Ten of the biggest stories from the past week, including news that timescales for handling appeals by hearings and written representations have lengthened since the start of the year, new data published by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has revealed.

The updated timescales for appeal handling, published by PINS this week, show that during last month, written representations appeals took on average 28 weeks from a valid appeal being received by PINS to a decision being issued. This is up from 24 weeks in February’s figures. More.

Plans for a 48-storey residential tower in east London have been approved on appeal, with an inspector concluding that the proposal would be "entirely consistent with the established character of the area". More.

The government intends to broaden its programme of placing tardy plan-making authorities under close Whitehall scrutiny, a senior government official told a conference last week. More.

Housing secretary James Brokenshire has lifted his holding direction on East Hertfordshire District Council's local plan. More.

A council's attempt to overturn an appeal decision allowing plans for nine environmentally-friendly 'eco homes' in countryside in Nottinghamshire has failed in the High Court. More.

A government watchdog has criticised a national park authority for charging residents for planning enforcement work, saying the policy was introduced on "limited and uncertain grounds". More.

A developer has been ordered to bulldoze an entire 11-home development after a council investigation found that two extra houses were being built without consent. More.

Plans have been approved for up to 1,843 homes on a former gas works site in west London, despite the scheme exceeding London Plan density ranges and not meeting the local affordable housing target. More.

Land promoter Gladman has secured planning consent for 450 homes on an unallocated greenfield site in North Yorkshire, in line with a recommendation from planners who concluded that the council's five-year housing land supply position was "marginal". More.

Plans have been approved for 400 homes on a green belt site in Nottinghamshire after planners concluded it was "inevitable" that the site would be removed from the green belt. More.

Source: Planning Resource