Deciding the outcome of a planning application

Once an application has been carefully considered and all submitted information examined, it will then go through one of two routes to enable us to reach a final decision - delegated powers or Development Control Committee.

The information below will help you understand the route that an application takes, how we reach a decision and how you can participate in the process.

How are planning applications decided?

The appropriate route for deciding on a planning application is set out in our constitution. The two main routes are by:

• Delegated powers
  • where there are outstanding objections to an application, the advice of our Members’ Briefing Panel will be sought
• Development Control Committee

See our performance in deciding on planning applications.

Delegated powers

Small scale applications are usually decided under delegated powers. These include:

• householder alterations and extensions
• changes of use of small amounts of floorspace or, in the case of residential, involving the creation of less than five units
• minor extensions to Class A3/A4/A5 floorspace or minor variations to conditions
• applications involving simple legal agreements
  • for example, making new flats “car-free”
• minor applications where the council is the applicant

The process of deciding upon an application under delegated powers involves a senior planning officer and area team manager reviewing a report produced by the planning officer (that is, a report that recommends whether permission should be granted for an application having assessed it against all related evidence, policies and consultation responses).

The report is then passed over to the Development Control Service Manager to make a final decision – taken on behalf of the Director for Culture and Environment.

Members Briefing Panel

Where there are outstanding objections to an application on material planning grounds, a decision cannot be made by delegated powers without first bringing it to the attention of our Members’ Briefing Panel.

The panel is made up of the Chair and Vice Chair of our Development Control Committee and a member of our Labour Group (Councillors Thomas Neumark, Roger Freeman and Flick Rea).

The panel does not decide upon applications that are referred to it. Its role is to consider the nature and extent of the outstanding objections to the application by viewing the associated planning officer’s report, application drawings, relevant photographs and letters of objection.

Thereafter, the Panel will either:

• advise that they are satisfied with the proposed decision being made under delegated powers; or
• recommend that the decision is made by the Development Control Committee instead

The details of applications that will be considered at our next Members’ Briefing Panel (held every Monday) are available below:

• download: Development control - members' briefing case list (PDF)
• download: Development control - members' briefing case list - late cases received (PDF)

Development Control Committee

Applications that cannot be decided under delegated powers (that is, approximately 10 per cent of all applications) are made by members of our Development Control Committee. These typically include applications for:

• major developments where 10 or more new homes will be built or the floorspace will be over 1000m²
• some minor developments where there will be an increase in floorspace
• changes of use to businesses serving hot food, for example, restaurants, takeaways etc. (A3 use)
• demolition or part demolition of listed buildings or buildings in a conservation area
• any application which is not covered by the policies in our Local Development Framework
• most applications which would involve making a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act.

The process of making a decision involves an area team manager and a Development Control Service Manager (on behalf of the Director for Culture and Environment) reviewing the report produced by the planning officer (recommending whether permission should be granted or refused). The report is then considered at a public meeting of the Development Control Committee. These meetings are held every three weeks.

If your planning application needs to be considered by the Development Control Committee, we will tell you when the meeting will be. Please see the deputation’s area of the website for information about speaking at a Development Control Committee meeting.

Details of upcoming and previously Development Control Committee meetings (including dates, associated agendas and planning officer reports) can viewed online. Agendas and planning officers' reports are available five working days before the committee meeting is held. Draft minutes are published within five full working days of the meeting, and are approved at the following meeting.

You can also view live webcasts of Development Control Committee meetings (or archived webcasts of previous meetings) by accessing the Council and Democracy area of our website.

Where can I find out further information?

For further information on the process of deciding the outcome of an application, please:

• download: Decision making process map for applications (PDF, 203KB
• or contact the duty planner

• Our performance in deciding on planning applications
• Planning application called in by the mayor's office