• Paragon Banking Group published research with the Home Builders Federation showing planning delays persist despite rising developer-funded resourcing.
• Freedom of Information data showed councils received about GBP 200 million in Planning Performance Agreement fees from 2022-2025.
• Responding councils averaged nearly GBP 600,000 each in PPA fees; City of London took almost GBP 5 million.
• Report flagged PPAs and extensions of time as increasingly masking true decision timelines, weakening the signal in headline performance statistics.
• Capacity constraints remain acute: 90% of planning departments run below full staffing; England and Wales need 2,660 additional planning officers.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Paragon Banking Group plc published the original content used to generate this news brief on October 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.