Our Planning and Access Committee meets once a month to consider certain planning applications, enforcement actions, policy papers, legal agreements and access matters. The location of meetings may vary depending on the items on the agenda and, if a site visit is being held prior to the meeting, it will be at a venue as near to the site as possible.

 

Site visits are held so that Committee members can see the land or buildings which are the subject of the application. This allows them to gain a greater understanding of the site, and its surroundings relative to the proposed development. The decision to make a site visit will always be made by the Committee after an initial consideration of the relevant issues. Site visits will normally be on the morning before the next scheduled meeting of the Committee, although more time-consuming cases may be on a separate day.

Only the Planning and Access Committee members, with a Planning Officer and the Committee Clerk, may participate in the visit. However, anyone with an interest in the application is welcome to attend the site visit to view the proceedings. A record of members attending the visit will be kept and only those who have attended the visit will be eligible to determine the application.

 

We operate a scheme of Public Participation which, as well as the applicant, allows up to two people who have previously made a written representation to speak to oppose an application. A Planning Hearing may also be held when the number of representations that we have received is significant, and cannot be effectively handled under our normal public participation procedures. Holding a Hearing allows the Committee members the ability to examine issues in depth, by asking questions of all of the interested parties.

 

Notices of meetings will be placed at our Headquarters, on our website and at the Headquarters of each of the four Councils within the Park area. 

Ten members (quorum 5). Legislation requires half the committee plus one be elected (ie elected councillors or directly elected to the authority by local communities):

Terry Levinthal - Chair
Owen McKee - Deputy Chair
Fergus Wood
Russell Bruce

Tony Ffinch
Isabel Glasgow
Willie Nisbet
Iain Wragg
Meriel Young
Mike Luti

Gordon Watson - Lead Executive

At least 10 meetings are held each year. Agendas and papers are posted on this website one week in advance.

Standing Orders

Delegation Scheme