Slow plans system under fire

England's planning system is still hampering growth, especially in the hotel and retail sector, claims an interim report by the Bank of England.

However, the report found some improvements in the process. Of 18,800 applications for major planning developments in 2004-05, 57% were resolved in 13 weeks compared with 49% in 1999-2000.

But despite more major applications being resolved within 13 weeks, a third of all planning appeals still took longer than a year to resolve.

Martin Couchman, deputy chief executive at the British Hospitality Association, said hospitality and tourism didn't get a fair crack of the whip. "We don't have the financial muscle of the big supermarket groups to push local authorities, who are worried about the legal costs of appeals from the big players," he said.

Couchman hoped the new Government guidance on tourism planning published in late May would help to redress the balance.

The final Government-commissioned report into the planning system will be published at the end of the year.