The Planning Committee considers planning applications where the proposals could have significant or far-reaching effects. Most straight-forward applications are determined under the scheme of delegation, which means council officers take decisions on behalf of the planning committee.
Procedure of debate at Planning Committee
Whenever a planning application is dealt with by the Planning Committee, the council is keen to allow the local community to participate in the process.
The procedure that will ordinarily be followed is:
- Up to five members of the public who wish to speak against an application will be allowed to do so. Each will have up to four minutes in which to state their case
- Up to five members of the public who wish to speak in favour of an application will then be allowed to speak. Again each will have up to four minutes in which to state their case
- The applicant will then be invited to speak in support of their application
- Local councillors (not on the Planning Committee) will then have the opportunity to make representations about the application – whether for or against
- The application will then be discussed by the committee. At this point members of the public, the applicant and other councillors not on the Planning Committee will not be able to speak further
- The Planning Committee will then take a vote on the matter