If the applicant has an agent all correspondence, including the decision notice, will be sent directly to the agent who should keep the applicant updated on the application.
The application is checked and if there are any problems with it we will contact your agent if appointed or to let you know what you need to do. Once the application is complete we will send an acknowledgement and the application will be displayed on Public Access. Depending on the type of application a statutory press notice may also be required. The application will be allocated to a planning officer who will visit the site to assess the proposal and put up a site notice.
We consult specialist organisations and different sections of the council on the proposed development and notify the parish council. We may request that the application is amended if a problem is identified that can quickly and easily be resolved. If the amendments required are significant you may need to submit a new application. All the consultation responses and comments received from the public about an application are displayed on Public Access.
The planning officer will consider the proposal in light of the development plan and other material considerations and write a report.
Most applications are determined by the chief planner under powers that we have delegated to him under the Planning Scheme of Delegation.
The Constitution of the council contains the Planning Scheme of Delegation within Council Functions and Executive Functions (Part 3) and the Planning Code of conduct for members and officers (Part 5).
The remainder is determined by the committee. The meetings are open to the public and those with an interest in the application will have the opportunity to address the meeting under the terms of the opportunity to speak scheme.
A formal decision notice will be issued to you or your agent to confirm the decision. The decision notice will also be available on Public Access.
Planning application documents are published on our website, however before publishing, we are required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), related legislations and best practise to remove 'personal information'.
The following information is asked for on an application form:
- telephone number
- email address
- signatures
We will endeavour to remove this personal information before publishing.
There are occasions when other personal information is submitted within supporting documents, this personal information can include:
- financial information
- car registration plates
- photos of individuals
- a persons age
- physical or mental health information
- views on other individuals - such as their health or anything defamatory or libellous
- how long a person has resided at a property
- a persons employment history
- criminal record - including alleged offences
- children
- racial or ethnic origin
- religious or other beliefs
- political opinions
- membership of a trade union
- sexual orientation or how a person identifies
- and any other information which may identify an individual person or persons
Even if the applicant, or a person making comments on an application, wants the personal information to be published online, we must endeavour to remove it.
Therefore when submitting an application or comments please can you make sure that the above personal information is only submitted if it is a planning consideration, for example, financial information which may support a change of use application from a business to a dwelling to show that a business is not viable or information to show that a fee is not required as the proposed development is for the sole use of a disabled person. We will endeavour to make sure this information is not published online.
If you submit personal information as set out above please can you ensure that it is either referred to in a covering letter or contained within a separate document to aid identification and removal from the documents which will be published online.