Speaking at the Planning Committee

Introduction

These notes will try to answer some of the questions you may have about how to arrange to speak and what you can expect at the meeting itself, in particular how members of the public can assist the Committee in reaching its decision. The procedure is based on simple rules to make the system as fair and easy to operate as possible. You may wish to look at a video of the Planning Committee Process that shows what happens at a committee meeting.

The Committee, composed of elected Councillors, meets on a Thursday, fortnightly, at York House, adjacent to the Civic Centre Twickenham and commences at 6.30pm prompt. Speakers are requested to arrive at 6pm in order to register with the Committee Clerk and are asked to enter/leave the Committee room during designated breaks where possible and as quietly as possible. Refreshments are available but there are no copying facilities. Should you have a disability it is of help if you can advise the Committee Clerk in advance.

The Council has a commitment to public involvement and uses our website, newspaper ads, community notice boards, site notices and neighbour consultation to advise the public of applications received. You may choose to go to a meeting because an application affects you, or you may have been personally notified or you may have seen a notice pinned up advising an application has been made. You may have read about an application in the local paper, heard of it from friends or you may be the applicant.

The Councillors' main duty at the meeting is to make decisions on large scale planning applications, controversial items where objections have been raised or for applications that may affect a lot of people. All meetings are open to the public.

Before the meeting starts

There will be copies of the agenda for you to refer to, although you may have to share these. You can also see an agenda in advance five working days before a meeting by visiting the planning department, your local library or accessing our website. There are seats set aside for the public to use. Please remember that once the meeting has started, you will not be allowed to speak or comment.

What happens at the meetings?

For more information on how the meeting is run, please see our "Attending Planning Committee" handout(pdf, 194KB).

Who can request to speak at the Planning Committee?

Anyone can register to speak at the meeting, although there are limits on the number of speakers. The limits are as follows.

Householder Applications

This includes applications for extensions, alterations or outbuildings to houses and flats including forecourt parking.

Two speakers both for and against the proposal.

Non-Householder Applications

Mainly commercial applications not deemed to be major cases (see major cases below) to include telecoms applications.

Three speakers both for and against the proposal.

Major Applications

Applicable to ten or more houses, new buildings or change of use involving a gross floor space of 1,000m² or more.

The number of speakers will be set by the Chair on a case by case basis.

Ward Councillors will also be allowed to speak in addition.

How do I request to speak?

The deadline for registering your wish to speak or for submitting written representations is noon on the day preceding the Planning Committee meeting. No further registrations will take place after that time.

Written representations received prior to the committee report will be referred to therein and those received up to noon on the day prior to the meeting will be reported orally at the meeting.

You may register to speak by calling the Customer Contact Centre on 0845 612 2660 (between 9am to 5.15pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm Friday).

Will you be allowed to speak?

If the limit on the number of speakers is exceeded by the time registration closes on the day prior to the meeting, you will be given the option of your telephone number being passed to other like-minded speakers so that you can liaise and agree who will speak at the meeting to represent your views.

Should you not wish your telephone number to be disclosed to other parties you should make sure that you arrive at the meeting by 6pm prompt in order that the Committee Clerk can advise if you have been selected to speak or put you in touch with other like-minded speakers before the meeting.

Priority to speak will normally be given to neighbours directly adjacent to the application site.

What can you speak about?

You can only speak for yourself or on behalf of a group of objectors. Representations must relate to the effect the development will have on you and be confined to proper, material planning considerations and not matters that fall outside the remit of the Committee.

Speakers are asked not to repeat points made by other speakers.  

The Chair may disallow remarks which, by reason of these matters, are not capable of assisting the Members to reach a decision.

See our "Speaking at Planning Committee" for more information(pdf, 92KB).

What are 'material planning considerations'?

Planning issues include

• Loss of light or overshadowing
• Overlooking/loss of privacy
• Visual amenity (but not loss of private view)
• Adequacy of parking/loading/turning
• Highway safety
• Traffic generation
• Noise and disturbance resulting from use
• Hazardous materials
• Smells
• Loss of trees
• Effect on listed building and conservation area
• Layout and density of building
• Design, appearance and materials
• Landscaping
• Road access
• Local, strategic, regional and national policies
• Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments
• Sustainability Issues
• Disabled persons’ access
• Compensation and awards of costs against the Council at public enquiries
• Proposals in the Development Plan
• Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)
• Nature conservation
• Archaeology

What are not 'material planning considerations'?

Non-planning issues include:

• Private property rights
• Boundary disputes
• The developer's morals or motives or character
• Loss of view over other people's land
• Effects on property values (but may be relevant if a material consideration)
• Business competition
• Restrictive covenants
• Trade objections from potential competitors
• Land ownership
• Loss of private access rights
• Access for maintenance
• Structural stability
• Drainage
• Fire precautions
• Private rights of way
• Covenants
• Problems with construction period such as hours of work, noise, dust, construction vehicles

Although such comments may be of importance to you, they are not necessarily planning issues and may carry little weight when the Committee make a decision on the application.

How can you find out at what meeting an application will be considered?

If you have written to us already to raise an objection, we will try to advise you of the meeting about ten days before.

Please note that officers have powers to approve certain applications if no objections are received by the relevant closing date under powers delegated by the Council. These are known as delegated decisions.

How long will you be able to speak for?

The inclusion of public contributions, and their conduct, will be at the discretion of the Chair. In the interests of fairness you are allowed to speak for three minutes. It is therefore important that you have a clear picture of your intentions.

Speakers, objectors, applicants and Ward Councillors are requested by the Chair to sit adjacent to a white timing box. The person invited to speak should press the button on the box (which will illuminate a white light) and begin their remarks. After two and a half minutes the light begins to flash and after three minutes a red light comes on. This is the signal to stop speaking. The Chair tries to ensure that all speakers are put at their ease.

At which point in the meeting will you be able to speak?

Each application is dealt with in a similar way. The planning officer whose responsibility it is to present the item will briefly introduce the item adding any updates to their report. This update is to advise the Committee of correspondence received since the report was published, changes to the report by way of correction and other relevant matters.

The Chair will then call members of the public who have registered to speak, those opposed to the proposal speaking first, followed by those in favour. The Chair is usually happy to accept any order of speakers within each category agreed between themselves, especially if there is a large number of speakers (the Committee Clerk should be advised before the meeting commences).

After the public have spoken, Members of the Council who are not members of the Committee may also speak. They too are limited to three minutes and they do not answer questions.

When all the speakers have spoken, the presenting officer will comment on what has been said, answering any implicit questions. Members of the Committee (and Ward Councillors (if any)) are then entitled to ask questions with a view to clarifying what has been said by officers at the meeting and in the agenda report.

After any such questions have been asked, the Chair will ask Members for their views. There will be a short debate and a vote will be taken on the recommendation in the agenda report. If Members agree with the recommendation, this is usually for the reasons given in the report. If they disagree, reasons must be given at the meeting and minuted.

Are you allowed to use maps, photographs or other aids to make your point?

Photographs, plans or illustrations may be allowed at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee who should be advised by the Committee Clerk prior to the meeting. Any items allowed to be shown may be kept for the official record and may not be returned to you.

Will you be asked questions?

Members may ask questions, of the officers, objectors and applicant, intended to ensure that the meeting has properly understood the points you are trying to make. When all questions are exhausted, speakers should return to their seats. There is no further right to speak or to reply to other points.

Can you ask questions?

You may not ask questions of any Councillors, objectors or applicants nor take part in any discussion.

Terms used during meetings

Standing Orders: The rules by which a Council meeting is governed.

Declaration of Interest: Councillors must announce in public if they have a personal, or a personal and prejudicial interest, in an item before it is discussed. If a Councillor has a personal and prejudicial interest, he or she must leave the room during any debate and may no vote on that matter.

Where can you get further information?

You may look at any application including plans by visiting the Planning Office on the ground floor of the Civic Centre Twickenham between 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Fridays.

If you have any enquiries, please telephone the Customer Contact Centre on 0845 6122660.

You can also contact your ward councillor who has a responsibility to listen to the views of local residents.