The decision making process
Delegated items
Approximately 95% of applications are decided by planning officers under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation to Officers. These are generally local applications that are not controversial and do not raise wider issues. However, there are processes in place to ensure planning officers cannot determine their own cases.
Scheme of Delegation in relation to planning applications
Officers have delegated powers to determine planning applications where, for instance
- the proposals comply with the development plan
- the application is recommended for approval and has not more than 20 material objections
- the application is recommended for refusal and has not more than 20 material representations in support
- the application is not a national development or includes a legal agreement less that £250,000 in value
- an elected member has not requested referral to Committee or such a request has been declined.
Other situations apply. Please refer to the Scheme of Delegation for full details.
Items considered at committee
Approximately 6% of all applications are decided by Councillors. These are the applications which raise significant planning issues, are of wider importance to the city or are controversial.
Comments are summarised in the committee report. Comments are made public on the portal five working days before the committee date.
As part of the enhanced scrutiny measures for planning applications, some applications will be subject to pre-determination hearings. These are mandatory for major developments which are significantly contrary to the development plan and in respect of national developments. Any applications which are required to have a pre-determination hearing will have to be decided by full Council.
Other significant applications may also be the subject of a hearing, although these do not have to be decided by the full Council. Selected objectors will be contacted if this is the case.