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On the 19th December 2023, Fareham Borough Council was advised by the Government that it was being designated in respect of applications for planning permission for major developments (please see footnote 1). A copy of the full designation notice can be viewed on the Government's website here 
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Every year, the Government assesses the planning performance of all Councils in England in terms of speed of decision making and quality of decision making. The speed and quality of decision making is applied separately to major and non-major development. The Government measures quality by looking at the percentage of applications the Council dealt with within a two year period, which were subsequently granted planning permission on appeal.
The decision to designate the council related to the number of major applications dealt with by the Council between October 2020 and September 2022, which were subsequently granted planning permission on appeal.
The effect of the designation means that applications for major development can continue to be submitted to Fareham Borough Council or submitted directly to the Planning Inspectorate. All other forms of development and other planning related applications continue to be submitted to Fareham Borough Council only.
Since November 2021, only one decision made by the council on a major planning application has subsequently been overturned on appeal.
All the appeals allowed during October 2020 - September 2022, related to housing developments on greenfield sites at a time when the Council did not have an up to date Local Plan, a five year housing land supply and was endeavouring to address the issue of nitrate mitigation. Since that time the Council has adopted a Local Plan, established a five-year housing land supply and secured nitrate mitigation measures to enable housing development to take place across the Borough.
Early in 2023 an independent review was undertaken of the Council's Planning Committee by the Planning Advisory Service. The Planning Advisory Service found that the Council's Planning Committee and associated procedures were sound, the Planning Committee was well run, and decisions were taken appropriately.
The Council's performance in terms of the speed of deciding planning applications and indeed its performance on non-major planning appeals far exceeds the Government's requirements and have done for many years.
The Government will shortly be assessing the Council's planning appeal performance on major applications for the period of April 2021 and March 2023. From the most up-to-date information the Council holds, the Council will be below the Government's designation threshold.
Fareham Borough Council will be seeking the removal of the Government's designation at the earliest opportunity.
Cllr Nick Walker, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said:
'We were absolutely staggered to receive this designation. In July 2023 the Council provided the Government with a very comprehensive explanation setting out the very particular planning circumstances in the Borough over two years ago when the relevant appeals were made, together with up-to-date data on our excellent appeal record on major planning applications since that time.
'The Council has clearly demonstrated that it is a best practice Council through the adoption of a new Local Plan, achieving a five-year housing land supply and also enabling the delivery of large-scale housing at Welborne Garden Village. We have also had an independent review confirming that we have a well-governed Planning Committee and a well-functioning development management service. Astonishingly, however, the Council has not heard from the Government in the last five months and received no prior warning of the Government's announcement to make the designation.'
**UPDATE ON THE 26 MARCH 2024**
On the 25 March 2024, Fareham Borough Council was advised by the Government that the designation in respect of planning permission for major developments was being revoked with effect from 0900 hours on 26 March 2024.
For the assessment period of April 2021 to March 2023, this Council's planning appeal performance on major planning applications was found to be substantially below the Government's designation threshold. The de-designation of Fareham Borough Council means that there is no longer an option available to applicants to submit major planning applications directly to the Planning Inspectorate (NB no major planning applications were submitted directly to the Planning Inspectorate during the period the Council was designated).
Major development comprises:
for housing, development where 10 or more homes will be provided, or the site has an area of 0.5 hectares or more
the provision of a building or buildings where the floor space to be created by the development is 1,000 square metres or more; or
development carried out on a site having an area of 1 hectare or more.
Non-major development is development that does not meet/exceed any of the thresholds above.
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