From our District Councillor
Planning issues often cause concern, so I thought I'd outline how the system works. Anyone can make a planning application, even if there are restrictions on how the land can be used or if the applicant does not own the land. All they have to do is deposit the right paperwork, with their fee, at East Cambs Planning Department. The application is checked for completeness, logged and allocated to a Planning Officer. Details are sent to the Parish Council and anyone with land next to the site for which planning permission is sought, asking for their comments within 21 days. Other government bodies are also consulted where relevant, eg the Environment Agency, the County Council Highways Department and the Police. If the application is in a Conservation Area, a notice is put up and the application is advertised in a local newspaper.
Anyone is welcome to comment on a Planning Application. Any correspondence, whether by letter or e-mail is a public document. I get a weekly list of planning applications which gives a short description of every application across East Cambs. And every 6 weeks I get a list of all the Planning decisions. Most Planning decisions are taken by the officer, some automatically go to Committee, eg if the officer is recommending an application which is against the Local Plan. Others can go to Committee if the Parish Council and/or the District Councillor ask that it should and give good reasons. Less controversial cases may go to mediation where senior officers and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee take the decision. All comments are considered before deciding an application, if the case goes to mediation or Committee the officer summarises the comments in their paper.
At Planning Committee the applicant, the Parish council and a representative of the objectors can each have 3 minutes to put their case. The Committee is made up of members of the Council who have to decide the case at the meeting. You can write to them with your views but they are advised not to attend meetings with applicants or objectors and they cannot give a view before the meeting, as the law describes that as "fettering their decision" and requires them not to take part in the discussion or the vote on that application.
Once a decision is made on an application, only the applicant can appeal to have the decision changed. If they appeal, the application is considered by an Inspector appointed by central government. S/he will contact everyone who commented on the application and invite them to comment further. S/he will normally visit the site and will then make the final decision. S/he can overturn the CouncilŐs decision and award costs against the council and fine them if s/he feels the decision was unreasonable. Objectors can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman if they feel the process was not followed properly. S/he can fine the Council if s/he finds against it and award payment to the objector. The only way for objectors to change the decision is Judicial Review which can find that the Council made the wrong decision. They can overturn the decision and the Council then has to pay damages to the objectors and the applicants. If you want to comment on an application is it helpful if you copy me in on your comments. If I feel there is sufficient local concern I will ask for the application to be considered by Committee. I can also ensure that other relevant people are asked to comment on any specific concerns, eg County Highways on traffic safety concerns.
As one of the UK's fastest growing Districts, we are receiving an increasing number of planning applications. In 2000 we received 1,000 planning applications. This year we expect to receive 1,400 applications - that's nearly 6 new applications every working day. Despite this increasing workload, there has been an improvement in the number of applications which we decide within the time set by Central Government. Since April this year we have decided 74% of major applications in 13 weeks, 69% of minor applications in 8 weeks and 90% of all other cases, including householder, in 8 weeks. My concern is that the pressure to meet government targets may sometimes lead to less time for proper public consultation. But if we don't meet government targets we will lose funding, and we could see central government intervening directly in how we manage development control.
The Council has joined the Government's national planning website, the "Planning Portal". This allows people to complete a planning application on their computer then print it off and post it, along with their plans, to the Authority. The Portal also offers a wide range of information about planning, both nationally and relating specifically to our district. We will develop this further so that planning applications can be completed and submitted electronically. And our weekly lists of planning applications etc. will be available together with the full details of all planning applications, on our website. This will allow you to view an application and comment on line. The Portal can be visited at " http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wps/portal ".
In August I said that I hoped that you would have a Green Waste collection in Swaffham Prior by the end of September. Unfortunately, you will not. At a recent meeting to discuss next year's budget no funds were included for the Green Waste collection, which will not continue into next year unless other services are cut to provide the funding. Because of this uncertainty, officers have decided not to extend the scheme to parts of the District which do not already have the service.