Archived decisions

Contact: Roger Lawes, ext 6743 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Misunderstanding over the purpose of the briefing notes prepared for Member site inspections has recently caused confusion in local communities. Large volumes of sometimes hostile correspondence have resulted which have added significantly to the burden of the case officers. This report outlines the background to the problem and recommends the adoption of a framework for future briefing notes which should be added to the Local Code of Conduct for dealing with Planning matters.

2. Purpose

2.1 It has been the practice for the Chief Planning Adviser to prepare briefing notes for Members attending site inspections.

2.2 The purpose of a site inspection is for Members to gain knowledge of the development proposal, the application site and its relationship to adjacent sites. On location Members can view the physical aspects of the site in the context of its surroundings: they have the opportunity to envisage how the proposed development would impact on the local neighbourhood.

2.3 The purpose of the briefing note is to provide Members with a description of the site and its surrounding before the site inspection so that they are aware of the issues they are likely to face on site. It also provides the opportunity to alert Members to physical, access and impact matters that may have been raised by those who had, prior to the preparation of the note, commented on the application. The briefing note is often produced many weeks before the Committee and certainly several weeks before the Chief Planning Adviser's formal report to the Regulatory Committee is prepared. Accordingly, it is often incomplete as far as consultation responses are concerned and partial in respect of the analysis of the key issues.

3. A Format for the Site Visit Report

3.1 Over the years a variety of formats for site inspection reports have been used. Experience has shown that there is no universally acceptable style that reflects the purpose of the visit in a way that is understandable to both Members and the local community. The problem with a succinct briefing note is that brevity is sometimes taken as being an incomplete analysis.

3.2 The problem with a detailed briefing note is that too often many of the details are not available by the time the briefing note has to be circulated to Members and the local community interprets incompleteness as partiality. Members are aware of these limitations, but it is difficult to appraise the local community of them when not only do they rarely experience the process, but also when they do it is often as a result of an application to which they are objecting.

3.3 It is considered that formally adopting and publishing a standard format for site inspection briefing notes would help overcome many of these perceived limitations.

3.4 The current format for briefing notes is based on that used for formal reports to the Regulatory Committee. To avoid confusion it is proposed that the format should be changed to be clearly distinguishable in style from that used for formal Committee reports.

3.5 It is suggested that the briefing note comprises six sections. The first section should be a brief summary of the purpose of the inspection and the briefing note. This section would be common in all reports.

3.6 The second section should be a brief description of the site, any relevant planning history and constraints.

3.7 The third section should describe the proposals at a sufficient level of detail to enable Members to envisage the possible impact of buildings and activities and any design and landscape mitigation proposed by the applicant when they visit the site.

3.8 The fourth section should identify the relevant Development Plan policies in so far as they have a bearing on the site visit and whether or not the proposal would be a departure from the Plan.

3.9 The fifth section should summarise the publicity and consultations undertaken on the application and summarise the results of any responses received. The summary should identify the replies from consultees, including any support for the proposal, and those reasons for objections that Members can experience on site. There should also be a summary of any local representations that have been made highlighting any that add to those formally made by consultees.

3.10 The final section, the Chief Planning Adviser's Comments, will be restricted to the identifications of the main issues raised by the application.

4. Conclusions

4.1 The purpose for having a published format for site visit reports is to improve public awareness of this part of the development control process. The attached draft aims to establish clearly the purpose of the site visit so that those invited to attend with Members (including representatives of the local community and the applicant) are clear why the visit is taking place.

4.2 The format will, from time to time, be reviewed to ensure that it remains fit for the purpose. It will be included as an amendment to the Protocol for dealing with Planning Matters and published both in hard copy and on the County Council's web-site.

Recommendation

That the format for site visit reports outlined in paragraphs 3.4-3.6 and illustrated in the Appendix be adopted for the purposes of improving awareness and understanding of the development control service and referred to in the agreed Local Code of Conduct for dealing with Planning matters.

9154/RL

Appendix: Proposed format for site visit reports

Contact: (name) email: (address)

1. Purpose of site visit and briefing note

1.1 The purpose of a site inspection is for Members to gain knowledge of the development proposal, the application site and its relationship to adjacent sites. The purpose of this briefing note is to provide Members with a description of the site and its surrounding before the site visit so that they are aware of the issues they are likely to face on site. It also summarises any physical, access and impact matters that have, so far, been raised.

1.2 The inspection is not a forum for discussing the merits of the development proposal and submissions on these grounds are not permitted as they could interpreted by an interested party as prejudicial. The appropriate time for commenting on the proposal will be when it is brought before a meeting of the Committee. Deputations by parties interested in the development proposal may be made to the same meeting of the Regulatory Committee and arrangements to do this can be made by applying in writing to the Committee clerk etc ..............

2. The site, planning history and constraints

3. The proposal(s)

4. Development plan policies

5. Summary of relevant responses so far received

6. Summary of issues raised by the proposal(s)

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