Committee details

1. To oversee the division of the Council’s Development Management functions and workload in order to ensure timely and consistent decision-making at the most appropriate level, and to that end

(a) to monitor the volume and type of applications determined; assessing the performance of the Development Management service, and, if appropriate

(b) to vary the division of functions and delegations between the Board, the Planning Committees and the Director of Planning and Sustainable Development;

(c) to adopt working protocols and procedures: eg: protocols governing the direction of applications between the Planning Committees, public speaking rights, call-in procedure and others.

2. To exercise the Council's functions relating to town & country planning & development control, the protection of important hedgerows, the preservation of trees and the regulation of high hedges set out in the Local Authorities (Functions & Responsibilities)(England) Regulations 2000. Most of these functions are delegated to the Planning Committees and then onwards to the Director of Planning and Sustainable Development, but the following are reserved to the Board:

(a) applications for Large Scale Major Development. Currently this includes

- residential developments of 200 dwellings or more, or 4 ha or more;

- 10,000 square metres or more, or 4ha. or more of retail, commercial or industrial or other floor space.

This does not include re-applications for extant schemes or detailed applications where outline consent has been given or removal/variation of conditions.

Where the application is to vary or remove a condition that was imposed by the Planning Committee it will not be delegated.

However, there will be a presumption that a call in request by a local ward member will be agreed where applications are for the renewal (or extension of time) of extant unimplemented permissions.

(b) applications for major minerals or waste development other than small scale works which are ancillary to an existing mineral working or waste disposal facility.

(c) applications involving a significant departure from policy which a Planning Committee is recommended to approve.

(d) any other matters which have strategic implications by reason of their scale, nature or location.

(e) any other matters referred up to it at the discretion of the Director of Planning and Sustainable Development, including major development of less than the thresholds set out in (a) above which have wider strategic implications.

3. To exercise a consultation and advisory role, commenting upon the content of proposed planning policy and upon the effectiveness of existing policies employed in development control decisions.

4. To exercise on behalf of the Council the function of final approval of the Area Action Plans, and any other document including a Site Allocation Policy, which form part of the Local Plan.