The government has introduced new rules covering how planning applications are decided by councils. In future, only a very limited selection of planning applications will be able to be referred to a council’s Planning Committee to be decided by Councillors. All other planning applications will be decided by planning officers with no reference to councillors.
The types of application that can be referred to the Planning Committee are:
- Major residential developments (more than 9 dwellings or more than 0.5 hectare)
- Proposals affecting Listed Buildings,
- Retrospective applications,
- Major commercial developments, or
- Advertising consents.
These will be able to be referred to the Planning Committee by either three members of the Committee or by a parish council. Applications referred to the Planning Committee will only be considered by the Committee if there are significant economic, social or environmental considerations or significant breaches of national or local planning rules.
This will substantially reduce the number of planning applications that councillors will decide. It should be noted that this is not something that any local council has any control over as they are legally required to comply with the new rules laid down by the Government.
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