Agenda item

O&S.103/17   

The Panel considered a report that presented a review of the planning pre-application process and a proposed draft procedure that was intended to be the subject of a public consultation exercise.

In discussion, reference was made to:-

(a)    the draft procedure being well received.  A majority of Members welcomed the draft procedure and were of the view that it addressed both a number of concerns that had been previously raised and the importance of a pre-application gaining local community support.  In addition, Members recognised that the intention of the procedure was to tighten the pre-application process;

(b)    suggested revisions to the draft process.  The Panel requested that, prior to being published for draft consultation, the following revisions be made:

-         With regard to the ‘Stage two: Community Engagement Event’ (page 49 of the presented agenda refers), it was requested that an addition be included:

‘Whilst the exact format of the event will be left to the developer to agree with the Town or Parish Council in consultation with the local Ward Member(s) they will need to demonstrate that the community has been enabled to participate in the engagement process…’; and

-        In respect of paragraph 5.4 (page 47 of the presented agenda refers), the following additions be made:

‘That an electronic copy of the pre-app submission will be provided to local Ward Members upon email request.  In the event of a Member making a request to be kept informed of progress of a specific pre-app, the Case Officer will ensure that the Member is kept informed.’

(c)    comments that the Panel wished to be taken into account as part of the consultation exercise.  The Panel was of the view that the following points should be considered upon the conclusion of the consultation process:

-         That the pre-app application form be amended whereby the applicant must state a reason why the application should be kept confidential at this stage; and

-         That the weekly list circulated to Members include both the classification and an indicative timescale for the determination of each pre-app.

(d)    resource levels.  A Member questioned whether the Council had sufficient resources in place to meet the proposed timescales.  In reply, officers expressed their confidence that the additional resources that were being provided through the recent Council decision to increase its planning fees by 20% would ensure that these timescales were achievable;

(e)    pre-application fees.  For clarity, it was agreed that officers would circulate the latest set of pre-application fees to all Members;

(f)     the proposed format for the consultation.  In addition to publication on the Council website, officers confirmed the intention to send a link to the draft procedure to all Members, Town and Parish Council Clerks, all recognised Neighbourhood Planning Groups and Statutory Consultees.

It was then:

RESOLVED

2.       That, as part of the consultation process, the views of the Panel at point (c) in the detailed minutes above be taken into account.