Planning Applications - How to comment

Public comments on development proposals are encouraged and welcomed, whether for small scale developments e.g. house extensions, or for large scale proposals affecting a whole locality. This page explains how you can best put your views forward on planning applications so that they can be considered before a formal decision on the proposals is made and how you can contribute to the decision making process.

Consultation Process

When a planning application is made we will consult with you in a variety of ways.

You may have received a notification letter
You may have seen a site notice
You may have read about the application in the local press or through statutory press notices (published in the Coventry Evening Telegraph) .
You may have seen the application whilst looking at the applications on the councils web site or through our weekly lists of applications recieved.

Before making your observations you should take time to look at the application documents either online (select link to go to planning applications search page) or by visiting the Planning Advisory Desk (based at Civic Centre 4, Much Park Street, Coventry), as this will enable you to make an informed assessment of the proposal.

If you are unsure about any aspect of the proposal then you can email your questions to the officer dealing with the application (the Case Officer) directly or visit the staff on the Advisory Desk in person who will be happy to help. Details of the case officer for each application are provided on the web page. You can also use the comments button that is located on the details page of the "online" application screen.

However if you need to speak with the Case Officer, possibly about progress on the application, then they can be contacted by telephone, fax or email (full details are available from these web pages or from any notification letter). If you wish to meet the Case Officer then it is advisable to make an appointment beforehand as they may be out of the office or otherwise unavailable.

If you would like to receive any independent advice on this or other planning matters then you can contact the West Midlands Planning Aid Service at Unit 319, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham B9 4AA (telephone – 0121 766 8044). Advice is available only to community groups and individuals that cannot afford to pay for professional help.

Putting your comments in writing

Although you may make your comments/objections known to the Case Officer or any other member of staff by telephone or face-to-face these cannot be given as much weight as written representations (either by letter or email). You are strongly advised to formally place your observations in writing, which should be sent to the address given on this page or email them directly to the case officer or to planning@coventry.gov.uk.

You can also comment online by find the application on our website (application search) and using the comments button. your comments will be sent directly to the case officer and be attached to the relevent application.

You should remember that any representations you make in writing or by email will be placed on a public file and be published onto our website (including name and address).

If you provide us with personnal information (e.g. phone number, email address or signature) we will remove the information from the document proir to publication on the web however it will still be available to view on the public file at our offices.

The City Council is charged to make a decision on an application within a set timescale – normally eight weeks. Therefore there is a time limit for making your views known and the date before which your representation should be received is given in the notification letter or on or within any site and press notice. Once that date has expired the City Council is legally entitled to make a decision on the application if it so wished or is in a position to do so, however any views received before a decision is made will be taken into account.

If you wish to speak at committee you must advise both the Planning Team and Customer Workforce and Services (024 7683 3237) within the consultation period indicated on the letter or press/site notice (Please do not wait until you know the application is going to committee as it will be too late by this time and you will not be entitled to speak).

It is helpful if you give some reasons why you support or oppose the proposal. However those comments must be relevant and based on planning matters. These include :-

the proposal’s compliance with the adopted Development Plan;
how the proposal fits in terms of design and use with the surroundings;
the effect on sunlight and daylight on adjoining properties;
the loss of privacy to adjoining properties;
the effect on parking, traffic and road safety;
noise and general disturbance to adjoining residents.

Planning matters do not include

spoiling your view;
rights to light;
devaluing your property;
covenants affecting properties;
nuisance caused by building work;
land ownership disputes;
personal circumstances or character of the applicant;
moral issues.

Anybody can comment. You do not need to have a direct interest in the application site or be an adjacent owner or occupier. You can support as well as object to a proposal. Remember that all comments received are open to public inspection and may be repeated in public documents and will be published to the website as part of the application file.

Most applications are determined under delegated powers (i.e. by officers). However, where there are written representations, which conflict with the officer's recommendation for example, the Planning Committee normally considers these applications subject to the following safeguards.

Safeguards

1. Any decision being in full compliance with the Unitary Development Plan and all other
appropriate City Council policies, standards or guidelines. (This criteria does not apply tohouseholder and minor developments).**
2. Any decisions not being the subject of any unresolved public representations.
3. Any decision not being the subject of any unresolved conflicts of advice from other City Council Directorates as statutory consultees.
4. No Member of the City Council having objected to the application being a delegated
decision and requested it to be considered by Committee.
5. The matter not being one in respect of which a Member of the City Council or an officer of the Planning and Transportation Division has a prejudicial interest.

**The exception is where a proposal, involving an extension, alteration or improvement to a dwellinghouse complies with the City Council's approved supplementary planning guidance 'Extending your home' [adopted in 2003 ]. In such instances even if you have objected to the proposal the application will remain as a delegated decision and you will not be given the opportunity to speak against the application at the Planning Committee

The exception is where a proposal, involving an extension, alteration or improvement to a dwellinghouse complies with the City Council's approved supplementary planning guidance 'Extending your home' [adopted in 2003]. In such instances even if you have objected to the proposal the application will remain as a delegated decision, unless you have requested to speak against the application at the Planning Committee

Planning Committee

Committee meetings are held normally every three weeks on a Thursday in the Council House and are usually in the afternoon. The meetings are open to members of the public. Any written comments you make will be included in the written report if the application is to be considered by the Committee. Where those comments are submitted after the reports have been published they will be
summarised by the City Planning Manager on the "late representations" report, which is tabled at the meeting.

Speaking at Planning Committee

If you have made written representations on a planning application (sent to the Planning Team) and wish to speak at the Committee you must advise both the Planning Team and Customer Workforce and Services (telephone 024 7683 3237 ) within the consultation period indicated on the letter or press/site notice (Please do not wait until you know the application is going to committee as it will be too late by this time and you will not be entitled to speak).

Once you have registed with both Teams within the consultation period

You will be contacted by the Council to confirm the arrangements at least 5 days before the planning committee meeting. You will also be supplied with a copy of the officers report

(please remember that if your representation accords with the officers recommendation then the matter will be determined under delegated powers and you will be notified accordingly).

At the meeting the Chair will announce each item and the planning officer will report on the proposals and the main considerations displaying photos of the site and selected plans.
The Chair will then invite speakers to address the meeting for a maximum of 3 minutes each.
Any objectors will go first, followed by those in support and finally the applicant or their representative.
The Chair of Planning Committee has the discretion to ensure that any right of reply by an applicant (or nominee) in response to a petition spokesperson speech (which is limited to three minutes) is of a proportionate amount of time.
Councillors may ask the Planning Officer to clarify certain points raised before reaching their decision.

Further details about these procedures will be sent to you before the Committee meeting.

Petitions

If you wish to submit a petition this must be supported by a Councillor and be registered with Customer Workforce and Services by 12 noon on the day before planning committee. Any petition submitted without a Councillor in support will be treated as a multi-signature letter for the purposes of reporting the item to planning committee.

A petition will not be recognised unless it has been signed by at least 5 people who are either resident in Coventry or businesses who pay rates to Coventry. The petition must include addresses of those people signing.

Where the petition is submitted before the 12 noon deadline then the Councillor presenting the petition, the petition spokesperson and the applicant (or their agent/representatives) will be invited to attend and speak at the meeting; and that any "petition" received after this deadline be treated as a "late representation".

For further advice on this process you should contact Customer Workforce and Services (telephone 024 7683 3237 )

How decisions are made

Every decision will be made taking into account the following factors –

whether the proposal complies with the development plan;
the individual merits of the proposals;
any relevant comments from consultees.

Your views are therefore only one aspect that is considered and may not override other factors. In law the decision must be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Furthermore Government advice is that there should be a general presumption in favour of development unless there are overriding planning objections to it.

After the decision

If you have written to the City Council then you will be notified of the decision in writing which will set out the reason for refusal or conditions attached to any approval.

Once a decision is made only the person making the application has the right to appeal either against a refusal or any condition imposed on a permission. Neighbours and other interested parties cannot appeal against the decision.

If an appeal is made then an inspector nominated by the Planning Inspectorate will consider the matter. If you commented on the original planning application then you will be informed of the appeal and be invited to make representations to the Planning Inspectorate. Any comments you made on the original application will have already been forwarded to the Inspector. Further information about the appeal process is available from the Planning Advisory Desk.

Commencement of works

Once the development has commenced or completed if you believe it is not in accordance with the approved plans or conditions then please telephone or visit the Planning Advisory Desk, email the Development Management Team (planningl@coventry.gov.uk) and an officer will check the situation. This may require a visit to the site. Your request for us to investigate will be kept confidential and we will get back to you advising you of the action the Council propose to take.

Making a complaint

If you feel the proper procedures have not been followed by the City Council in making the decision then you can make a formal complaint in writing to the Customer and Performance Manager, Planning and Strategic Transportation, Civic Centre 4, Much Park Street, Coventry, CV1 2PY who will investigate your complaint or use the following link

Speak up we're listening

If you are unhappy with the way the City Council investigates your complaint you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate whether maladministration has occurred. The Ombudsman however cannot consider the planning merits of the proposal. Further details about the Ombudsman are also available from the Planning Advisory Desk.

Finally

We are here to help you. You can inspect the application and any relevant policy documents at the Planning Advisory Desk or from this web site and if you do not understand any aspect of the proposals then please contact our reception staff or the Case Officer.

Note – Any advice given on this page is not intended to be an authoritative statement of the law. It is intended for guidance only. If in any doubt please directly to the Planning Advisory Desk or Customer Workforce and Services Team.

Contact Details

Planning and Strategic Transportation

Development Management

Civic Centre 4
Much Park Street
Coventry
CV1 2PY
e-mail: planning@coventry.gov.uk
telephone: 024 7683 1212 or 024 7683 1213

Downloadable documents

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How to comment on planning applications (updated November 2007) (53 kb)

Coventry City Council

Planning