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Q&As
Planning Permission – Going to Committee – Advice please?
Our Planning Officer is being unreasonable with the changes he wants us to make with our design for him to pass it. (Mid Suffolk District Council). No formal decision has been given yet. We would like to take it to Committee but our question is:
Do we request this before the Planning Officer gives us his formal refusal, or do we have to get that first? We understand we have to ask our local councillor to request it goes to committee on our behalf. Any other information regarding the process would be gratefully received. Many thanks for your help.
Asked by Lizskelton
One Answer
Applications are either decided by planning officers under so-called delegated powers, or by a group of councillors who sit on the planning committee. Accordingly, it’s essential to get your application called to committee before it’s refused by the planning officer, otherwise it will be too late. Different councils have different protocols when it comes to getting applications to committee, so your best bet is to contact your local councillor as soon as possible. Explain that you feel the officer’s approach is unreasonable, and ask if the case can go to committee and whether the councillor would support it.
If it’s too late to get it to committee, consider withdrawing, perhaps making some token design changes, and then resubmitting, this time with the councillor poised to call the application to committee if the officer isn’t satisfied. The alternative, if you’ve missed the chance for committee, would be to allow the application to be refused and appeal.
Mike Dade (Build It Expert)