A GUIDE TO THE PLANNING SYSTEM
HERE YOU WILL
FIND:
What is Planning?
The Planning System.
How Development is Controlled.
Getting Involved.
More Information.
What is Planning?
Planning is about how people make decisions about our cities,
towns and countryside. Planning has a long history even thousands
of years ago people will have discussed where to build homes and
shelters!
Over the centuries, a more formal way of making these decisions was
set up. So when we want to build a new house or someone wants to
develop a new shopping centre, your local planning authority is
responsible for deciding whether it should go ahead. ‘Local
planning authority means the district or borough council, not the
parish or town council.
Without a planning system, everyone could construct buildings
anywhere, or use land in any way they wanted, no matter what effect
this would have on other people who live or work in their area.
This is called the planning system.
The Planning System
The planning System has to balance different views and often make
difficult decisions. For example, some people may really want a new
sports centre in a local park so that they can exercise and be
healthy. Other people may be outraged at the possible destruction
of a local green space.
So, something called a plan-led system was introduced. This
involves preparing plans that set out what can be built and
where.
There are now two levels of plan.
- Each region (such as north east of England) is preparing
something known as a ‘Regional Spatial Strategy’. This sets out
things such as how many homes are needed to meet the future needs
of people in the region needs a new major shopping centre or an
airport. Regional spatial strategies are drafted by the Regional
Planning Body.
- At a local level, there will be a plan known as a local
development framework. This will be a folder of documents that sets
out how your local area may change over the next few years. Local
development frameworks are prepared by the local planning
authority.
There may also be other types of plan, such as how to deal
with waste. All these different types of plan are usually available
from your local library.
All the plans must take account of the future needs of
communities. They must take account of the environment as well as
setting out the sorts of development needed to help people live and
work in the area.
That is why it is important that you get involved when plans
are prepared. Who knows better than you do the sort of place where
you want to live? People who work in the local planning department
are there to help – most of them decided to train as planners
because they care about the environment and creating better places
to live.
How Development is
Controlled
Many people only come into contact with the planning system when it
has to decide about whether something can be built in their
area.
Most new buildings or major changes to existing buildings or the
local environment need consent, known as planning permission. An
application for planning permission is made to the local planning
authority for the area. It has to include enough detail for the
authority to see what effect the development could have on the
area.
If the planning application is in line with the approved plan, the
person applying can usually expect to receive planning permission.
If the local authority refuses permission, the person applying can
appeal to the Government for an independent view, usually from a
planning inspector.
Some areas have special protection against development because they
contain attractive landscape or interesting plants and wildlife
(like national parks), or because we need to stop towns and
villages spreading into the open countryside (like the green
belt).
Some smaller areas of land also contain ancient monuments that must
not be damaged. Some buildings are specially protected (or listed)
because of their architectural or historic interest.
For some types of minor building work, you do not need to apply for
planning permission (such as a boundary wall below a certain
height). That is because the effect on neighbours or the
environment is likely to be small, and the Government has issued a
general planning permission to authorise it. This is known as
permitted development.
Getting
Involved
Planning’s purpose has always been to try and make where we live as
pleasant a place as possible. But surely the best way of making
this happen is to involve you in deciding how your local community
is planned.
All members of the community (you, businesses, community groups and
other members of the public) can contribute to the planning process
of preparing development plans.
Your local planning authority must set out how they will involve
the local community, this is called a statement of community
involvement. It is important to get involved in planning at as
early a stage as possible to make sure that your views are
heard.
Draft plans are also examined at inquiries by independent
inspectors from the Government, and everyone has an opportunity to
contribute to those. But it’s better to get involved right at the
start. Local residents must be told about planning applications,
and they must be advertised to give people (known as ‘third
parties’) the opportunity to give their views for or against them,
Your council and developers may also want to consult you about big
planning applications before they are made.
Obviously, other people in your community will have different views
that must be taken into account. It is also unrealistic to expect
that everyone can decide on the detail of everything that goes on
in your area. The statement of community involvement will set out
clearly how you can be involved.
More Information
The planning system can look complicated and put people off from
commenting on proposals for a neighbour’s house extension or
getting involved in the planning process. But if you don’t get
involved, how can you be certain your views will count? So where
can you turn for help? The first point of contact should be staff
in your local planning authority. They are there to help. You can
also contact the following:
- Planning Aid – a charity set up by planners to offer free and
unbiased advice.
- Professional advice, such as from a qualified planning agent or
consultant.
- Your local elected councillor or Member of Parliament
- The commissioner for Local Administration if you feel that the
local council has made a mistake in its decision-making
process.
Your local library or council will be able to find details for
you.