Longest planning permission pending

Summary

The request sought details on the longest pending planning application, including its duration, reference number, and reasons for delay. The authority disclosed the reference number and reason for the delay but directed the requester to an online portal to determine the specific duration, citing that this information is already reasonably accessible.

Key Facts

• The longest pending planning application reference number is 15/00889/B.
• The application remains undetermined because additional technical information was requested to address concerns raised by the Highway Division.
• The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture now considers the matters can be managed through a planning condition attached to an approval.
• The Department is currently carrying out a review of all outstanding applications.
• Information regarding the specific duration of the pending application was not directly provided in the letter but is available via the online search portal.

Data Disclosed

• 15/00889/B
• 5078437
• 2025-11-12
• 2025-11-27
• 01/01/2000
• 31/12/2018

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

Original Request

Please can I ask what is the longest period that any currently undetermined planning application has remained pending for, what its reference number is and why it remains undetermined.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 5078437 27 November 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 12 November 2025, which states:

"Please can I ask what is the longest period that any currently undetermined planning application has remained pending for, what its reference number is and why it remains undetermined."

For ease I have numbered your questions and have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

Q1. Please can I ask what is the longest period that any currently undetermined planning application has remained pending for.

Section 20 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee.

All of the information that you have requested is available from the Online Search by following the below steps: https://pbc.gov.im/online-applications/
• use the Advanced Search and
• set a date range - e.g. 01/01/2000 to 31/12/2018 • set the drop-down parameter for STATUS to “Pending Decision” then the search captures the required information in a date ordered list, including the oldest Planning Application in question

Q2. Please can I ask what it’s reference number is.

The planning application number is 15/00889/B.

Q3. Please can I ask why it remains undetermined.

The planning application remains undetermined as additional technical information was requested to address concerns raised by the Highway Division.
To offer advice and assistance, the Department have reviewed this application and given the limited scale and infrequent nature of the proposals, it is now considered that these matters can reasonably be managed through a planning condition attached to an approval. The Department are now carrying out a review of all outstanding applications.
Please quote the reference number 5078437 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.