As part of its drive to get Britain building again the Government have issued a consultation paper inviting views on a national scheme of delegation for planning committees. The proposals include options for the creation of smaller, targeted planning committees focussed on strategic development.
The consultation proposes three options for a change to planning committees including that: (1) all decisions are delegated to officers on applications that comply with local development plans, (2) all planning applications shall be decided by planning officers, unless the application is contrary to the development plan and is recommended for approval or is submitted by the Local Planning Authority, an officer or a member and (3) all decisions are delegated to planning officers, with a specific list of exemptions.
The consultation acknowledges that planning decisions involve balancing technical expertise with local knowledge and democratic accountability. This isn't formal consultation but will inform discussions within the section. Nevertheless the outcome could potentially represent a significant change to how planning committees operate, so if like me you spend a lot of time at them - definitely worth a read.
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