Development Control Customer Charter

Notifying the Public and Consultations

Approved January 2006

The statutory register which lists all current planning application and past decisions will be indexed and available for inspection within three working days of those applications being determined valid. Copies of decisions made will be available for inspection within two working days of the decisions being taken.

The Council will compile a weekly list of all applications received and decisions made and make this available on the Council's web site.

Copies of the submitted applications including forms, plans and any supporting information will be supplied on receipt of a fee to cover the cost of photocopying. Any plans copied will be for the private use of the recipient only and will bear a copyright stamp. Copies of decision notices will also be supplied at a fee. A list of current charges is available on request.

The Council will notify in writing the occupants of premises directly adjoining an application site in accordance with the adopted Neighbour Notification Procedure. Further information is available in our Publicity Policy, please contact Development Control on 0121 704 6373 to request a copy. Notification letters will always provide the following information:

• The site address
• The proposed development
• When and where the application can be viewed
• A contact name and direct dial telephone number for further enquiries
• The time limit for the receipt of written comments (a minimum of 21 days from the date of the letter, sometimes less in the case of a proposal to amend an ongoing application)

Where it is not apparent where the owner or occupant of any adjoining land lives, the Council will erect a notice at the site advertising receipt of the application and where it may be viewed. A site notice will also be erected where the Council considers that the planning application may be of wider concern to more than just the immediate neighbours, as well as for applications in Conservation Areas or relating to the alteration or setting of a listed building.

In some cases, the Council must consult other specified authorities or agencies to gain their views on a development proposal. These consultees will be given a 21-day period to comment on the application in writing. The Council will give due consideration to all consultee responses received within this period.

The Council will consult its Conservation Advisory Committee (CAC) on all planning applications which might significantly affect the character of a Conservation Area whether within a designated area or outside it but part of its setting. Applications which affect important archaeological remains will also be put to CAC for its views.

All written comments made on an application will be considered before a decision is made. If an objection raising planning matters is received, the application and objection will be determined by the Head of Planning Services in liaison with the Chairman of the Planning Committee or by the Planning Sub Committee. Complex cases or those that result in five or more neighbour objection letters, are normally considered by the Planning Sub Committee. All other applications will be dealt with by the Head of Planning Services under the Council's Scheme of Delegation. Further information on how we deal with your application is available by contacting Development Control on 0121 704 6373.

Where an application is to be reported to the Planning Sub Committee, those who have made written comments will be informed in writing of the date of the relevant Planning Sub-Committee meeting and will be invited to attend the meeting. They will be allowed to make a verbal presentation to the Committee Members, for no more than three minutes provided they inform the Council of their desire to do so by no later than noon on the day before the meeting. Please note that a maximum of three minutes public speaking is allowed for each application and not three minutes for each person wishing to address the Planning Sub Committee. Therefore where a proposal is of particular interest to a group of people, it may be preferable to elect a spokesperson to represent all the objectors. Further information on Speaking at Committee is available by Contacting Development Control on 0121 704 6373.

The Council will publicise on its web site the dates of the Planning Sub-Committee in order to give its customers the opportunity to attend. Those making individual comments on an application will be informed of the decision made within one working day of the issue of the decision notice.