We deal with your application using the standards in the Council’s Development Control Charter. We will try to deal with your application within eight weeks, although this is not always possible.
A Planning Officer will visit the site to check that your drawings are correct and to assess site features. We do not normally need to see you at the site. We will try to tell you as soon as possible if there are any problems with your application and, if necessary, we will negotiate a scheme that is likely to be acceptable.
As part of the process of dealing with a planning application, the officer will have to take into account various Planning Constraints that could effect the decision.
The Planning Officer will then recommend either to grant permission, usually with conditions, or to refuse permission. We base the recommendation purely on planning considerations and we will not recommend a refusal just because many people oppose your proposal. We must make sure that your application fits in with the development plan for the area and meets other approved planning policies and standards. We will take account of relevant comments from other Council departments and sections such as noise and potential traffic or road safety problems. We cannot take into account any moral issues or the effect the development might have on nearby property prices.
If your application is straightforward, then the final decision is likely to be made by the Assistant Director-Regeneration under powers delegated by the Council. If it is complicated, or there are four or more letters received that differ from the Planning Officers recommendation, then the application will be considered by councillors at a meeting of the Planning Control Committee.
We will send you formal notice of the decision usually within three days of it being made. This will set out any conditions with which you have to comply when permission has been granted or if your application is refused we will give clear reasons why.
If conditions have been imposed or your application is refused, you can, if you wish, appeal the decision.
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