enables a bespoke programme to be agreed between the parties and delivered by the council. This commonly includes commitments to key milestones, the submission of documentation, the frequency and scope of meetings and ultimately a final determination and/or committee date. It may also include funding arrangements for any third-party input or involvement. A PPA secures a prioritised process, not an outcome.

This page gives an overview of our PPA service, or you can download a PDF version of the guide.

What are the advantages of a Planning Performance Agreement?

A PPA offers a number of key benefits to a prospective applicant including:

Confidence in timescales

A key element of a PPA is a bespoke timescale for your application's key milestones and final determination. We will be committed to the agreed programme, subject of course to any commitments made by the other party

Increased opportunity to resolve issues

We can help you resolve any planning issues that arise with your proposal for all applications (whether there is a PPA in place or not). However, there is limited number of opportunities to do this. With a PPA in place, a programme for multiple submissions can be agreed together with any associated re-consultation periods. This is particularly useful for a complex pre-application submission.

Open-door approach

As a customer of our PPA service you will have easy and direct access to the council’s planning team. You will be given a named contact in each council department involved in or consulted in respect of your proposal. You will have easy and direct access to the planning case officer who will adopt a proactive project management approach (see below).

Proactive engagement

Closely aligned with our open-door approach outlined above, is a commitment to proactively and positively engage with you as the applicant. This includes regular communication, application updates and the timely sharing of information for comment, such as draft planning conditions. The nature and frequency of our engagement can be formally written into the PPA, as well as a commitment to informally engage as and when required.

High prioritisation

Your application will be prioritised over those applications or pre-application queries that are not accompanied by a PPA. In practice this means that you will be able to meet more quickly with our officers and we will prioritise responding to your questions, dealing with any issues with your application and producing your report. This is a significant benefit in a busy and stretched local planning department.

Value for money

All of the above is included for a competitive fee, offering outstanding value for money. You’ll benefit from greater confidence, peace of mind and proactive support throughout the process. Ultimately our PPA service
will significantly de-risk your project and reduce the likelihood of an unsuccessful outcome.

A PPA sounds like a good idea, what should I do next?

Please come and speak to us. We will check that a PPA is the right option for you and if so, discuss and agree the detail. In the first instance please contact the head of planning or the development management manager by emailing [email protected].

If you are already dealing with one of our planning or conservation officers, then please raise the matter with them and they will take it forward.

The detail of each PPA will vary from case to case as we will aim to tailor it to meet your aspirations and requirements, as closely as is possible. We will discuss the content with you and share a draft with you for comment as soon as possible. We will provide you a template PPA as a starting point for discussion.

The PPA will need to be finalised and signed prior to the submission of the planning application (or pre-application submission).

For transparency purposes, the final, signed PPA will be published, unredacted (except for personal data, signatures) on our website where it relates to a live application. If it does not relate to a live application but relates to a confidential pre-application submission, it will not be published on our website. Please bear in mind that it may be released if subject to a successful request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Planning Performance Agreements are by agreement only. There is no obligation on either party (council or applicant) to enter into one. If the terms of a draft agreement cannot be agreed or cannot be resourced, then we (the council) reserve the right not to enter into one, and this is also your right. Such a scenario is highly unlikely however and considered exceptional.

A Planning Performance Agreement will commit the council to a level of service and associated process only. It will not commit the council to a particular outcome.