Considers the potential benefits of planning delivery contracts for the planning process. Developers want more certain timescales and would be willing to make a reasonable extra contribution towards the costs of local planning authorities' services to secure greater certainty. Despite widespread demand from the development industry for planning delivery contracts, no specific provisions were included in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Lists the measures that planning delivery contracts would cover. Looks at two areas where progress towards planning delivery contracts might be possible: charging for pre-application discussions and a discretionary additional fee agreed with the developer as part of a planning delivery contract (a measure the ODPM to be considered in 2006). Comments on the advantages of planning contracts for local planning authorities and concludes that such contracts would ensure that applications would be dealt with more quickly and authorities be better resourced.