Issue - meetings

Report number PLA713 by the Economic Development Portfolio Holder.                                                          (Attached)

DECISION: The Cabinet recommends to Council:

(1)           the adoption of the local list of information to be submitted with an application under the Planning Acts as appended to report PLA713;

(2)           that delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Head of Sustainable Communities to correct any typographical errors, amplifications or amendments within the local list, but not to add any additional items to it.

Considerations/Reasons for decision:

(1)            Report number PLA713 by the Development Control Service manager and Lead Professional on behalf of the Economic portfolio holder concerning new statutory requirements introduced on 6 April 2008 for plans and information to accompany a planning application.  The new legislation sets out for the first time the exact information required to support a planning application.  If the required information is not submitted, the application is invalid.  The information is divided into two lists; the national list which sets out the mandatory requirements for all applications and a local list that sets out optional information that a local planning authority can request to support an application;

(2)            The overall content of the local list is at the discretion of the local planning authority.  The proposed local list for South kesteven, as appended to report PLA713, is of no legal effect until it is formally adopted by the Council and published on the Council’s website;

(3)            Consultation on the proposed local list is recommended but not a legal requirement;  consultation has taken place via the Council’s new local planning agents’ forum who raised no objection to the proposed local list.  Officer advice on undertaking wider consultation is that it would engender little response and it is probable that very little or no change would be made to the list as a result. 

Other options considered and assessed: None – if a local list is not adopted, the statutory requirements of the national list would prevail.  The local list will provide clarity to developers, enhance the consultation process and contribute to the sustained performance of Development Control.