DURHAM City Council's planners may have won a Government cash boost after hitting targets set by Whitehall.

The department, which handles applications ranging from major re-developments, such as Walkergate, to extensions to houses, has been provisionally awarded £322,551 in Planning Delivery Grant by the Government.

The council says the money is a reward for meeting targets set for the time it to takes to process and decide applications and for introducing online services in the last financial year.

Head of planning services David Thornborrow said: "We have gained more than any other planning authority in the county because we built on previous success and invested heavily in new technology to improve access for the public and a more streamlined staffing structure.

"This award reflects a great deal of unseen work that goes on in the planning office that is driven by best value and aims for a quality service for the public. It is absolutely critical for us to maintain these standards so we can continue to hit the performance targets that the Government sets us. That includes the E-Government Initiative that we are now making great strides in."

On the council's re-vamped website www.durhamcity. gov.uk, people can visit the new planning section, called public access, to view planning applications, make comments on them, follow decisions and view dates of development control committee meetings, agendas and minutes.

Mr Thornborrow said: "From time to time, everyone should find some way of using the online facility about planning, whether it's a decision about an extension on someone's house, re-development in the city centre, new housing in the villages - all sorts of things - and it's going to get better and better, with more and more detail. It's very exciting."

Last year, the council's grant was more than £400,000.

The department was restructured after it failed to meet targets for dealing with smaller applications in 2003.