M20243 - Chance to Comment

Bridget

Description

EnvironmentM20243Development ControlWhat happens to my letter? Can I appeal againstIf you comment, please make sure we receive your letterthe Council’s decision?by the deadline given as it will not usually be possible toWhen the Council approves an application, neighboursconsider objections received after this date. We will notPlanning Applicationswho have objected do not have a right of appeal. If younormally write to you again, unless the scheme is changedthink the Council did not consider your comments fairlysignificantly, until after the decision has been made, toyou should write to the Head of Planning and Transport orinform you of the decision. If you wish your letter to becontact your local Councillor who will look into youracknowledged, please include a stamped addressedcomplaint. If you are still dissatisfied you can considerenvelope. Your letter will be placed on the Council’s filecomplaining to the independent Local Government Yourand must be available for anyone (including the applicant)to see. If the application is considered by the Development Ombudsman. The Ombudsman cannot question what aControl Committee the contents of your letter will be Council has done just because someone does not agreesummarised.with the Council. There must be a complaint thatChance tosomething went wrong, causing injustice to the personHow is the decision made?who has complained. A leaflet giving more informationThe sites of all planning applications ...

Informations

• Publié par: Istey
• Nombre de lectures: 14
• Langue: English

Extrait

Environment

Development Control

Planning Applications

Your

Chance to

Comment

M20243

What happens to my letter?

If you comment, please make sure we receive your letter

by the deadline given as it will not usually be possible to

consider objections received after this date. We will not

normally write to you again, unless the scheme is changed

significantly, until after the decision has been made, to

inform you of the decision. If you wish your letter to be

acknowledged, please include a stamped addressed

envelope. Your letter will be placed on the Council’s file

and

must be available for anyone (including the applicant)

to see. If the application is considered by the Development

Control Committee the contents of your letter will be

summarised.

How is the decision made?

The sites of all planning applications are visited by a

Planning Officer. Decisions on most applications can be

made by the Council’s Senior Planning Officers. The

Development Control Committee, made up of elected

Councillors, decide on the very major and most

controversial planning applications after considering a

written report and recommendation. The report contains a

summary of any objections and will always try to be fair to

both the applicant and any objectors.

Development Control Committee meetings are open to the

public and take place 15 times a year on a Wednesday

evening. Copies of the Agenda, which includes the reports

on all applications to be considered, can be seen at the

Council Offices five days before the meeting. Contact the

Council’s Committee Section (Telephone number 252596)

for further information about committee procedures.

The Council is required to deal with most applications

within eight weeks unless the applicant agrees to a longer

period. Applicants sometimes discuss proposals with the

Council’s Planning Officers. This can result in proposals

being changed to make them more acceptable.

Unacceptable proposals are often not pursued because of

pre-application advice. About 85 per cent of the planning

applications submitted to the Council are approved.

Can I appeal against

the Council’s decision?

When the Council approves an application, neighbours

who have objected do not have a right of appeal. If you

think the Council did not consider your comments fairly

you should write to the Head of Planning and Transport or

contact your local Councillor who will look into your

complaint. If you are still dissatisfied you can consider

complaining to the independent Local Government

Ombudsman. The Ombudsman cannot question what a

Council has done just because someone does not agree

with the Council. There must be a complaint that

something went wrong, causing injustice to the person

who has complained. A leaflet giving more information

about the Ombudsman is available from Planning Enquiry

staff.

If the Council refuses an application, the applicant has the

right to appeal to the Independent Planning Inspectorate. If

an appeal is lodged we will notify you again.

Where and how

can I find out more?

Copies of the submitted applications can be seen at the

Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes

(near the Library opposite the Shopping Building) between

9.00am and 5.15pm, Mondays to Fridays. Please go to the

Main Reception desk on the Ground floor. If you require

further advice ask the staff on duty (telephone number

252358). Alternatively you can telephone the planning

officer dealing with the application. Their name and

telephone number are given on the Council’s neighbour

notification letter.

PUBLISHED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT

Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3ZJ

Introduction

This leaflet answers 10 questions commonly asked by

people who want to comment on a planning application. It

explains how to make your views known, the sorts of

concerns which the Council can and cannot take into

account, and how decisions on planning applications are

made.

When will I be told

about Planning Applications?

The Council will tell the occupiers of

adjoining

properties

by letter that a planning application has been submitted. A

period of 21 days is allowed for written comments to be

made before a decision is taken. In the case of major

proposals the Council may notify more widely, or arrange

for a notice to be displayed on the site.

What does the Council

take into account?

In deciding a planning application the Council must

consider two main things:

•

whether a proposal complies with the planning

policies of the Milton Keynes Local Plan, and the

Buckinghamshire County Structure Plan: and

•

whether there are any other relevant considerations.

These could include government planning

advice,

previous planning decisions, the views of the public

and a range of technical information.

What can my neighbour do without

needing Planning Permission?

Subject to certain limitations, planning permission is not

required for many small house extensions and other minor

developments. Details of these can be obtained from the

Planning Department. In considering any planning

application the Council will always take into account what

could be built without planning permission.

What kinds of objection

cannot be used to refuse

Planning Permission?

The Council will normally

disregard

the following sorts of

objection because they are not valid planning reasons to

withhold permission:

•

The personal circumstances, motives or previous

record of the applicant.

•

The fact that development has started.

•

Trade objections based on competition.

•

Moral objections.

•

Belief that an application has been submitted to

increase the value of the property when sold.

•

The loss of an attractive view from your house.

•

The fear that your house may be devalued.

•

Encroachment of the proposed development onto a

neighbouring property or claims that a proposal may

affect private rights, such as water rights, private rights

of way or

rights to light. These are private matters on

which legal advice may need to be sought.

•

Concern that a particular proposal may lead to some

other development taking place which is not part of

the application under consideration.

•

Inconvenience or other problems caused by building

works.

What sort of neighbour comments

can influence the

Council’s decision?

The following examples may be relevant:

•

The impact of the development on the appearance of

the area or character of a street.

•

Road safety and parking.

•

Reduction in the level of daylight and privacy. In order

to justify refusal the affect needs to be significant, not

just the loss of light to secondary windows or

overshadowing of the garden.

•

The need to safeguard the countryside from harmful

development, preserve or enhance the character of

Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas, and

protect important trees.

•

Unreasonable noise or disturbance.

How do I make my views known?

Any comments, whether for or against a planning

application, must be in writing. Verbal comments can be

misquoted or misunderstood. All letters must be available

for public inspection. Letters written “in confidence” cannot

be taken into account or reported to the Development

Control Committee.

You may also wish to contact your local Councillor who

can, at their discretion, require that an application be

considered by the Development Control Committee, rather

than be decided by Council officers. The name, address

and telephone number of your Councillor is available from

the Council’s Planning Enquiry Staff (Telephone number

252358).

If the application is very major or controversial and is to be

considered by the Development Control Committee you

may also consider making a request to object in person

before the Development Control Committee.

You must

make this request in writing to the Head of Democratic

Services at the Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central

Milton Keynes, to arrive by noon, at least two clear working

days before the meeting (on the Friday before a meeting

that is usually held on a Wednesday night) at which the

application is to be considered.

For further information,

please see the Council’s leaflet “Having your say at

Development Control Committee Meetings” or contact the

Committee section of the Council (telephone number

252596).