BASINGSTOKE and Deane Borough Council has been rated among worst authorities in the UK for having major planning decisions overturned.

According to data published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), the council was listed as the fifth worst-performing authority.

Out of 49 major planning application decisions made by the borough council between April 2020 and March 2022, 12.2 per cent were overturned on appeal in favour of developers.

Fareham Borough Council were rated the worst with 20 per cent of 45 decisions overturned.

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Cabinet member for strategic planning and infrastructure, Cllr Andy Konieczko, said: “The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has written to us about the performance criteria for some of our major planning application decisions between April 2020 and March 2022.

“DLUHC looks at the percentage of major planning decisions that are subsequently overturned by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

"Out of the 49 major decisions that we made during the period in question, seven were overturned - three more than should have been if we were to meet the performance criteria. This includes two appeals over the Camrose football ground applications.

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“Several planning authorities typically receive a letter like this from DLUHC each year. We have responded to DLUHC to explain the context and the reasons for our decisions, as well as the steps that we have already taken to improve our performance.

"The improvement plan included looking at all aspects of the planning service, from the submission of major planning applications to the decisions being taken by the development control committee.

"This included a review by the independent planning advisory service of our development control committee work and all involved in the decision-making process.

“As anyone who has seen the planning process close up will appreciate, most appeal decisions come down to finely balanced planning judgements; they are rarely clear cut. This is indicated by the fact that costs were not awarded against us in majority of the cases involved.”

In 2019 Basingstoke Town FC was kicked out of its ground, the Camrose, by its former owner Rafi Razzak and his company Basron, and it started playing at the football complex in October 2020, having been forced to play at Winchester City's City Ground for a number of months.

Last year, permission was granted for 85 dwellings and a 70-bedroom care home on the Camrose site after a government inspector approved Mr Razzak’s appeals.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was contacted for a comment but it did not respond before the Gazette went to print.