Decision details

This report proposes various changes to the Council’s current policy on publicising applications received for planning permission and other types of consent.

Officers from the Council’s Development Management service have been reviewing whether the current neighbour notification policy dating from 2003 results in an appropriate level of public notification on planning applications and other types of planning submissions.

The review follows the recent changes made to how planning applications are dealt with by Development Management following the work with Vanguard consulting.

Under the current neighbour notification policy, the main methods of publicising planning applications include letters sent directly to adjacent properties, the display of site notices and press notices placed in a local newspaper.

Officers consider that the current neighbour notification policy should be replaced and rebranded as the ‘Community Notification Scheme (CNS)’.

The new CNS would provide Officers with greater flexibility to decide who to notify about planning and similar applications.

The proposed approach would lead to more residents and other interested parties being notified about major applications than required under the Council’s currently approved policy.  There would be a reduction in the requirement to notify on some minor applications (particularly applications for advertisements, works to listed buildings and limited works to protected trees).

The proposed changes would help to increase awareness of larger applications such as those for major residential development.  The changes would also increase the speed with which Officers can decide minor proposals which are typically non-controversial and receive very little, if any, response from residents or other interested parties.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the Community Notification Scheme as set out within Appendix B to this report;

(b)  agrees that this Scheme comes into effect from Monday 23 July 2018; and

(c)  agrees that any representations received without a valid full name and postal address being provided, will not be taken into account when determining planning or similar applications.