I have just seen this on the Planning Portal blog:
"One of the Killian Pretty projects we are responsible for investigating is Recommendation 13(b) Develop an accredited Agents regime...The simple idea being that having passed a quality test, perhaps over a range or quantity of applications an agent becomes accredited. The accreditation would be a quality mark that might ease passage of that agents subsequent applications through registration and potentially validation. The benefit to the agent being obvious and the lpa gets better quality applications."
That shocked me. Firstly, anyone should be allowed to submit a planning application and have it "entertained" by the LPA without needing an agent. If accreditation is adopted, applications by individuals or non-accredited agents are likely to get second rate service. We may even get to the position that only accredited agents can submit. (In the law, legal aid work is now confined to accredited firms with a Government contract.)
Secondly, what does it say for the complexities of submitting a planning application these days? The old simplicity (a form, correctly filled in, a plan with a red line round the site and the application fee) has been replaced with requirements to meet the national validation checklist and the local (discretionary and often confused) checklist. Oh and in addition the requirement for a design and access statement. The legal requirements for that are unnecessarily complex.
If you want to know more or comment go to the Planning Portal blog on this link: Accreditation . Or you could comment below on Plan-It Law.
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