ABSTRACT: Planning Permission (PP) Processes is a system of seeking requests of permit approvals from the local authorities (stakeholders) during the planning stage of projects. This is done to avoid any delays of coordination or conflicts which might happen with other authorities during the implementation stage of projects and incorporate all of the govemment's future project requirements which will be executed on the same location in the future. Based on PP statistical data, it has been noticed that 59% of the PPs have been pending for more than 300 days and only 10% pending for less than 50 days. This means there are high delays on this system and is considered as one of the most common problems causing delays in project planning stages. This study attempts to investigate the factors that are causing the delays in the PP processes in roads projects in the Kingdom of Bahrain about processing planning applications by the Roads Affair to obtain approvals from the local authorities and the consultants. The study will help improve the understanding of these factors and their impact on road projects. In order to achieve the aim of the research, a literature review was conducted to identify the initial contributing factors that cause those delays in the PP. Subsequently, a qualitative technique was adopted by conducting eight interviews with experts to finalize the initial list (semi-final) of these factors. Finally, a questionnaire based on the semi-final factors list was used across some local authority organizations and engineering consultants in Bahrain. A total of a hundred and one (101) questionnaires were distributed. Eighty-Four (84) responses were received, which gave an answer response rate of 83.2%. One-Sample T-Test and Bivariate Analysis were used as statistical tools to analyse the comprised descriptive statistics. The survey results have found that the most important factors that cause delays in the PP processes are the prolonged time to reach an agreement on stakeholders' assets relocation and protection, insufficient Right of Way (ROW) to accommodate all the stakeholders' requirements and needs, the time required to investigate the existing utilities (trial holes, etc.) and, non-existence of enforcement on the stipulated timeline (time frame) on the stakeholders' reviewers. A1l these caused high effects on the efficiency, functionality, and economics of the projects. Based on the survey's responses, the study provided several recommendations that suggests some solutions which may help the local authorities to improve the PP system with a proposed new timeframe (model) to complete the processes on the stipulated timeline.