Number of pre-planning apps from Greencore Homes and number of major planning apps
Request received 12 January 2026
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request the following information regarding your planning department:
- How many pre-application enquiries have been received concerning major residential development within the last five years? Between the 12th of January 2021 and the 12th of January 2026.
- How many staff are currently employed in the development management/planning applications team? Please specify full-time or part-time where possible.
- How many major planning applications were awaiting validation on the 12th of January 2026?
Responded 26 January 2026
1. Pre-planning advice requests, unlike planning applications, are not subject to the normal reporting of plans. Pre-planning advice requests are provided to us voluntarily and we therefore refuse this request under the EIR exception stated below:
a) Claim exception under Sections of the Act:
Exception 12 (5)(f) Voluntary Provided Information
b) State why the exception applies:
(f) the interests of the person who provided the information where that person –
(i) was not under, and could not have been put under, any legal obligation to supply it to that or any other public authority;
(ii) did not supply it in circumstances such that that or any other public authority is entitled apart from these Regulations to disclose it; and
(iii) has not consented to its disclosure;
As these exceptions are qualified, we are obliged to outline the harm in disclosure and explain why we consider that the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure:
• The central public interest in the exception being maintained, is that individuals and organisations should be able to seek advice from their planning authorities on a confidential basis.
• A disclosure of the information prior to a formal application being received may result in objections being received to plans which have not been formally submitted, and potentially alert competitors to development plans within the area.
We therefore neither acknowledge nor deny any pre-application enquiries that we receive.
2. 26 Full time, 2 Part time
3. Four