How to respond to planning applications

Responding to Local Development Frameworks

All local councils are now formulating their strategic plans for the next 15-20 years. The new plan is called the Local Development Framework (LDF). Each framework will contain a series of policies which relate to the natural environment and also show designated areas where certain types of development can take place in the future. In most districts developers have sent in speculative plans for housing, open space, commercial and industrial developments.

These documents and maps of your districts with all areas of proposed development on will be on public display depending on the timetables of each council. It is important that we all take a proactive stance to study and comment on how our communities will evolve over the next two decades. Comments from community groups and individual comments from members of the public, together with those of bodies such as Norfolk Wildlife Trust, will be taken into account when drawing up new zones either where development can take place or where there will be protection from development. Once local authorities have formulated a draft plan it will come forward for public consultation. Following that a Government Inspector will study the plan and any further objections.

All the District, Borough and City Plans and framework documents are on their websites, in Libraries and at their offices. Also all councils have to undertake at least three rounds of public consultation. This may take several different forms such as public displays, public meetings or questionnaires. Whilst the majority of local authorities have finalised their main policy plans (known as Core Strategies) consultations are still underway to decide exactly where new development will take place. If you are interested in your local environment please take the opportunity to ensure that your views are included.

Responding to Planning Applications

The majority of planning work comes under what is known as Development Control. Most large developments and those that may affect County Wildlife Sites are sent directly to Norfolk Wildlife Trust, as a consultee, to comment on. However, we do not have the resources to comment on all applications and it is important for local communities to make their views heard on applications that may have an impact on local biodiversity. We hope that these notes will help you respond.

• Applications and notifications for development in most authorities are posted on the council website under planning, printed in local papers or on display at local town halls and at the proposed site. Check both the application maps and any information provided with the application such as ecological, environmental or transport surveys. Consult the Norfolk Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Guidance to see if the application conforms to agreed procedures for protecting wildlife.
• If you have a verbal enquiry then approach the officer calmly and befriend your case officer, they are doing their job and are bound by Planning Laws, not their personal likes. After all they are not the people who have applied to develop your local flower meadow.
• To make an official objection you will have to write to your local council quoting the reference number for that application This can be obtained from council staff at planning reception, from planning notices or from the council website. State your written case clearly and calmly, point out concerns and explain why you want them to be considered. Remember that the planning officer may not have your local knowledge which they could benefit from. Emotive issues like increasing crime, house values or new neighbours are not planning issues.
• Copy your letter to your local councillors of the ward where the application is located and to any other like minded groups. Maybe your councillors could help with compensation or mitigation if the need arises.
• Be familiar with the existing Local Plan, its proposals, policies and maps and the proposals for the Local Development Framework (on view at your council office / library / website). Use where possible any policies that relate to nature conservation issues in your letter. Not all Local Plans protect the same things so check your own. Check Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Public Open Space, Local Nature Reserves and County Wildlife Sites. However many of the latter are privately owned and some level of development relating to management of land, may be allowed.
• In order to object you need to be able to show that there will be a significant impact on wildlife. Government guidance ensures that impacts on wildlife should be taken into account for all planning decisions see Planning Policy Statement 9. However, in practice a development is only likely to be turned down on wildlife grounds alone if there are significant impacts on designated sites (including County Wildlife Sites) or protected species. You can still make representations that should help mitigate for the impact of the development, even where an outright objection is unlikely to succeed.
• To state your case in public at the Planning Committee you will need to inform the clerk at least 24hours beforehand. You will be allocated a short period of time say five minutes to place your objections so have your thoughts scripted and keep calm and to the point.

Being Prepared

There are a number of ways in which community groups (including NWT Local Members Groups) and individuals can prepare themselves for responding to planning applications.

• Take a strategic look - the bigger picture - at your district, town, and village. What are its needs? Maybe you need more affordable housing. What are the threats, i.e. housing developments without enough infrastructure for drainage, green buffer zones or wildlife corridors, public open space etc.
• Find out the ownership of local land including farmland. This is valuable information so that in the future local people can work together and maybe work out appropriate measures of mitigation and / or compensation.
• Do you know what the local population want from their green areas; their idea of a natural green space may be different from a NWT group. So some form of public consultation may be needed as a group can educate at the same time as asking the public their views.
• Task one or two members to check the planning websites/ local paper or go to the town hall regularly. If an application gets refused be vigilant as most developers will try many times to re issue the application. It may look as if they have caved in so do make sure, read the small print. Find out when the planning committees meet there is a tight but regular timeframe.
• Do you have a good relationship with your Town Council or Development Partnership? This is key factor as they may be able to help reach a greater part of the population then your small group.
• Do you know who your Tree and Footpath Warden is? They are also out and about in the countryside so may be able to feed information back to your group.
• Cultivate the local press, talk to them and be prepared to give/send them copy and good pictures. Talk to your district planning team for advice.
• Look within sections of your local people for knowledge of wildlife i.e. the elderly, wildlife, heritage and archive groups. Try and build up a picture of what is and should be within your parish.
• Undertake surveys of the local habitats- under guidance or raise money for or lever in expertise, i.e. Phase 1 Habitat, Water voles, Great Crested newts. Ask the Trust for advice on what needs to be studied in your area.
• Be willing to give accurate wildlife/conservation advice to local land owners or developers.

Useful websites

Planning Policy Statement 9 - Go to www.communities.gov.uk and follow links to planning policy

Norfolk Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Guidance - Go to Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership website, www.norfolkbiodiversity.org and follow links to SPG.

Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (formerly Norfolk Biological Records Centre) www.nbis.org.uk