National Scheme of Delegation

In June of this year, the Government introduced legislation for a national scheme of delegation with regard to planning applications. This will come into effect on 31st October. From that date onwards, only certain types of application will be able to be considered by TRDC Planning Committee:

• Major residential developments (more than 9 dwellings or more than 0.5 hectare)
• Proposals affecting Listed Buildings,
• Retrospective applications,
• Major commercial developments, or
• Advertising consents.

All other applications must be decided by planning officers without reference to councillors.

Three members of the Planning Committee and / or Parish Councils will be able to refer applications of the listed types for consideration by TRDC Planning Committee. However, unlike now, any application referred will have to go through a Gateway Test. This test will decide, based on specified criteria, whether the application can be presented to the Planning Committee. This will be decided by a nominated TRDC councillor (probably the Chair of Planning Committee) and a nominated officer (probably the Head of Regulatory Services). The criteria are whether there are significant economic, social or environmental considerations or significant breaches of the development plan (NPPF, Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan).

It will no longer be possible to use a petition to ask applications to be considered by the Planning Committee. However, this is very rarely used already as it is usually easier to get TRDC Councillors or Parish Councils to do the call-in.

Search for planning applications/appeals near to you here:
https://www3.threerivers.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple