15 Sep 2026
Nine in ten local authority planning departments across England and Wales are operating below full staffing capacity, according to new research from the Home Builders Federation and Paragon Bank.
The Planning on Empty 2026 report draws on Freedom of Information responses from councils covering staffing levels, vacancies, turnover and the use of agency workers during 2025/26.
It finds that planning departments are operating, on average, at around 80% of the staffing levels councils say they require. An estimated 2,660 additional planners would be needed to bring departments up to full capacity which is 20% more than the equivalent estimate last year.
Recruitment and retention remain significant challenges. Planning officers and senior planners account for almost half of reported vacancies, while 55% of responding councils use agency workers to help fill staffing gaps. Average spending on agency planning staff was almost £200,000 per council across all respondents.
The report argues that these pressures are contributing to delays in processing applications and completing Section 106 agreements, while planning teams are also being asked to manage increasingly complex responsibilities, including Biodiversity Net Gain, flood risk and building safety requirements.
Although the research does not separately examine rural planning authorities, the findings raise important questions for rural areas. Smaller councils and those covering large geographic areas may already face difficulties recruiting specialist staff, while delays can further constrain the delivery of affordable housing and essential infrastructure in communities where development opportunities are often limited.
The report calls for sustained, long-term investment to help councils recruit and retain permanent planning staff. It also recommends that new planning reforms should be accompanied by assessments of their resource implications and that government should publish annual information on planning capacity and performance.
