Indeed. I also think that this view, and others, underestimates that the PL may have be acting in bad faith and not independently and, as such, the amount of time could also be a indication that the report is having to reflect on this in some detail. But surely the PL must feel they have a strong case - rather they have been bullied and cajoled.
I see it all the time in planning law. A council (often being leant on by interested parties) throws all it can to refuse a planning application no matter how ridiculous the argument, even ignoring its own experts' opinions. It then gets taken to public enquiry, uses experienced lawyers who are happy to take the case on, only for it to be thrown out after much public money has been wasted. The Planning Inspectorates reports are often quite scathing and detailed where time wasting and weak arguments have been put forward.
The Guardian article today adds further to this angle that most of us here believe, that the PL have been acting in the interests of a certain few.