Who decides my planning application?

Planning Officer

Your application is allocated to a planning officer. The planning officer will carry out a site inspection and consider the application against the policies of the development plan.

The officer also considers other material factors, such as the outcome from the consultation process.

The officer then compiles a report that contains a recommendation. Senior officers, under delegated powers, determine the majority of planning applications with some applications being reported to a committee for a decision.

Planning Committee 

Applications will be considered at committee in certain circumstances.

The main reason an application will go to Planning Committee is where an application is recommended for approval. As well as when more than two letters of objection are received or a petition, as defined in Standing Orders, is received.

An application will also go to Planning Committee, irrespective of the recommendation, where it has been called in by the chair of the Planning Committee or any member of the Council. This is initiated with the approval of either the Chair of Planning Committee or the relevant Ward Councillor, within 21 days of the application being registered.

More details of when an application is considered at Planning Committee can be found here in the Council's constitution (paragraph 44, part 8).

Please note not all applications go to Planning Committee, for instance, all tree applications are determined under delegated powers.

More Information

Further information on the decision making process can be found here.