Applying for Planning Permission
The Planning Committee
Only certain applications are reported for determination to the Planning Committee; others are determined by Officers under the Council's Scheme of Delegation as detailed below.
You can view all Planning Committee Agendas, Minutes and Membership using the Councils Committee Management System.
The Council's Planning Committee generally meets every 4 weeks on a Tuesday evening at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber of the Council Offices on Adam and Eve Street. The agenda tends to be mainly comprised of reports on planning applications to be determined. The reports are prepared by officers and set out the key issues, facts, policies (e.g. PPS's and Development Plan Policies) and consultation responses, and will also have a recommendation (i.e. approval / refusal).
The agenda has to be published 5 working days before the Committee meeting. Consequently the reports are drafted well in advance of the meeting. Any matters arising after the reports are finalised but before the meeting are reported in a document known as the Supplementary Information List which is compiled on the afternoon of the Committee meeting and circulated shortly before the start of the meeting.
At the Committee the Chairman will introduce each item. Officers will present each item with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation of plans, drawings and photographs. Members of the Committee and officers wishing to speak must do so on the invitation of the Chairman.
Planning Committee meetings are open to the public so local residents, applicants representatives of the Parish Council etc. can attend. Interested parties such as neighbours and the applicant / their representatives can address the Committee, but only in accordance with the Council's adopted policy on speaking. In summary, provided that they register to speak before 12.30pm on the day before the Committee meeting, neighbours, the applicant / their agent, Councillors and any other party may address the Committee and are allowed up to 3 minutes to speak. Ward Councillors are permitted 5 minutes to speak.
Once the Committee has seen / heard the officer's representation, heard the public speakers and sought clarification from officers on any matters of fact / detail it debates the application and then votes on how the application should be determined.
Applications can be approved, refused or deferred. Deferrals tend to be to allow further information to be gathered. When determining an application (i.e. approving / refusing) the Council must give reasons which are based on sound land-use planning considerations and supported by relevant Development Plan Policy. Where the decision is in accordance with the officer recommendation, the reasons for the decision will be set out in the officer's report. If Members do not agree with the officer recommendation and wish to go against it, it is essential that clear reasons, based on sound land-use planning considerations, are minuted. Where an application is refused contrary to officer recommendation to approve, the reasons cited will form the basis of the Council's defence of its decision in the event of an appeal (see Appeals section below). When you have concerns over the officer's recommendation you are encouraged to contact the case officer before the Committee meeting to discuss these along with potential grounds for overturning the officer recommendation.
