An apology has been extended to Craven District Council’s planning committee and the public following the bungled processing of an application for new homes on Green Lane, Glusburn, which is currently the subject of a High Court challenge.

Members of the council’s audit committee were told on Monday that an internal audit of the procedures surrounding the handling of the application for 74 residential dwellings had been completed.

It revealed that tension in the planning department and a lack of communication through people falling out had led to information not being received in time, but it said all those involved had since left the council.

The problems arose when up-to-date planning policy advice was not passed on to planning officers when the application first went to planning committee in July 2008 and officers had – incorrectly – recommended the plans be refused.

The new advice would have supported approval of the plans, but was not made available to the case officer in time for the July planning meeting. As a result, the case officer recommended the plans be refused and this was supported by the planning committee. The grounds were recorded as being outside the development limits and on a greenfield site.

In the meantime, the developer said he was lodging an appeal against refusal, as well as resubmitting the original application.

The council sought the opinion of a barrister, whose advice was that none of the elements regarding the reasons for refusal were robust. His advice was not to contest the appeal for fear of incurring costs.

Planning officers put forward new recommendations to approve the second application, but this too was refused by the planning committee in November.

The following month, a subsequent appeal in respect of the first application was dismissed by the inspector and the decision is currently being challenged in the High Court.

An appeal regarding the second application is being held in abeyance until the outcome of the judicial review is known.

At the audit committee meeting on Monday, Jonathan Kerr, strategic director of community services, said: “Joe Public was let down badly. It was a sorry situation and there were schoolboy errors that we should have got right. No apology has been made by officers and I want to apologise now to members of the planning committee and the public.”

The audit detailed seven recommendations to be implemented by February. They include ensuring major planning issues, such as the Green Lane plans, are handled by senior officers rather than junior members of staff and that a process be introduced to communicate policy changes to officers and members. This will be backed up with a robust, three-tier signing-off procedure so out-of-date and inaccurate reports do not progress to published agenda stage. Coun Mark Wheeler (Lib-Dem) said he was happy the recommendations would stop any further mistakes of this magnitude.

“There were obvious problems at that time between people and we need procedures in place to mitigate that.

“Personalities in the workplace can happen, but we need to make sure that people falling out and not wanting to talk to others does not become an issue.”

Coun Philip Barrett (Ind), who had asked that an internal audit be carried out, said: “The conclusions of the audit report have confirmed serious procedural weaknesses in processing this important planning application and as such have fully justified this investigation I requested.

“I fully support the auditor’s seven recommendations which have been fully accepted by Mr Kerr. These recommendations will tighten up and strengthen systems and controls within the planning department to protect against any reoccurrence.

“This application attracted considerable public interest and its handling much criticism at that time, which warranted answers.

“The outcome of this audit report will help to rebuild public confidence.”