The Committee will operate in accordance with established Standing Orders. A copy of the Standing Orders can be found under the publications page of the WNDC website.

The guidance below aims to explain the process set out in the Standing Orders.

Planning Powers:

The Planning Committees have executive responsibility for the determination of planning applications on behalf of the WNDC Board.

Membership:

The Planning Committees will comprise up to 8 members. Up to 3 of these members will be elected representatives of the Local Authority who administer the whole or majority of the Urban Development Areas covered by the Committee. For example, WNDC’s Northampton planning committee will have up to 3 Councillors from Northampton Borough Council sitting on the Committee. The remaining members of the Committee will be drawn from the Board of WNDC. The Committee will be chaired by a Board member.

Procedure during the meeting:

Each planning application will receive a report with a recommendation from the officers. The Committee is required to make its decisions on planning grounds only.

Planning Committees will usually follow the order below:

1. The Committee Chair will open the meeting and ask for any apologies.
2. The Committee then moves to the first application on the agenda for consideration.
3. A Planning Officer may update the written committee report.
4. Those objecting to or supporting the application will be invited to speak.
5. Speakers may be asked questions by the Committee members.
6. A Planning Officer can summarise issues before the matter is debated by the Planning Committee Members and a vote is taken. Planning Committee members may ask Planning Officers questions during the debate.

The Committee may also undertake a formal site visit in advance of the Committee meeting to view the site and its surroundings for themselves. In some cases, the Committee may also defer consideration of the application to allow for a site visit to take place where it has not already done so or to allow for a further report to be prepared. Once a decision has been made, the dispatch of the decision notice and updating of the planning register will be handled by the Local Authority in accordance with an agreed protocol.

Making decisions:

Planning decisions will be based upon an assessment of all material considerations and consideration against national, regional and local planning policy in the context of the objective of the Development Corporation. To assist developers in understanding the requirements of WNDC and other local stakeholders, WNDC encourages developers to seek advice from WNDC on their proposals ahead of making a planning application.

Speaking at Committee:

WNDC allows public speaking at its Planning Committee. This section answers some of the questions you might have about how to arrange to speak and how the system will operate.

The following can speak at Planning Committee Meetings and will be heard in the following order:

• Up to 2 people ‘against’
• Councillors ‘against’*
• MPs ‘against’
• Up to 2 speakers ‘for’
• Councillors ‘for’
• MPs ‘for’
• The applicant

*(One Councillor of the Ward in which the application relates to; who are not members of the Planning Committee. If the application falls over two or more Wards, one Councillor per Ward will be allowed to speak).

Registering to Speak:

It is necessary to register all speaking requests with the Committee Assistant. Speaking requests will be accepted once the agenda has been published (at least five working days before the meeting) and no later than 12 noon the working day before the Committee. This applies to all speakers. The agenda will be published on the WNDC website. Late representations will not be heard.

Registrations to speak can be made by visiting the contact details at the bottom of this page.

WNDC will register speakers on a ‘first come first served’ basis. If all of the speaking slots have been allocated, any further requests will be added to a reserved list.

In the event that two people have already registered, a person wishing to make their views known to the Committee should contact their Ward Councillor to see if they can put across their points for them.

Where a member of the public has registered to speak but fails to attend the meeting the Chair has the discretion to reallocate that speaking place to another member of the public present who would otherwise have wished to speak, and has registered with WNDC.

For the avoidance of doubt, such reallocation will be on a like for like basis i.e. if the original registration was ‘for’, the reallocated place will also be ‘for’.
If objectors intend to speak, the applicant will be contacted to ensure that they have the opportunity to reply.

Time:

All speakers are allowed to speak up to three minutes. This will be timed by the Committee Assistant. You will be told when your three minutes has ended.

Speakers with disabilities and/or health issues:

All speaking requests must be made in accordance with the process outlined above. However, if you believe you will require assistance, or special arrangements to make your representations to the Committee, please contact the Committee Assistant to discuss your requirements.

Speaking guidance:

• Speakers are only allowed to make statements during their 3 minutes. They may not ask questions or enter into dialogue with Councillors, officers or other speakers.
• Consideration of an application will not be delayed simply because someone who has registered to speak is unable to attend the meeting.
• Addresses should only be about planning issues and should not refer to non-planning issues such as private property rights, moral issues, loss of views, or effects on property values.
• Fresh material may not be circulated to the Committee members, unless it has been submitted in advance to the Planning Officer before 12 noon the day before the Committee.
• WNDC has prepared advice for speakers who are not used to speaking in public.

If you have any questions about WNDC planning committees, or would like to register to speak at a forthcoming committee meeting please feel free to contact [email protected] or call: 01604 597634 or write to: Committee Assistant, Planning Committee, WNDC PO Box 355, Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton NN5 5WU United Kingdom