Residents in Kenilworth will have to wait an extra three months before their planning applications can be processed.

Warwick District Council has told applicants that staffing shortages as well as the impact of the pandemic have led to a backlog in applications yet to be processed.

The district council has said that it will take at least 12 weeks for an application to be given to an officer to validate. Once validated applications are then open for comment from other residents and local authorities.

WDC has said that it is working to fill vacancies and recruit more staff but that this "will take some time".

A WDC spokesperson has said: "We are currently dealing with an unprecedented level of applications which has been made more difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the requirement for staff to work remotely.

"Unfortunately, there is currently a 12-week delay in allocating applications to a case officer for validation.

"Please factor this into your timescales, and apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause. For further information, please visit the current working practices for planning applications page.

"We are taking steps to tackle the backlog of outstanding work and increase capacity within this part of the service by filling vacant posts and recruiting additional staff. This recovery will take some time, and we will keep you informed of our progress by updating our website pages."

Anybody wishing to view an application online can do so by following this link. The council has also requested that applicants check to see if the information they require is available online, before contacting the council.