South Yorkshire Businesses Asked To Share Their Views On The Planning System

Businesses across South Yorkshire are being asked to share their experiences with the local planning systems — and to articulate what they think works well and where they believe there is room for improvement — as part of a new poll that is being conducted by the region's three Chambers of Commerce.

With the ultimate goal of delivering a business-friendly planning system that enhances the region's reputation as a great place to do business, the South Yorkshire Planning Survey seeks to: create a baseline for how businesses currently experience the planning system; understand where there might be blockages; and identify areas for improvement. Among other things, it asks respondents to outline how satisfied they have been with the outcomes of any planning applications they may have submitted in the past, the ease with which they have been able to engage with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) in question, and their awareness of the various support mechanisms that are available to help them at different stages of the process.

Equipped with these insights, the South Yorkshire Chambers will then be able to advocate for positive changes in the planning system, while also sharing the findings with those partners that are best placed to make a difference. The South Yorkshire Planning Survey is open from now until Monday the 10th of March.

Encouraging businesses to complete the survey, the respective chief executives for all three regional chambers of commerce (covering Doncaster, Sheffield and Barnsley & Rotherham) issued the following joint statement:

“Conversely, we know — from anecdotal conversations with our members — that the planning system can also conspire to slow projects down with a negative impact on economic growth.

“In such economically turbulent times, when every metric used to measure business confidence is already dropping dramatically and investment intentions are at a concerning low, it’s therefore important that our planning system meets the needs of our private and voluntary sectors and that it is predisposed towards encouraging sustainable development.

“With that said, we’d like to urge businesses to please spare just 10 minutes to complete our Planning Survey, so that we can get under the bonnet of this important issue. The information gleaned here will be invaluable and, as always with any our insight gathering activities, every last response counts.”

Co-Chair of the South Yorkshire Mayor’s Business Advisory Board, Tariq Shah OBE, added: “A well-functioning planning system is fundamental to unlocking investment, driving regeneration, and ensuring sustainable growth across South Yorkshire. The insights gathered from this survey will provide invaluable evidence to help the Business Advisory Board understand the challenges businesses face and identify where improvements are needed.

“By working closely with our partners, we can advocate for a system that is more efficient, transparent, and supportive of the region’s economic ambitions.  I strongly encourage businesses to take part— your feedback will directly inform the changes needed to create a more business-friendly planning environment.”

Businesses can take the South Yorkshire Planning Survey by following the link below.