Who makes decisions on planning applications?

Decisions on most planning applications are made by Officers. However, certain planning applications are decided on at the council's Planning Committee.

Decisions on applications are delegated to officers with the following exceptions:

• Any application (other than Advertisement Consents; Prior Notifications and Prior Approvals, Hedgerow Removal Notices; Tree works applications; High Hedge applications; County Matters applications and Screening and Scoping requests) where any Councillor has requested determination of the application by the Planning Committee within 28 days of the date of the publication of the weekly list on which that application appears. N.B The request for consideration may be withdrawn at any time, and the application returned to Officers under delegated authority, subject to compliance with the other criteria explained below. Requests should be made to the Development Planning Manager in writing (which can include email) setting out the planning reasons for the request;
• Applications where the intended decision would depart from currently adopted and up to date Development Plan Policy (this includes the adopted Core Strategy and adopted Neighbourhood Plans);
• Applications which the Development Planning Manager, in consultation with the Briefing Group, considers should be considered by the Planning Committee due to their size, nature or impact, or for any other reason, including probity. The Briefing Group consists of the Planning Committee Chairman, Vice Chairman and a member of the opposition group;
• Where the application is made by a member of the Council or by a Council Officer or immediate members of their family, or it involves land owned by any of them;
• Where the proposal involves the Council as applicant or land owner except where applications are for works to protected trees;
• Applications for 25 or more dwellings and for commercial floor space of 10,0002 metres or more;
• The revocation of any planning or other permission, with or without the payment of compensation by the Council;
• The discontinuance of use or alteration or removal of buildings or works with or without the payment of compensation by the Council pursuant to Section 102 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

How do I request that an application is called in to Planning Committee?

If you would like an application to be called in by a Councillor for consideration by the Planning Committee, you should first address a Ward Councillor representing the area where the application is located. If the Ward Councillor is not available, you should approach a Ward Councillor representing an adjoining Ward, with an approach to the Chair of the Planning Committee being the last available option. Please be advised that any request by a Councillor for an application to be called in to Planning Committee must be informed by sound planning reasons, and as such, it is important that you provide adequate information to the Councillor in order to inform their judgement as to whether or not to request the application be called in to Planning Committee.

What happens at Planning Committee meetings?

These committee meetings are open to the public.

Meetings are usually held every six weeks and usually on a Tuesday evening in the Council Chamber of the Council Offices. You can find out more about the Planning Committee Meeting Process here.

View all Planning Committee agendas, minutes and membership.