main content Speaking at Planning Meetings - P18

PUBLIC SPEAKING AT MEETINGS OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AND PLANS SUB-COMMITTEE

Development Control Committee meets on average once every eight weeks. Committee Members consider major or contentious planning applications and other planning issues affecting the Borough. The reports on white paper concern a whole range of issues, including service planning, strategic and London-wide issues, planning and transport policy, conservation, and countryside management. Part II of the agenda, printed on pink paper, contains items, which, because they relate to legal, or financial or personnel issues, are confidential and cannot be heard in public.

Plans Sub-Committee meets fortnightly. They consider planning applications, alleged contraventions of planning law and tree preservation. 

• Members of the public making written comments on planning applications have the opportunity to address Councillors at Committee if they wish.
• However, this does not apply where a planning application is decided by the Chief Planner under delegated powers, i.e. where the application will not be considered by a Committee.
• Anyone wishing to speak must have already written in expressing his or her views on the application.
• Committee agendas can be inspected at the Civic Centre or in public libraries from five working days before the Committee meeting. Alternatively, you may contact the planning division on 020 8313 4956 to find out if an application is included on an agenda.
• Speakers must give notice of their intention to speak to the Directorate of Legal and Democratic Services on 020 8313 4745 no later than 10 am on the working day before the meeting. At the Chairman's discretion, items will be taken in an order that reflects the level of public interest and having regard to visiting Ward Members.
• Should speakers wish to table any correspondence or photographs, all documents must be submitted to the Directorate of Legal and Democratic Services by 5.00pm on the working day before the meeting.
• The proposal plans will be available to the Committee and the report may be updated by the Chief Planner or his representative before anyone speaks.
• Normally one person is permitted to speak for an application and one person permitted to speak against it. If there are more than two requests to speak for or against, people with similar views should get together and agree spokespersons, failing that, the first people who notified Legal and Democratic Services of their intention to speak will be called. Among supporters, the applicant (or if the applicant wishes, the agent) takes precedence, and if the applicant or agent do not wish to speak, the first supporters will be called.
• Residents' Associations or other organisations wishing to make use of these arrangements must appoint a single spokesperson to represent their views.
• Speakers are reminded that only material planning considerations are relevant to the determination of planning applications.
• Each speaker will normally be given up to three minutes and this will be indicated by the warning light system in the Council Chamber: - an amber light will show the passing of two-and-a-half minutes and a red light will show the completion of the three minute period.
• Members of the public will normally be allowed to speak before visiting Ward Members.
• Order of public speakers: if the recommendation is 'permission' or 'Members' views are requested' then it will normally be the opponent first, supporter second. If the recommendation is 'refusal', the reverse order will apply.
• Members of the Committee (not visiting Ward Members) may ask speakers to clarify points raised. Otherwise, once members of the public have spoken, no further intervention will be permitted.
• Council officers attending the Committee may be called upon to clarify any points raised before Members of the Committee discuss the item.
• The Chairman has absolute discretion to vary the established programme described above or to curtail it when considered appropriate.

AFTER THE MEETING

A Decision Notice is normally issued about a week after the Committee meeting. Planning conditions or the grounds for refusal will be listed on the Decision Notice. 

Information about Council meetings where planning decisions are made is available here.

If you have any questions about speaking at a Committee meeting please telephone the Planning Division on 020 8313 4956.

If you have any questions about decisions made at Development Control of Plans Sub Committee please telephone the Planning Division on 020 8313 4956 the day after the meeting.