Development Control Customer Charter

Dealing with an Application

Approved January 2006

The case officer dealing with the application will try to visit the site within ten working days of receipt of the application. If access is required, a suitable appointment will be made.

Where, following a site visit, it is apparent that certain information is missing from an application or where an amendment would result in an improved scheme, the applicant will be advised of this by telephone or in writing and given ten working days to submit the required details. The implications of not supplying the missing information will also be explained. Where revised details are submitted, more time may be needed to consider the amendments before a decision is made.

Similarly, where a proposal does not meet the requirements of Council policy but can be easily amended to do so, such amendments will be invited if it would not prejudice meeting our Best Value Performance Targets on dealing with planning applications. However if the amendment required is beyond a minor change to the original proposal and requires a complete redesign of the scheme only limited negotiations will be held. In these cases the applicant will be invited to withdraw the application and take advantage of pre- application discussions on an alternative scheme with a planning officer.