The process should be a lot more transparent and it shouldn't take a change in staff or a word with a local politician to get approval.
I met a councillor who told me that he had sites that he wanted to get planning on but he knew the planner would not go for it. He said he was holding off for two years as he knew she was "moving on" after that and was sure he'd get planning then. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
I won't say what party it was but it was not FF. I would guess FF don't wait for the planner to move!