A THIRD of staff at Birmingham City Council’s planning department are to lose their jobs.

With the unit strugging to close a £1.4 million funding gap caused by a collapse in planning application fees during the recession, 79 out of 272 posts will disappear.

The planning and regeneration functions will be amalgamated into a slimmed-down department, and all existing employees have been told they must re-apply for their jobs if they want to remain at the council.