Code of Practice for Planning Decisions

This is our code of practice for dealing with all planning applications so you will know how your application is progressing.

Validating applications

We will:

Check to ensure that all plans/drawings are acceptable, that necessary information has been submitted, forms have been completed correctly and the correct fee has been paid when your application is received.

We aim within five working days of receipt to either:

Register the application as valid, sending an acknowledgement letter to the agent or applicant informing of the case officer who will be dealing with the application, and setting out the timescale for determination of the application, including statutory rights

or

Send a letter informing why the submission is not valid, and what further information is needed prior to re-submitting. If no response is received or no progress has been made after 20 working days of sending out of the invalid letter, we will return the application and make arrangements for the fee to be refunded.

We aim within five working days of receipt of a valid application to:

• Enter details of the application on the statutory planning register
• Undertake necessary statutory and non-statutory consultations
• Send a copy of all the submitted information to the respective parish/town council meeting in order that it can publicise details of the application to the local community and comment on this as appropriate
• Gain feedback from time to time from our key stakeholders, residents, parish councils, applicants/agents and adjoining authorities to allow the continuing improvement of our service
• Deal with complaints and concerns about the manner in which planning applications have been handled in accordance with our formal complaints procedure, details of which are available on our website or from our Norwich office
• Publish details of all new applications received, details of any reports taken to Planning Committee, and the outcome of the decision on our website.
• Send a copy of the application to the respective district/borough/city in the area
• Send a copy of the application to the respective district/borough/ward member.
• Publish details of the application on the Broads Authority's website and on a weekly list of applications received.

We aim within 10 working days of receipt of a valid application to:

• Display a site notice of the application on or near the application site
• Undertake an initial inspection of the site in order to assess the context of the proposal and its likely acceptability
• Undertake further consultation, if required, with adjoining neighbours/properties where they are considered to be materially affected by the proposal
• Negotiate only on those applications that require minor amendments/changes in order that any additional consultation can be carried out, and that a decision can be made within the prescribed targets
• Request that any letters are responded to promptly by applicants in order to ensure that negotiations are undertaken well within the statutory time period.
• Re-consult relevant consultees of any material changes to the submitted application and allow a minimum of 10 working days for further representations to be made.

Commenting on applications

We will:

• Consult in accordance with our Code of Practice for Planning Consultations
• Aim to ensure that all representations received on undetermined applications are acknowledged within five working days of their receipt
• Keep letters of representation on the working planning application file, which is available for public inspection
• Publish letters of representation on our website
• Publish guidance on commenting on applications, details of which can be obtained from our website.

Decisions on applications

We will:

• Determine planning applications in a fair and efficient manner within a reasonable timescale taking into account our statutory purposes
• Delegate appropriate applications to planning officers
• Refer those applications which are not able to be determined under delegated powers to our Planning Committee, which meets on a monthly basis
• Publish our Scheme of Delegated Powers and Scheme of Public Speaking at Planning Committee on our website
• Aim to ensure decision notices are issued within three working days. There are however occasions where the decision is subject to the receipt of additional information, or the completion of a related legal agreement. In such cases, the decision notice will not be issued until this information is received and is acceptable to us, or where the legal agreement has been completed. You are advised not to start work until you have received details of the formal decision
• Publish details of decisions made on planning applications on our website
• Notify all those who were notified of an application or made comments on an application during the application stage in the event of an appeal to the Department for Communities and Local Government against the refusal of planning permission, imposition of conditions, or our failure to determine an application within the statutory time period
• Process all appeals in accordance with the relevant appeal regulations and timetable.

Revised/amended plans

We will:

• Seek a new planning application on occasions where an applicant wants to amend plans after a decision has been made and which would result in a material change.

Monitoring and Review

We will:

• Keep our procedures under review in order to ensure the service responds to changing needs and circumstances as quickly as resources permit
• Regularly monitor our statistical performance and report to the Planning Committee on a quarterly basis
• Gain feedback from time to time from our key stakeholders, residents, parish councils, applicants/agents and adjoining Authorities to allow the continuing improvement of our service
• Deal with complaints and concerns about the manner in which planning applications have been handled in accordance with our formal complaints procedure, details of which are available on our website or from our Norwich office
• Publish details of all new applications received, details of any reports taken to Planning Committee, and the outcome of the decision on our website.