Why it has four targets for the consideration of individual planning applications and one target for major applications.

Planning authorities are subject to a number of targets for the processing of planning applications. These are:
(1) 80% of all applications for planning permission (aggregating householder, major and other applications) must be determined within two months.
(2) 85% of all applications for planning permission (aggregating householder, major and other applications) must be determined within three months.
(3) Taking the subset of householder applications as a separate category, 90% of these applications must be determined within two months
(4) Taking the subset of householder applications as a separate category, 95% of these applications must be determined within three months
(5) Taking the subset of major applications as a separate category, 80% of these applications must be determined within four months
The reason that additional targets are applied to the separate category of householder applications is that they are for the most part straightforward and are expected to be processed more quickly. An additional target for major applications is set because they tend to be more complex and may raise controversial or sensitive issues which in turn take longer to determine.
The general targets which apply to all applications therefore take into account the fact that speedier determination of householder applications (which are also more numerous) should balance out slower progress on the major development applications.