The Scottish Government is to publish a plan to support the delivery of new homes as new figures revealed the average time to process major housing developments was at its slowest yet.

Planning statistics published on Wednesday show that in quarter three (October to December) of 2014/15 there were 1,539 decisions made on local housing developments (applications for under 50 houses). The overall average decision time of 13.9 weeks was the quickest average decision time over the past eleven quarters.

Conversely for the 20 decisions made on major housing developments the average decision time of 49.7 weeks was the slowest yet. Four of the 20 applications had a timescale of over two years.

In addition there were a further nine major housing applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements. Of these nine applications, eight met the agreed timescale that had been set between the developer and the local authority. There were also a further 18 local housing applications concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements. Of these 18 applications, seven met the agreed timescale that had been set between the developer and the local authority.

Communities secretary Alex Neil said: “Scotland’s planning system must facilitate much needed new infrastructure and create high quality, sustainable places to live and work. That’s crucial to promoting strong, sustainable economic growth.

“There is good work in authorities across the country and I am encouraged to see that local housing applications are not only increasing, but that decisions are being made on them more quickly than ever.

“I am however concerned that a small number of major housing applications are still taking far too long and that this is distorting the overall average figures.

“I recognise there is still more that can be done to support delivery which is why we are working across government and closely with planners, housebuilders and other partners to develop a five year Joint Delivery Plan for Housing. The plan will be published shortly and will set out our joint priorities for action to support new housing.”

Scotland’s home building industry pointed to the use of planning processing agreements to help councils accelerate decision-making.

Highlighting the major difference the agreements could make, the Scottish Government figures revealed an average decision time of almost 50 weeks for the 20 decisions made on major housing developments during quarter three (October to December) of 2014/15 – more than three times the 16 week statutory period for determination.

In comparison, of an additional nine major housing applications with processing agreements in place, eight of these met the agreed timescale set between the developer and local authority.

Homes for Scotland’s head of planning strategy, Blair Melville, said: “We share communities secretary Alex Neil’s concerns that some major housing applications are taking far too long.

“Whilst these figures represent a stark picture of decline within a critical area of investment, we remain committed to working with the Scottish Government to support the delivery of much needed new homes and are encouraged by recent meetings with officials in which areas of concern such as definition and interpretation of effective land supply, infrastructure constraints and planning delays have been recognised, and the urgency with which action is required noted.

“These statistics shine a light on the work which is still required in order to encourage and facilitate development, whilst the use of planning processing agreements may provide a useful tool to individual councils as a means of accelerating overall timescales.”