What happens when you apply for planning permission in the Hambleton area

We will try to deal with your application within eight weeks (13 weeks for major developments) although this is not always possible.

If we are likely to take longer to make a decision the case officer will let you know the reasons why ask for your agreement to a further period and give you a likely revised date for the decision.

The planning application process is very open, so we will take the following steps to allow people to view your application and comment on it:

  1. All applications can be viewed through the Public Access for Planning facility on our website.
  2. We will write to your neighbours and ask them if they have any views on your proposal. It will help if you have discussed your proposal with them before applying.
  3. A site notice will also be posted outside your property when the officer dealing with your application visits the site. This is particularly important in rural areas where it may not be obvious who owns land near the site.
  4. A copy of your application will be sent to your local Town or Parish Council for comment.

Depending on the type of application, consultations may be carried out with:

Neighbours are given twenty-one days to comment. If your application is significantly amended you may be given a further period, usually ten days, to make any further comments.

You will be able to read what other people say about your application via the Public Access service.

If you feel you should respond, please be aware that anything you send to us will be treated in the same way as other public comments, so please refer to the advice on our web page about commenting on a planning application.

For help with using the planning system please read the Public Access user guide.

Assessing your proposal

The primary issue to be considered in dealing with your application will be whether it conforms to the development plan. In the Hambleton area, the development plan is called the local development framework.

Other factors to be taken into account include:

In every case the council must decide whether the advice or the view that is expressed is relevant to your application and, if so, how much weight to afford it in the decision.

Discussing the proposal with you

If the case officer dealing with your application needs to discuss your proposal your agent (or you, if you do not have an agent) will be contacted as soon as possible, though this may well be when the consultation period has ended. If extra detail is required we will set a date for this to be submitted. If you cannot meet this date you should contact the case officer as soon as possible.

If the application is considered unacceptable as submitted, but amendments could overcome the concerns, the case officer will explain this to you. A reasonable timescale will be given for you to send us revised proposals. Again, if you cannot meet this date you should let the case officer know as soon as possible because if we have not received the amendments and an extension of time has been not been agreed, we may decide your proposal as submitted.

Why we might refuse a proposal 

Applications will only be recommended for refusal if there are sound planning reasons for doing so and the necessary amendments would be too substantial or cannot be agreed. If it is considered that your proposal requires repeated or significant amendments we may ask you to withdraw your application and submit a revised scheme.

The case officer can keep you informed of progress and how and when it will be decided. They may express a view on your proposal but a formal decision can only be made by the Planning Committee or the Director of Environmental and Planning Services under delegated powers.

The decision and appeals

If your application will be considered by the Planning Committee, we will tell you the date of the meeting and send you a copy of the report and recommendation when the agenda is published.

You can make written representations to the Committee members and your local Councillor may be willing to attend the meeting and put your point of view. We can forward the contact details of the Councillors to you directly.

Notifying you of a decision

We will issue all decision notices as soon as possible after the decision has been made. Attached to the decision notice will be a copy of the case officers' report that will explain all the issues involved in arriving at the decision.

If your development is liable for payments under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) we will issue a liability notice with the decision notice. Our CIL Charging Schedule explains how the amount is calculated and sets out exemptions from CIL. It is highly unlikely that a domestic extension will be subject to CIL.

How to appeal

The government offers advice on how to appeal if your application has been refused or that there are conditions attached to your permission that you consider unacceptable, you can find this here:

Speaking at planning committee

Do I have to speak at the meeting?

No, the comments you have already made will be contained in the officer’s report to the committee. You may decide there is little point in adding to them.

If you are the applicant/agent and the officer’s recommendation is to approve your application, you may decide there is no point in adding to the proceedings.

If you represent a Parish/Town Council your written comments will already be included in the officer’s report. If you disagree with the recommendation being made you may wish to address the committee. This should be done by one person who expresses the majority view of your council.

If I want to speak, how do I arrange it?

The week before the committee meeting we will write to every person who has written to comment on an application due to be heard. We will also notify all applicants/agents and Parish/Town Councils. If you do not make a written representation you will still be able to speak, but we will not write to you about the meeting in advance.

If you intend to speak you must register your interest with the democratic services officer. It is preferable that you register by telephone the day before the meeting. However, if this is not possible, you can still register with the democratic services officer outside the council chamber at least 20 minutes before the meeting. One person is allowed to speak in favour and one against (not including the Parish/Town Council). If you have any documents you want to circulate to the committee we must have them 48 hours before the meeting. Documents brought on the day of the meeting will not be circulated. If more than one person wishes to speak for or against they will be advised to agree on a single spokesperson to put that view. If an agreement cannot be reached the first person to register will be allowed to speak.

What happens at the meeting?

The chairman will introduce the item and ask the planning officer to introduce the report. The chairman will then ask the members of the public to speak in the following order:

  • Parish/Town Council
  • objector
  • applicant/agent or supporter

Members of the committee will then debate the application, but the public will not be allowed to interject or comment further.

What can I say?

You will have a maximum of three minutes to express your views (10 minutes for large-scale major applications and those supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment when a maximum of two speakers can share the 10-minute slot). You will be advised when two minutes have gone and again after your three minutes is up, at which point you must stop speaking.

You should make sure your comments are relevant.

Remember: a good point does not get better by repeating it.

You may comment on matters such as:

  • National, regional and local planning policies
  • highway safety
  • landscape impact
  • local amenities, noise, privacy
  • case law/previous decisions
  • conservation issues

You should not comment on matters which are not relevant such as:

  • alleged increase/decrease in property values
  • civil disputes between neighbours
  • loss of a private view
  • a developer’s character, morals, motives or financial circumstances
  • restrictive covenants
  • matters covered by other legislation
  • business competition

Applicants/agents should not introduce new information, verbally amend the application or attempt to negotiate with the committee. Such action would lead to a deferral of the application to allow for proper consideration, or the application being considered on its original merits.

You are not allowed to ask questions directly of officers, councillors or other speakers.

If an application is on the agenda will it definitely be considered?

Most applications on the agenda will be dealt with but it is possible for an applicant to withdraw an application at any time up to a decision being made. It is also possible that the committee will be advised to defer and discuss at a later stage. If this happens, we will endeavour to contact you before the day. These rules on public speaking may be varied in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the chairman.

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