We're delighted to announce that we have been awarded government funding to help further modernise the planning process and make it easier for residents to use.
We have been awarded £400,000 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities’ (DLUHC) digital fund to improve the accessibility, transparency and efficiency of the Planning Service.
Our council officers will be joining the RIPA/BOPS (Reducing Invalid Planning Applications and Back Office Planning System) project team.
This is an exciting opportunity for Medway to work together with a group of pioneering councils to help develop new digital products.
Aspects of the planning system can be difficult for members of the public to understand and, in some cases, this means that planning applications are missing key information when they are submitted. These invalid applications can cause significant delays. This project aims to streamline the process for applying for planning permission and to make it simpler for residents.
The funding will be used to help cover staffing costs and support the integration of the new system.
Fantastic opportunity
Cllr Jane Chitty, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Growth and Regulation, said: “We are delighted to be one of eight local authorities who have been given this fantastic opportunity to help further modernise the planning process and make it much simpler for residents to use. This project will help transform the way that local planning authorities across the country provide their services.”