Planning appeal costs are among highest in UK

NEARLY £558,000 has been paid by Stratford-on-Avon District Council in costs awarded against it as a result of lost planning appeals since 2010, according to figures published this week.

The disclosure was made by property consultancy Daniel Watney following the results of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to local authorities throughout the UK.

Of the 217 councils that responded fully, 178 had paid out nearly £12million over the past six years.

The consultancy shows Stratford lying fourth behind Cornwall County Council, Derby City Council and Halton Borough Council with £557,818.84 awarded against it in costs.

But the figures are slightly at odds with those produced by Stratford District Council itself.

A council spreadsheet shows that the council paid out over £633,000 in costs awarded against it since 2012.

The total figure paid to planning and legal consultants over the period was more than £2million.

Cllr Chris Saint (Cons, Shipston North), the leader of the council, told the Herald that the council was receiving the second highest number of planning applications in the country.

“This not only increases the risk of needing to fight appeals against refusal, but increases the amount received in fees,” he said. Cllr Saint added:

“Without commenting on individual cases, the council has vigorously defended its decisions. This is the price of democracy on behalf of our many communities that have rightly expected this council to resist some proposals and these communities have contributed greatly to securing many successes in this process.

“Your readers should also be aware that all of the costs which this council has incurred in defending planning decisions have been funded by the planning fees received from developers and not from the council tax collected from our residents.”