Greatham Parish Council - Planning Considerations
The following document was presented at the Parish Council meeting on 4th June 2007, and was considered to be a useful addition to the Greatham website.
WHAT IS A MATERIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATION?
The Key Purpose of Planning
This is to control development in the public interest. Your District/Unitary Council, as your local planning authority, must take decisions on behalf of the whole community.
Decision Making
The local planning authority must make decisions openly, fairly, with sound judgement and for justifiable planning reasons. It can consider applications on planning grounds only. The Adopted Local Plan is an important consideration and, in addition to the Local Plan, the local planning authority must consider what are known as material planning considerations. Examples of these are the number, size and layout of a development, siting, design, external appearance, access, infrastructure, landscaping and impact on the neighbourhood.
Views of local residents are always considered, but local opposition or support on its own is not a reason for refusing or granting planning permission. Opposition or support must be backed up by valid planning reasons.
The Government regularly issues Statements of Planning Policy and these are known as Planning Policy Statements (PPSs). These are also material planning considerations and the local planning authority must take them into account when reaching planning decisions. In addition to the PPSs, Government policies and advice are also provided in circulars, technical documents and ministerial statements. The local planning authority must also consider these.
Many planning applications become the subject of court proceedings. The local planning authority must take the courts' decisions into account as they are also material planning considerations.
Listed below are examples of other issues that the local planning authority can and cannot consider. This list does not show everything; it is meant as a guide to help the Parish/Town Council when preparing its statement. If you are unsure as to whether or not your objection mjgnt be a material planning consideration, call the case officer who is dealing with the matter (you will usually find details on your notification letter) or your District/Unitary Council planning helpline.
Issues the local planning authority can normally consider
- Overshadowing
- Overlooking and loss of privacy
- Adequate parking and servicing
- Overbearing nature of proposal
- Loss of trees
- Loss of ecological habitats
- Design and appearance
- Layout and density of buildings
- Effect on listed building(s) and conservation areas
- Access and highways safety
- Traffic generation
- Noise and disturbance from the scheme
- Disturbance from smells
- Public visual amenity (not loss of private individual's view)
- Flood risk
Issues the local planning authority cannot normally consider
- Loss of value to private individual property
- Loss of view
- Boundary disputes including encroachment of foundations or gutters
- Private covenants or agreements
- The applicant's personal conduct or history
- The applicant's motives
- Potential profit for the applicant or from the application
- Private rights to light
- Private rights of way
- Damage to property
- Disruption during any construction phase
- Loss of trade and competitors
- Age, health, status, background and work patterns of objector
- Time taken to do the work
- Capacity of private drains
- Building and structural techniques
- Alcohol or gaming licences