The Planning Performance Review Sub-Committee reviewed the performance of the council's planning, building control, land charges, and street naming and numbering services, noting strong performance in planning application timeliness and appeal dismissal rates. The committee also discussed upcoming government planning reforms regarding the delegation of planning decisions and committee sizes.

Planning Performance Statistics

The council maintained its 100% record for determining all planning applications within statutory timeframes for the fifth consecutive year, placing it joint first nationally and in London for major development performance. Non-major application determination also achieved 100% timeliness, a record held for 18 consecutive months. The number of non-major applications increased from 877 to 1009 in the last financial year.

Appeals dismissed stood at 79% for the year, exceeding the internal KPI of 67% and the national average of 71%. This strong performance in appeals is attributed to changes in appeal procedures and the use of an appeal database. The enforcement team also achieved an 87.6% dismissal rate for planning enforcement appeals.

In terms of planning policy, the Local Plan was adopted at the end of 2024, and the Planning Contributions SPD and Thames Road SPD were adopted in 2025. The Beckontree Design Code is currently out for consultation, with adoption expected by the end of the year. The East London Joint Waste Plan has also progressed through Regulation 19 consultation.

The Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) for 2024/25 highlighted that 1,352 homes were permitted, including 371 affordable homes. Completions reached 1,564 homes, with 710 being affordable, representing approximately 45% of the total. Commercial development delivered the equivalent of 333 jobs. Section 106 receipts for carbon offset and strategic SIL were noted, with significant portions already allocated. Biodiversity net gains were compliant across all assessed schemes, and consents included a new school and nearly 4,000 square metres of community spaces.

Planning Applications and Appeals Reviewed

The sub-committee reviewed a sample of planning decisions and appeals.

Refused Planning Application:

• 25/01757/FULL at 145 Stamford Road, Dagenham, RM9 4ES: This application for the change of use from a 5-bedroom dwelling to a 4-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) for up to 7 residents was refused. The reasons for refusal included the loss of a family-sized dwelling, failure to meet internal space standards for one bedroom, potential amenity impacts on neighbours due to increased comings and goings, and insufficient information regarding parking management. The proposal was deemed contrary to policies protecting family housing and ensuring adequate living conditions and amenity.

Approved Planning Application:

• 25/01609/FULL at 25 New Road, Dagenham, RM10 9NH: This application for the conversion of an 8-bedroom dwelling into two self-contained flats (one 3-bedroom and one 4-bedroom) was approved. The proposal was considered an efficient use of land, contributing to housing supply and diversifying the housing stock. The internal space standards were deemed acceptable, with improvements made from a previous withdrawn application. Conditions were attached regarding cycle storage, refuse storage, and the removal of an existing outbuilding structure to safeguard amenity.

Appeal Decisions:

• APP/Z5060/W/25/3373141 at 15 Ethel Cottages, Padnall Road, Chadwell Heath, RM6 5JB: This appeal concerned the conversion of a dwellinghouse into two self-contained flats (one 1-bedroom and one 2-bedroom). The appeal was allowed, overturning the council's refusal. The Inspector found that the proposal would not lead to a loss of family housing, as the 2-bedroom flat met the definition of family housing in the Local Plan. The Inspector also deemed the living conditions for future occupiers and neighbours to be satisfactory, and that the proposal would promote sustainable travel options. However, a condition was imposed to restrict the use of the outbuilding to a 'granny annexe' ancillary to the host bungalow, and to secure design modifications to protect neighbouring amenity.

• APP/Z5060/D/23/3328995 at 4 Purland Close, Dagenham, RM8 1AS: This appeal related to the retention of a single-storey rear outbuilding for use as a residential annexe. The appeal was allowed, overturning the council's refusal. The Inspector found that while the internal space was slightly below the national standard, it was acceptable for an annexe use tied to the host property. The proposal was deemed not to harm neighbouring living conditions, and parking demand was not considered to significantly increase. Conditions were imposed to restrict the use to a 'granny annexe' and to secure design modifications to protect neighbouring amenity.

• APP/Z5060/W/25/3370831 at 61 Kings Avenue, Romford, RM6 6BD: This appeal concerned the enlargement of an existing outbuilding and its conversion into a self-contained residential studio flat. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the council's refusal. The Inspector found that the proposal's massing and design would be out of character with the surrounding area, creating a discordant frontage and appearing at odds with the rear garden setting, thus causing harm to the character and appearance of the area.

Performance Report on Planning, Building Control, Land Charges and Street Naming and Numbering

Barry Coughlan, Head of Statutory Planning and Building Control at Be First Regeneration Ltd, presented the performance report for these services.

Building Control is a regulatory service enforcing Building Regulations to ensure safe, accessible, and energy-efficient buildings. It also enforces the Building Act 1984 for unauthorised works or dangerous structures, providing a 24/7 emergency response. The team has recently reached full complement following a challenging recruitment period exacerbated by the Building Safety Act requirements. Performance against KPIs has improved, with 5 out of 8 SLA KPIs being met. The team is preparing for an upcoming Building Safety Regulator audit.

The Land Charges team manages the local land charges register, including registration of charges and conducting searches for property transactions. The team has performed to a high standard, consistently exceeding KPIs for search response times.

The Street Naming and Numbering team is responsible for allocating names and numbers to new streets and properties. They have maintained a consistently high level of performance, exceeding all KPIs and are on track for a 'Platinum' award from Geo Place for street data.

Statutory Consultation Update

Barry Coughlan provided an update on a statutory consultation regarding the government's planning reforms, specifically concerning the further delegation of planning decisions to officers and the size of planning committees. The consultation period is short (four weeks), and the council intends to respond broadly in support of the changes, noting that many of the proposed reforms aim to address issues not prevalent in Barking and Dagenham. The council will draft a response and share it with relevant officers and councillors.

The meeting concluded with a reminder that the findings would be reported to the next Planning Committee on 22 April 2026.