Application sent to committee. Only 4 objections.

[flanagaj]

I was under the impression that applications were only sent to committee if there were more than half a dozen objections?   I just feel our case officer who via email has stated that she is not opposed to the proposal, is just bidding for time and is kicking the can down the road, as she wants the decision to be made by someone else.

She requested an extension to our application and it's now back in consultation for 2 more weeks.   This is because biodiversity wanted some photos and a statement to be provided about the site.  This has now been provided, but I would not think that would be grounds to put the application back into consultation, giving the local NIMBYs more time to get further objections fired in.

 

All seems very underhand and not actually following any rule book. 

[BigBub]

Your council will have a Statement of Community Involvement somewhere on their webpages. This document usually sets out the policy for the minimum number of objections that will bring an application to committee. Otherwise it could be that someone has asked a local Councillor to call the application in for committee.

[Alan Ambrose]

Keep the faith. The decision still needs to be based on planning rules grounds.  There’s some recent discussion on here about prep for the committee. Still v useful if the officer comes out with a positive report to brief the meeting.

[Bramco]

41 minutes ago, BigBub said:

Otherwise it could be that someone has asked a local Councillor to call the application in for committee.

 

Or it could be that one of the committee councillors has a vested interest - owns nearby land or property.  This happened with ours, he owned a field over the back of our plot. But that should be declared somewhere - think they have to state that as comment on the application.

[flanagaj]

It is quite astonishing that local objections can delay applications.  Personally, I think the process needs to change so that objections are objectively reviewed and not given any further consideration unless the planning officer feels it deserves further attention.  This would then hopefully means less applications going to committee and stop nimby neighbours from stalling applications and having influence regarding objections that are not relevant when policy is applied.

[flanagaj]

I didn't want to start a new post as it is related to our committee meeting.   I have real doubts about the in house planning consultant at the architecture practice we are using.   He hasn't added anything to the application and recently I sent him some photos to counter the objections raised and he has literally just forwarded the document to the planning officer.   Didn't make any tweaks or add anything related to policy to the document.  I am no planning expert and I would not expect a planning consultant to do this.  Rather, I would expect them to be driving the process.   I should have twigged early on, when I read the draft 'Planning & Design Statement' and he had failed to include a key paragraph from the previous granted application, relating to the planning officer's observation, eg "the lane is composed of both single and two storey dwellings with a variety of architectural styles"

Given we have our committee meeting mid March or mid April, should I bin them now, or wait until the case officer gives her report.   She stated in an email that shoes does not have any objection to the proposal, but I feel like it's not been given the time and detail it deserves.

Edited February 14 by flanagaj
spelling mistake